I want to start off by stating that these are my personal thoughts and interpretations. Some may agree, some may disagree, and that’s fine. After reading this FAQ however, one will have an entry level understanding of Gnosticism and some of it’s concepts within a modern practical context.
The Gnostic FAQ
What is “Gnosticism” and what does it mean to be a “Gnostic”?
Contrary to what one may think, a “Gnostic” is NOT someone who follows a religion called “Gnosticism”. In fact, “Gnosticism” is NOT a religion at all. “Gnosticism” is a modern term to describe the MANY schools of thought that are centered around the concept of “gnosis”. What then is “gnosis”? “Gnosis” is a feminine Greek noun that means “knowledge”. This knowledge however is not referring to intellectual knowledge like something you would read in a book. Rather it is referring to personal experiential knowledge that one gains through direct experience.
Within the schools of thought that are under the umbrella of “Gnosticism”, “gnosis” refers to personal spiritual knowledge that is obtained through your direct experience with the Divine. To experience the Divine is to come into an understanding that the Divine spark – which is the origin of all things – exists within yourself, and to know then that you are an avatar of this Divine source. As Rumi (A Sufi mystic) poetically put it, “You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean in a drop.” This is the proper context and understanding of having “Knowledge of Self”.
A “Gnostic” then is simply one who has this Knowledge of Self and acts on it. Throughout history there have been Eastern “Gnostics”, Jewish “Gnostics” (which are referred to as Kabbalist), Christian “Gnostics” (who are among the most popular groups when referring to “Gnosticism”), Muslim “Gnostics” (which are referred to as Sufis), and even Pagan “Gnostics” (who would be initiates into the Mystery Schools). In the modern day, there exist a few self claiming “Gnostic” congregations throughout the world. Whether these groups are authentic or not is up to one’s own judgement, but it is not required to be apart of any organization or follow any one person’s school of thought in order to be considered a “Gnostic”. It is your personal relationship with the Divine.
What is the “Monad”?
The “Monad” (Greek for “the One”) is the Source of ALL things. It’s what Christ called “The Father”, what one may call “The Most High” or “God”, yet in Its most proper context It is above being what we even think of as a god. It’s ineffable, meaning It can’t accurately be described in words, only felt and understood by your personal experience with It. From the “Monad” all things emanate and to the “Monad” all things return. This should not however be confused with the god of the Old Testament who is called “Jehovah” or “Yahweh”, whom many Gnostics refer to as Yaldabaoth or the Demiurge.
See: The Personalities of the Monad
What is the “Demiurge”?
The “Demiurge” (Greek for “skilled worker”) is what many Gnostics call the god of the Old Testament. Other names that are given to him are Yaldabaoth, Samael (blind god), and Saklas (the foolish one). Within the gnostic myths, he is a false god seen as being evil or simply ignorant, yet in either case he is imperfect. It is he who is responsible for creating the imperfect material universe and trapping the Divine Spirit and Soul into flesh and blood. I have written a few articles that go more into detail about these myths –
See: What If The Devil Convinced The World That He Was God?
Yahweh: Son of Chaos, God of War
In the Neoplatonist schools of thought, the Demiurge is equated with the Nous and is a part of the natural hierarchy of existence. However, their concept of the Demiurge is essentially different than the way it’s viewed within Gnosticism’s mythos.
In a modern-day way of Gnostic thinking, the Demiurge can be seen as any false idea of a god or an authority that exist outside of and separated from the Self. It can also be seen as anything that’s trying to strip you of your Self-identity, sovereignty, and independent thought. This often times manifests itself as religious institutions, governments, media, or any other external self-claiming authority. In a deep occult sense, the “Demiurge” can even be thought of as an egregore or thought-form.
See: Yaldabaoth Is A Thought Form
Who are the “Archons”?
The “Archons” are those who serve the Demiurge. In the modern practical sense, they can be seen as those who willingly or unwillingly serve this false authority, whether it be for the Church or the State. Where the Demiurge is more of an intangible thought-form or idea, the “Archons” are the actual people carrying out the will of this thought-form.
Is the material world evil?
As previously mentioned, the gnostic myths refer to the Demiurge as being either evil or ignorant yet in both cases imperfect. Therefore if he is the creator of the material universe, then the creation would reflect its creator. Being that these are myths however, be reminded to not take them literally. However, one can observe the universe and see that it is indeed imperfect and unbalanced. Many may see the seasonal cycles as well as life and death as some sort of universal balance in motion, but what they are actually witnessing is a universe that is always working towards balance, but never quite achieving it. I personally don’t see this as evil, rather I see it as necessary for evolution and growth, for a true “perfect” and “balanced” universe would be inactive and still. It would basically be non-existent, for when balance and perfection are achieved, changes and movement cease. Where else is there to go from perfection? I’ll go more into detail about this concept in my upcoming series about the nature of the Cosmos.
Do Gnostics believe in Christ?
Christian Gnostics do, but not in the same way that Mainstream Christianity does. Where Mainstream Christianity puts more emphasis on Christ’s sacrificial death and resurrection for their salvation and forgiveness of sins, Gnostics put more emphasis on his life, teachings, and living examples. Another major difference is how the gospels and the life of Christ are interpreted. Mainstream Christianity believes that Christ literally existed and that the events within the gospels are historical. Gnostics on the other hand are not really concerned with whether Christ really existed or not, for they don’t believe he died as a sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins. A Gnostic would argue that it is immoral for any good god to demand a blood sacrifice. Christian Gnostics believe it is through understanding the message Christ taught in the gospels, whether they be historical fact or simply myth, you’ll be brought to gnosis, which is salvation.
Though the Christian Gnostic texts like those found in the Nag Hammadi Library dominate a large portion of the Gnostic mythos, it should be noted that Christ is only important within Christian Gnostic groups. Other Gnostic sects may see Christ as being yet another among many messengers who revealed gnosis along with the Buddha and Zoroaster. In some Gnostic sects, Christ may not be relevant at all.
See: Who Was Christ Part One
Who Was Christ Part Two
You mentioned salvation through gnosis?
Yes. For the Gnostic, the achievement of gnosis is the goal. By achieving gnosis or what I described earlier as Knowledge of Self, you free yourself from the illusions and false ideas society has created all around you. Not only does it free you from these false beliefs about the world around you, it also most importantly frees you from the false perceptions you have about yourself, your own power, and ability. Ultimately gnosis frees your Soul (Mind) and Spirit from being tied to the flesh and the mundane things of the material, elevating your Self to the higher planes of consciousness.
There is much more to be learned about Gnosticism, but I wanted to present an entry level crash course on the subject as well as give my readers context for my articles I’ve written and will write going forward. If you would like to learn more about Gnosticism then I encourage you all to subscribe to The Gnostic Dread, check out other articles I’ve written and linked to within this article, and pick yourself up a copy of both The Gnostic Bible and The Nag Hammadi Scriptures where you can read the myths and writings of the Gnostics of old for yourself.
Also feel free to comment with your thoughts and questions, and based on the feedback I can address more FAQs in future articles.
Peace, Love, & Balance
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