Valentinism A Gnostic Christian movement that was founded by Valentinus in the 2 nd century AD. One of the major Gnostic movements of the day. Its influence was extremely widespread throughout Rome, Egypt, Asia Minor, Syria, and Northwest Africa.
Valentinism Valentinus was born in Egypt and lived from approximately 100 to 180 AD. He is widely acknowledged as the originator of the first form of Gnostic Christianity. He was a scholar schooled in Alexandria and is reputed to have been an extremely eloquent teacher possessing a great deal of charisma with the innate ability to attract people.
Valentinism The disciples of Valentinus claimed that he had been educated by Theudas, a pupil of the apostle Paul, from whom he received his secret teachings.
Valentinism Beliefs At the beginning there was 'fullness. At the centre of this fullness was the true god, the primal Father, as well as a host of other eternal beings who lived in perfect harmony with each other. This cosmic perfect harmony was destroyed by one of the eternal beings, Wisdom (Sophia), who was not content with her position but wished to create like the Father of the Universe.
Valentinism Beliefs This attempt failed and resulted in producing Sophia s son, the Demiurge ( workman - the god of the OT), who was expelled from the divine realm. The Demiurge went on to create worlds of his own. While the human body was created by the Demiurge it still contains a divine spark that enables it to establish a connection with the highest god.
Valentinism Beliefs This divine spark within humanity possesses a homing instinct that longs to break free from the body and achieve its true destiny. The aim of the body created by the Demiurge was to function as a prison and cause humanity to forget the divine spirit within.
Valentinism Beliefs This spark can be awakened if a divine messenger awakens individuals from their dream of forgetfulness, illuminating humanity through this knowledge and reconnecting it with its divine origins. For Valentinism, Christ was this redeemer figure.
Valentinism In order to save those held captive by the body, the saviour let himself be conceived and born as an infant with a body and soul. The logos (truth) descended from the fullness, assumed spiritual flesh, and opened the way for the spiritual elements trapped in earthly human beings to be reunited with their divine origin.
Valentinism In some versions, this was connected with the historic Jesus of Nazareth by relating that Christ descended into the earthly Jesus at his baptism and departed Jesus at his crucifixion. Valentinism thought of itself as representing a deeper, more spiritual version of Christianity.
Docetism Docetism: to appear (apparition, phantom). Jesus only seemed to be human. His human form was merely an illusion.
Docetism Two varieties were widely known. Version #1 Christ was so divine he could not have been human, since God lacked a material body, which therefore could not physically suffer. Jesus only appeared to be a flesh-and-blood man, his body was a phantom.
Version #2 Jesus was a man in the flesh, but Christ was a separate entity, who entered Jesus body in the form of a dove at his baptism, empowering him to perform miracles, and abandoning him on his death on the cross.
Ebionitism Ebionites: "the poor" or "poor ones. Their name suggests that they placed a special value on voluntary poverty. They were a Jewish Christian movement that existed early in church history.
Ebionitism Ebionim was one of the terms used by the Jewish sect that sought to separate themselves from the corruption of the Temple - whom many believe were the Essenes (living at Qumran). The Ebionites may have been a breakaway group from the Essenes who became followers of Jesus, but in an unorthodox sense.
Ebionitism They regarded Jesus as the Messiah, but rejected his pre-existence, divinity, virgin birth, atoning death and physical resurrection. They emphasized the oneness of God and the humanity of Jesus who, they believed, was the biological son of Mary and Joseph. By virtue of his righteousness, Jesus was chosen by God when he was anointed with the Holy Spirit at his baptism to be a messianic prophet like Moses (though the greatest prophet).
Ebionitism They used only a Hebrew (or Aramaic) version of the Gospel of Matthew (referred to as the Gospel of the Hebrews) in addition to the Hebrew Bible (the OT). This version of Matthew omitted the first two chapters on Jesus nativity and starts with the baptism of Jesus by John.
Ebionitism While all the Ebionites denied Jesus divinity there was a sub-group which did not deny his virgin birth or resurrection.
Ebionitism The Ebionites also believed that all Jews and Gentiles must observe the commandments in the Law of Moses in order to become righteous and seek communion with God. They rejected Paul as an apostate from the Law.