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A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Divinity in the University of Edinburgh, in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy

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A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Divinity in the University of Edinburgh, in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy THE CONCEPTION OF REDEMPTION IN THE GNOSTIC THEOLOGIES OF THE FIRST AND SECOND CENTURIES. JOHN BALDWIN CORSTON. A Thesis submitted to the Faculty of Divinity in the University of Edinburgh, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. PREFACE The present study is an attempt to trace the develop­ ment of the Gnostic conception of redemption from the almost pagan systems of the Ophites to the classical Christian Gnostic schools of Marcion, Basilides and Valentinus. The earlier forms of Gnosticism are connected with various elements of Oriental mythology: the more developed Christian systems em­ phasize Christ as sole redeemer, and set forth something of the mystery of the love of God, which sets men free from the evil of this world. Gnosticism approaches closely to Chris­ tianity in the fragments of Heracleon, and also in the Odes of Solomon, which I believe to have been hymns of redemption composed by a Christian Gnostic writer. The Gnostics, however, always regarded redemption as an enlightenment which was limited to a certain number of chosen spirits. This ex- clusiveness which Gnosticism shared with the mystery religions was the cause of its later departure from Christianity, and of its reversion to paganism under the influence of Egyptian magic and the Oriental cults of the dead. In Chapter 2 I have sought to derive certain pagan elements of Gnosticism from early Babylonian and Persian sources. I have drawn upon the monumental findings of Sousset and Reitzenstein in this field of inquiry: yet I feel that neither of these scholars has sufficiently explained the way by which these ancient religions reached the later period of the Gnostics. I believe that certain of the early myths of the primitive Mandaean religion constituted a media via for the transference of the ancient Babylonian and Persian myths of a descending redeemer, and also of the widely-held theory of the ascent of the soul, into the Gnostic systems. The Gnostic belief in redemption through Gnosis, a form of mystical enlightenment which was granted by a Supreme Being, appears to have distinct affinities with the Hermetic religions of ancient Egypt. The chief sources of my investigations have been the Patristic writings on Gnosticism, and the remains of certain of the Gnostic writers. My indebtedness to such modern scholars as Bousset, Anz, De Faye, and Reitzenstein is apparent throughout this thesis. I also wish to acknowledge the helpful suggestions and kind encouragement which I have received from Professor W. Manson in the course of my studies. John B. Corston. Saskatoon, Canada. September 22nd, 13?8. TABLE OF CONTENTS. Pages Chapter I. The Gnostic World - Sources and Con­ temporaries of Gnosticism. 1-58. I. Pessimistic Dualism - Astrological speculation - the rule of Fate. 1-7 II. The Gnostic aspiration towards the Unicnown God - philosophical and religious analogies. 8 - 15. III. Gnosticism and Christianity - incipient Gnosti­ cism in the New Testament - the influence of Christianity upon Gnosticism - Christian and pre-Christian elements in Gnosticism. 15 - 25. IV. The Gnostic Redeemer. The complicated Christo- logy of the Gnostics - Christ becomes a Cosmic principle - Bousset's classification of primi­ tive Gnostic myths - the relation of the Gnostic Redeemer to the Christian Redeemer. 25 - 58. Pages Chapter II. The Pre-Christian Sources of the Gnostic Theory of Redemption. 29 - 72. I. Babylonian astrological speculations. 59 - 41. II. A. Proto-Manaaean "redemption myths" - the relation of Manaaism to the Babylonian ana the Persian religions - and to Gnosti- 41 - 48. cism. B. The "redemption myths" in the Genza - relation of these to the Gnostic theory of the descending redeemer. 48 - 52. C. The Manaaean account of the ascent of the Soul - Sacramental observances - parallels in Gnosticism. 52 - 62. III. Hermeticisra - Dualism - the ascent of the soul - redemption through gnosis conferred by Nous. 62 - 72. e s Chapter III. The Conception of Redemption in the Ophite Theologies. 75 - I. Origin and significance of Ophitisra - the worship of the Serpent. 73-75. II. The 'Ophites' of Irenaeus - The enmity between laldabaoth and Sophia - the descent of the re­ deemer, Christ, who restores order within the 75-78. Universe. III. The 'Ophites' of Origen - the ascent by mystic observances and sacraments. 78-80. IV. The Barbelo-Gnostics - the Barbeliotes - the Nicolaitans - the Cainites - their libertine doctrine of redemption. 80-84. V. The Sethians - their cosmogony - redemption- through the coming down of light in the form of a serpent. 84-88. VI. The Peratae - The Redeemer who embodies the three parts of the Cosmos - Redemption an awaken­ ing of the consciousness of the world and its origin, through the serpent. 88-91. VII. The Naasenes - Their various mysteries of re­ demption - The summary of their theory of redemp­ tion in the Naasene hymn - Christian tendencies! 91-102 VIII. The Justinians - the affliction of men and the Crucifixion of Jesus by the Serpent - Redemption a process of emancipation from matter - Jesus and Elohim as redeemers. 102-106. IX. The Docetae - Their system of Aeons - redemption a process of restoration of the Universe bv~ Jesus Christ. - Christian affinities. 106-109. Pages Chapter IV. The Conception of Redemption in the Early Gnostic schools - Simon Magus to Sator- nilos. 110-124. Simon Magus. Clement's account - Simon brings redemption to men through knowledge of the Un­ known God - Irenaeus' account - Simon's descent to redeem Helena and to set free the soul of man. Hippolytus' account - the Cultus' of Simon's followers. 110-116. II. Menander - Redemption by gnosis and the Sacra­ ment of baptism in the Redeemer. 116-117. III. Carpocrates. Redemption through experience of all things - and by Gnosis. 118-120. IV. Cerinthus. Redemption through reception of the revelation brought by Christ. 120-121. V. Satornilos. Redemption brought by Christ to those who have the "spark of life" within them - Docetic conception of the redeemer - hence redemption promoted by asceticism. 122-124. Pages Chapter V. The Gnostic conception of Redemption in its approach to Christianity: Basiiides and Marcion. 125-160, I. Basil, ides. A. Sources of his teaching. 125-129. B. Hippolytus 1 account - Salvation by a process of the uplifting of lower powers. Jesus the Redeemer as perfected man. 129-135. C. Clements 1 account in the Stroraata - Redemption through election ana illumination - Human suffering an expiation for sin - The Redeem­ er's separation of contradictions. 135-143. D. Irenaeus 1 account - Redemption an intellectual process - Knowledge of powers in the different heavens brought to men by Jesus the Redeemer. 145-148. E. The relation of Basiiides to Christianity. 148. II. Marcion. His relation to Christianity - his sharply de­ fined Gnostic aualism - the opposition of the Good God and the Evil God - The revelation of the Goou God through Jesus Christ, which af­ fords redemption to all men except to those who had obeyed the Demiurge - Eznik's account of Marcion - the antithesis of law ana grace - Apelles, Marcion 1 s successor, reproduces his master's teaching of redemption. 149-160 Pages Chapter VI. The Valentinian conception of Redemption 161-201 I. Valentinus. A. Sources of his teaching. 161-163. B. Irenaeus' account - Valentinus' theory of redemption found in Irenaeus' account of the Ptolemean school - perfect redemption granted only to s^irituaJL natures y the Pneumatici, through Gnosis. 165-169. C. Clement's account in the Strornata - redemption by a Docetic redeemer - believer comprehends nature of redeemer - redemption by enlighten­ ment, by revelation. ' "" 169-173. D. Clement's account in the Excerpta Ex Theodoto - Theodotus reproduces his master's theorv of re­ demption. First Group - redemption mediated by Christ - Pneumatici redeemed by nature and by election - The separation of believers from unbelievers by Stauros. Second Group - redemp­ tion a gradual unfolding and formation of the" spiritual element in man - Third Group - redemp­ tion signifies freedom from fate and from the bondage of the stars. Sacramental observanc­ es - baptism. 173-181. E. Hippolytus' -account - The redemption of Sophia through her separation from her oassions by- Christ - the redemption of the terrestrial' world from the Demiurge by Jesus Son of Mary - Redemption includes the Pleroma and the world outside the Pleroma. 181-185. F. Summary - Christianity and paganism in Valen- tinianism - Christianity assimilated into a process of development which had manv affini­ ties with paganism. 185-191. II. Heracleon. The division of men into three classes - the redemption of the Pneumatici allegorically described in the parable of the Samaritan woman - the redemption of the Psvchici described in the story of tae healing of the ruler's son - Heracleon's Soteriology - Redemp­ tion a mystical apprehension of the%c.th of in­ ner slavation through the illumination ho<?towpd by Christ. -~ 191_201 . Pages Chapter VII. The Gnostic Hymns of Redemption. 202-216. I. The Odes of Solomon - their relation to Gnosticism - the descent of the Redeemer - his conquest of the dragon - the ascent of the soul - redemption at­ tained through gnosis, which is imparted by the redeemer. 202-210. II. The Song of the Pearl - its connection with Bardesanes - outline of the hymn - two inter pretations - descent of the soul or descent of the redeemer - both may be accepted. 210-215. III. The Hymn to Sophia - the marriage of the daughter of the King of Light - its
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