Table Of ContentGNOSIS
KURT
The Nature & History
RUDOLPH
of Gnosticism
G N O S I S
GNOSIS
The Nature and History of Gnosticism
KURT RUDOLPH
Translation edited by
Robert McLachlan Wilson
4âü
tm
HarperSanFrancisco
A Division of WzvpcrCoW'msPublisbers
Translators
P. W. Coxon (pages 171-274)
K. H. Kuhn (pages 275-376)
R. McL. Wilson (translation editor; pages 1-170)
First published in the German Democratic Republic
by Koehler & Amelang, Leipzig, 1977 as
Die Gnosis; Wesen und Geschichte einer spätantiken Religion
Copyright © Koehler & Amelang, 1977
First Harper & Row Paperback Edition 1987
This work is a translation from the German of the
second, revised and expanded edition (1980) of Die Gnosis:
Wesen und Geschichte einer spätantiken Religion
Copyright © T. & T. Clark Limited, Edinburgh, 1984
All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America.
No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any man
ner whatsoever without written permission except in the case
of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
For information address HarperCollins Publishers,
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022
Library of Congress Number 81-47437
ISBN: 0-06-067018-5 (pbk)
CONTENTS
List of Illustrations...............................................................VII
Abbreviations........................................................................ XI
Preface ...................................................................................
1
Translator’s N o te ............................................ .....................
7
TH E SO U R C ES .............................................................
9
The Heresiological Literature and the Older History
of Research ...........................................................................
9
The Early Heresiologists and Their Works
.............
10
The Older Sources..................... .......................................... 25
The History of R esearch..................................................... 30
The Nag Hammadi Discovery and its Significance........... 34
N A T U R E AND S T R U C T U R E ............. ..................
53
The Main Features of Gnostic Ideology and Mythology .
53
Dualism ................................................................................... 59
Cosmology and Cosm ogony................................................ 67
Anthropology and A nthropogony..................................... 88
The Doctrine of Redemption and the R edeem er............. 113
The Ascent of the Soul and the End of the World . . . . . 171
Community, Cult and Social Practice (Ethics) ................204
H IS T O R Y ...........................................................................275
Presuppositions and Causes. The Problem of Origins . . . 275
Early Schools and System s...................................................294
The Great Systems of the 2nd C en tu ry ............................. 308
M anicheism .......................................................... .,...........326
A Relic : The Mandeans ..................................................... 343
E P IL O G U E ..................................................................... 367
A Historical Survey of the Changes and Consequences
of G nosis................................................................................367
A P P E N D IX ............................................................
377
Chronological Table . . . ................................................... . 377
Notes ..................................................................................... 379
Select Bibliography
Sources (Original Texts and Translations)........................391
Essays and Monographs ..................................................... 397
Index
......................................................................................405
VII
List of Illustrations
Illustrations in Text
40 The surroundings of Nag Hammadi, after
W .C. van Unnik, Evangelien aus dem Nil
sand, Frankfurt (Main) 1960,5. Cf. also I.
Doresse, Les Livres secrets des gnostiques
d’Égypte, Paris 1958, 152 f.
68 The Ophite Diagram, after H. Leisegang,
Die Gnosis, Stuttgart 1955, at p. 32. Cf. also
Th. Hopfner, Das Diagramm der Ophiten
(in Charisteria Alois Rzach zum 80. Ge
burtstag dargebracht, Reichenberg 1930,
86-98), 95 plate 3.
70 The universe as a serpent, from a Greek
manuscript (Z. 299 = 584) in the Biblioteca
Nazionale
Marciono,
Venice,
after
H. Leisegang, Die Gnosis, at p. 45.
174 “Signs” and “seals” of the aeons, from
Koptisch-gnostische Schriften, 1. Band, Die
Pistis Sophia, Die beiden Bücher des Jeu,
ed. C. Schmidt, 3rd ed. rev. W. Till Berlin
1962 (GCS 45), 268, 269,292,322. Cf. also
V.MacDermot, The Books o f Jeu, Leiden
1978 (NHS XIII), 57, 58,85,86,127.
212 Grave inscription of Flavia Sophë, Museo
Kircheriano (Museo Nazionale Romano),
after A. Ferma, Questioni di epigrafia eret-
ica romano (in Rivista di Archeologia
Christiana XXI (1944/5), 164-221), p. 185.
223 The world serpent (ouroboros) as an
amulet. Greek papyrus CXXI in the British
Museum, London, after H. Leisegang, Die
Gnosis, at p. 145. Cf. also K. Preisendanz,
Papyri Graecae Magicae, 2nd ed. rev.
A. Henrichs, Bd. II, Stuttgart 1974, 26f.
(VII, 580-590) and Plate 1, No. 4.
248 Serpent in the ancient Greek cult of
Demeter at Eleusis, after a relief in the Ny
Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen, Cat.
No. 144. The Museum very kindly placed a
photo at my disposal. Cf. E.Kister, Die
Schlange in der griechischen Kunst und Re
ligion, Berlin 1913,146f.
295 Dedication to the old Roman god of
oaths, Semo Sancus. Lapidarium of the
Vatican Museum (new) No. 6808, CIL VI
567. From an original photograph from the
Museum. Cf. also H.Achelis, Das Chri
stentum in den ersten drei Jahrhunderten,
2nd ed., Leipzig 1925, Plate XI, 1.
334 Mandean magic bowl, after H. Pognon,
Inscriptions mandaites des coupes de
Khouabir. Paris 1898, No. 15.
361 Traditional Mandean sanctuary (mandi),
after E. S. Drower, The Mandaearts o f Iraq
and Iran, Oxford 1937, 140 (No. 7). The
original for this drawing was the old Mandi
of Qal’at Salih, today no longer used.
Plates
Plate I Manichean book illustration (miniature)
from Turkestan, Museum für Indische
Kunst, Berlin (West), after A. von Le Coq,
Die Buddhistische Spätantike in Mittelasien
II. Die manichäischen Miniaturen, Berlin
1923, Plate 7b. Photo: Volkmar Herre,
Leipzig.
II Manichean book illustration (miniature)
from Turkestan, Museum für Indische
Kunst, Berlin (West), after A. von Le Coq,
Manichäische Miniaturen, Plate 8b. Cf. al
so id., Chotscho. Faksimile - Wiedergaben
der wichtigeren Funde der 1. Kgl. Preussi-
schen Expedition nach Turfafi in Ost-Tur-
kistan, Berlin 1913, Bd. 1, plate 5, left
(front). Photo: Volkmar Herre, Leipzig.
III Manichean book illustration (miniature)
from Turkestan, Museum für Indische
Kunst, Berlin (West), after A. von Le Coq,
Manichäische Miniaturen, plate 8a: b. Cf.
id., Chotscho, Bd. 1, plate 5 right. Photo:
Volkmar Herre, Leipzig.
IV Prominent Uigur ladies, Museum für In
dische Kunst, Berlin (West), after A. von
Le Coq, Chotscho, Bd. 2, plate 30b. Photo
Volkmar Herre, Leipzig.
Plate 1 Hippolytus of Rome, Vatican. For
merly in the Lateran Museum but now (ac
cording to J. Frickel) in the entrance hall of
VIII
the Vatican Libary. The photograph was
taken after cleaning in 1975. Cf. J .Ficker,
Die altchristlichen Bildwerke im christli
chen Museum des Lateran untersucht und
beschrieben,
Leipzig
1890,
166-175;
O. Wulff, Die altchristliche Kunst I, Berlin
1913, 150; M .Guarducci, La statua di
“Sant’ Ippolito” in Vaticano, in Rendiconti
della Pontificia Accademia Romana d'Ar-
cheologia XLVII (1974/75), 163-190 (ad
vocates the theory that the statue was origi
nally not a male figure at all, but a second-
century representation of Themista, a fe
male disciple of Epicurus; the inscriptions
were subsequently carved on the sides of
the chair by Christians in the third century ;
only in the 16th century, particularly in the
first description by Pirro Ligario, was it
made into a statue of Hippolytus, and here
the ancient coin-type of Hippocrates served
as a m odel). The dating of the rededication
of the statue through the inscriptions about
235/237, which is also the period of a perse
cution to which Hippolytus fell victim, goes
back to information in a letter (7.1. 1977)
from J . Frickel in Rom e.
2 Epiphanius of Salamis, fresco from Faras,
C at.N o.57. Photo: Zbigniew Kapuscik,
Warsaw. - Cf. K.Michalowski, Faras, Die
Wandbilder in den Sammlungen des Natio
nalmuseums
zu
Warschau,
Warsaw-
-D resden 1974,257 (colour), 258 (section),
259-62 (description), 314f. (inscriptions
No. 36, 37, 38 examined by S. Jakobielski).
3-7 Ancient magic gems
3 Berlin (W est), Staatliche M useen, Stiftung
Preussischer
Kulturbesitz,
Ägyptisches
Museum, inv. 9852. Green jasper with red
stripes set in a ring. 0,025:0,0175.1 owe the
photograph of this hitherto unpublished
gem to Dr. H. M aehler, Berlin (West).
4 Berlin (West), Staatliche Museen, Stiftung
Preussischen
Kulturbesitz,
Ägyptisches
Museum, inv.9853. Greenish red jasper.
Photo:
Staatliche
Museen
zu
Berlin
(DDR). Cf. M. Pieper, Die Abraxasgem
men (in Mitt. Dt. Inst. f. Ägypt. Altertums
kunde in Kairo, Bd. V, 1934,119-143) 142.
5 Berlin (W est), Staatliche Museen, Stiftung
Preussischen
Kulturbesitz,
Ägyptisches
Museum, inv. 9861. Greenish red jasper.
Photo:
Staatliche
Museen
zu
Berlin
(DD R). C f.M .Pieper, Die Abraxasgem
men 142.
6 Berlin (W est), Staatliche M useen, Stiftung
Preussischen
Kulturbesitz,
Ägyptisches
Museum, inv. 9805. Reddish brown stone.
Photo :,J. Leipoldt-Archiv, Universität Je
na, Sektion Theologie.
Cf. J. Leipoldt,
Bilder zum neutestamentlichen Zeitalter
(= Umwelt des Urchristentums, ed. J. Lei
poldt and W. Grundmann, Bd. III) Berlin
1966, illustration 13.
7 Berlin (W est), Staatliche M useen, Stiftung
Preussischer
Kulturbesitz,
Ägyptisches
Museum, inv. 9931. Green stone. Photo:
J. Leipoldt-Archiv, Universität Jena, Sek
tion Theologie. Cf. J.Leipoldt, Bilder zum
neutestamentlichen Zeitalter, illustration
14.
8 Alabaster bowl, in private ownership (pres
ent location unknown ; it last appears in the
auction catalogue of the Jacob-Hirsch-
Collection from 5. Dec. 1957, Lucerne,
no. 105). Height 8cm. diam .22cm ., depth
5.5cm. After R .D elbrueck / W. Vollgraff,
An Orphic Bowl, in Journal o f Hellenic Stu
dies 54 (1934) 129-139, plate III. Cf. also
H. Lamer, Eine spätgriechische Schale mit
orphischer Aufschrift, in 'Phil. Woche 51
(1931) 653ff.; H.Leisegang, Das Mysteri
um der Schlange, in Eranos Jahrbuch 1939,
Zürich 1940,151-251 ; id. Die Gnosis 150 f.,
Illustration at p.160; P .C .Finney, Did
Gnostics make Pictures? in B. Layton
(ed.), The Rediscovery o f Gnosticism I,
Leiden 1980, 441.
9 Subterranean Basilica at the Porta Maggi
ore, Rome, Photo: Fototeca Unione,
Rome. Cf. J. Carcopino De Pythagore aux
Apôtres, Paris, 1956, 85-211.
10 View from the Djebel-el-Tarif. Photo: The
Institute for Antiquity and Christianity,
Claremont, Cal., December 1975.
11 North side of El-Qasr (Chenoboskion).
Photo: The Institute for Antiquity and
Christianity, Claremont, Cal., December
1975.
IX
12 Massif of the Djebel-el-Tarif from the
north-west. Photo: Douglas Kuyienstierna.
13 The place of discovery. Photo: Douglas
Kuyienstierna, December 1975. J.Doresse
in 1949 had already photographed the same
spot as the place of discovery (cf. Les livres
secrets des gnostiquts d’Egypte, illustration
at p. 137. The frontispiece to The Secret
Books is different).
14 The Nag Hammadi Codices, from a photo
taken by J.D oresse in 1949. Photographic
Archive of the Institute for Antiquity and
Christianity, Claremont, Cal. The identifi
cation of the individual volumes rests on in
formation supplied by J. M. Robinson.
15 Inside of the cover of Codex VII before the
removal of the papyrus fragments for pres
ervation under glass (1970). Coptic Muse
um in Cairo. Photo: The Institute for An
tiquity
and
Christianity,
Claremont,
Cal. Cf. Facsimile Edition o f the Nag H am
madi Codices, Codex V II, Leiden 1972,
plate 4; J.W .B .B arns, Greek and Coptic
Papyri from the Covers of the Nag Hamma
di Codices, in M. Krause (ed.), Essays on
the Nag Hammadi Texts in honour of Pahor
Labib, Leiden 1975 (NHS VI), 9r 18.
16 Outside of the leather cover of Codex II,
Coptic Museum in Cairo. Photo : The Insti
tute for Antiquity and Christianity, Clare
mont, Cal. Cf. Berthe van Regemorter, La
reliure des manuscrits gnostiques décou
verts à Nag Hammadi (in Scriptorium 14
(1960)
225-234),
228-230,
and
in
M. Krause / P. Labib, Die Drei Versionen
des Apokryphon des Johannes im Kopti
schen Museum zu Alt-Kairo, Wiesbaden
1962 (ADAIK Kopt. Reihe 1), 32f. with
plates VI-IX .
17 The open Codex IV, Coptic Museum, Cai
ro. Photo: Jean Doresse, Paris (1949).
18 Nag Hammadi Codex XIII p.33 (with two
fragments added since the Facsimile Edi
tion of this volume), Coptic M useum, Cai
ro. Photo: The Institute for Antiquity and
Christianity, Claremont, Cal.
19 Nag Hammadi Codex I p. 43, Coptic Mu
seum, Cairo. Photo: The Institute for A nti
quity and Christianity, Claremont, Cal.
20 Papyrus-Berolinensis 8502, p. 77. Staat
liche Museen zu Berlin (D D R), Papyrus
abteilung. Photo: Staatliche Museen zu
Berlin.
21, 22 Ruins of Chotsko, group K, after
A. von Le Coq, Manichäische Miniaturen,
plate Ac (= Chotscho, B d. 2, plate 69 c) and
id.Chotscho, Bd. 2, plate 67. Photos:
Volkmar Herre, Leipzig.
23 Manichean miniature (meal of the elect at
the Bema festival), Museum für Indische
Kunst, Berlin (W est), after A. von Le Coq,
Manichäische Miniaturen, plate 8b: a.
Cf. the explanations, op. cit. 53ff., H.-
J. Klimkeit, Manichaean Art and Calligra
phy, Leiden 1982 (Iconography of Religion
XX), 33f. Photo: Volkmar H erre, Leipzig.
24 Iranian Manichean manuscript (M 4 II V)
Akademie der Wissenschaften der DD R,
Zentralinstitut für Alte Geschichte und A r
chäologie, Bereich Alter Orient, Berlin.
Photo:
Volkmar
Herre,
Leipzig.
Cf.
F. W. K. Müller, Handschriften-Reste in
Estrangelo-Schrift ausTurfan, Chinesisch-
Turkistan II, in A b h .P A W 1904, Anhang
2, Berlin 1904, 51 f.; M.Boyce. A Cata
logue o f the Iranian Manuscripts in Mani
chaean Script in the German Turf an Collec
tion, Berlin 1960,2 (read 4 for 4 a and 4 a for
4b).
25 Prominent Uigur benefactors from Bäzäk-
lik (Turfan), Museum für Indische Kunst,
Berlin (W est), after A. von Le Coq, Chot
scho, plate 30. Photo: Volkmar Herre,
Leipzig.
26 Iranian Manichean manuscript fragment
(M 18 R), Akademie der Wissenschaften
der D D R, Zentralinstitut für Alte Ge
schichte und Archäologie, Bereich Alter
Orient, Berlin. Photo: Volkmar Herre,
Leipzig. C f.F.W . K. Müller, Handschrif
ten-Reste II, 35 f.
27 Manichean “Elect” (Electa), Museum für
Indische Kunst, Berlin (West), after A. von
Le Coq, Chotscho, plate 3a (left). Photo:
Volkmar H erre, Leipzig.
28 Manichean “Elect” (Electus), Museum für
Indische Kunst, Berlin (West), after A. von
X
Le Coq, Chotscho, plate 3b (right). Photo:
Volkmar Herre, Leipzig.
29, 30 Cologne Mani Codex before conserva
tion, Institut für Altertumskunde der Uni
versität Köln, P. Colon, inv.4780. Photo:
Institut für Altertumskunde der Universi
tät Köln. Cf. A. Henrichs / L. Koenen, Ein
griechischer Mani-Codex, 215 and plate
IV.
31 Coptic Manichean manuscript (Kephalaia
p. 168), Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Papy
rusabteilung, P. 15996. Photo: Staatliche
Museen zu Berlin. Cf. A.Böhlig / H. J. Po-
lotsky / C. Schmidt, Kephalaia, 1. Hälfte,
Stuttgart 1940 (Manich. Handschriften der
Staatlichen Museen Berlin Bd. 1), 168
(from chap. 69).
32 Chinese Manichean manuscript from Tun-
Huang, A. Stein London Hymn-rolls 2659,
lines 387-400, after E. Waldschmidt /
W .Lentz, Die Stellung Jesu im Manichäis-
mus, Berlin 1926 (Abh.PAW 1926, Phil.-
hist.Kl.Nr.4), plate I. Cf. op. cit. 122-124
(exposition and translation). Photo: Volk
mar Herre, Leipzig.
33 Traditional Mandean sanctuary (Mandi) in
Qal’at Salih. Photo: Kurt Rudolph (April
1969).
34 Mandean priests at the mass for the dead.
Photo: Kurt Rudolph (1969).
35 Ganzibra 'Abdullah of Baghdad. Photo:
Kurt Rudolph (1969).
36 Mandean baptism in the Tigris at Baghdad.
Photo: Gustav Pfirrmann, Telfes (Süd
tirol).
37 Mandean priest in ceremonial robes. Pho
to: Gustav Pfirrmann, Telfes (Südtirol).
38 The holy draught of water (mambühä) after
baptism. Photo: Gustav Pfirrmann, Telfes
(Südtirol).
39 Close of the baptismal ceremony. Photo:
Gustav Pfirrmann, Telfes (Sudtirol).
40, 41 Mandean magic bowl, Royal Ontario
Museum, Canada, sign. 931.4.1, after
W. S.McCullough, Jewish and Mandaeap
Incarnation Bowls in the Royal Ontario
Museum, Toronto 1967, at p. 12 (Bowl C):
Height 7.2cm; diam. above 19.9cm; diam.
below 8.4 cm.
42 Mandean manuscript roll Zraztä d'Hibil
Zïwâ, in the possession of the author. Pho
to : Volkmar Herre, Leipzig. Cf. J. de Mor
gan, Mission Scientifique en Perse V/2:
Textes mandaïtes, Paris 1904, 255-270.
(transcription of thé same text).
43 Mandean codex, Right Ginza p. 1, Bodle
ian Library, Oxford, Drower Collection
N o.22, reproduced from a micro-film.
44-48 From the Diwan Abathur, stations on
the journey of the soul, Bodleian Library,
Oxford, Drower Collection No. 8, after
E. S. Drower, Diwan Abatur or Progress
through the Purgatories, Città del Vaticano
1950 (Studi e Testi 151). Another manu
script in the Vatican Library (Borgiano siri-
aco 175) was acquired in the 16th century
by Ignatius à Jesu and published by J. Eut-
ing in 1904 after photographs taken by
B.Poertner (Mandäischer Diwan, Stras
bourg 1904). Both manuscripts are undated.
Abbreviations
The normal abbreviations have been used for books of the Bible.
Abh.
Abhandlung
AD AIK
Abhandlungen des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts,
Kairo (Kopt. Reihe)
AWG
Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Göttingen
BBA
Berliner Byzantinische Arbeiten
BCNH
Bibliothèque Copte de Nag Hammadi
BdKV
Bibliothek der Kirchenväter. Hrsg. von 0 , Bardenhewer,
K. Weyman, J. Zellinger. 2. Reihe (München)
Beitr.
Beiträge
BZNW
Beihefte zur ZNW
CGL
The Coptic Gnostic Library
Corp. Herrn.
Corpus Hermeticum
DAW
Deutsche Akademie der Wissenschaften ; Akademie der
Wissenschaften der DDR
GCS
Die griechischen christlichen Schriftsteller der ersten drei
Jahrhunderte. Hrsg. von der PAW bzw. der DAW
En.
Enoch
'
ET
English Translation
GL
Left Ginza
GR
Right Ginza
HAW
Heidelberger Akademie der Wissenschaften
JbAC
Jahrbuch für Antike und Christentum
KIT
Kleine Texte für Vorlesungen und Übungen. Hrsg. bzw.
begr. von H. Lietzmann
Mitt.
Mitteilungen
NF
Neue Folge
NHC
Nag Hammadi Codex or Codices
NHS
Nag Hammadi Studies (Leiden)
NovTest
Novum Testamentum
NS
New Series
NTS
New Testament Studies
OLZ
Orientalistische Literaturzeitung
Pap. Ber.
Papyrus Berolinensis 8502
PAW
Preußische Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin
PTS
Patristische Texte und Studien
PWRE
Pauly-Wissowa, Realencyclopädie der klassischen
Altertumswissenschaften
QH
Qumran, Hymns
QS
Qumran, Manual of Discipline
RGG2; RGG3
Die Religion in Geschichte und Gegenwart, 2. bzw. 3. Aufl.
(Tübingen)
RGGV
Religionsgeschichtliche Versuche und Vorarbeiten
SAW
Sächsische Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Leipzig
SB
Sitzungsberichte
SBL
Society of Biblical Literature
SQS
Sammlung ausgewählter kirchen- und dogmengeschichtlicher
Quellenschriften. Hrsg. bzw. begr. von G. Krüger (Tübingen)
ThLZ
Theologische Literaturzeitung
ThR
Theologische Rundschau
TU
Texte und Untersuchungen zur Geschichte der altchristlichen
Literatur
VigChrist.
Vigiliae Christianae
WdF
Wege der Forschung (Darmstadt)
Wiss. Beitr.
Wissenschaftliche Beiträge
WZ
Wissenschaftliche Zeitschrift
ZKG
Zeitschrift für Kirchengeschichte
ZNW
Zeitschrift für neutestamentliche Wissenschaft
ZPE
Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik
ZRG G
Zeitschrift für Religions- und Geistesgeschichte
ZThK
Zeitschrift für Theologie und Kirche
PREFACE TO ENGLISH EDITION
It is due to the effort and initiative of Professor R. McL. Wilson
that an English translation of my book on Gnosis can be pub
lished, by the long-established Scottish firm of T. and T. Clark,
so soon after the appearance of the first and second German
editions. Technical terminology tends to vary from one region
to another, and anyone who knows the trouble it costs to trans
late scientific works properly, with due regard to language,
style and subject-matter, will be able to judge how much work
has been involved for Professor Wilson and his collaborators,
P. W. Coxon and Κ. H. Kuhn, in the production of this English
edition. The author was regularly able to follow and control
their careful and circumspect work, in particular during an un
forgettable personal visit to St. Andrews. I therefore owe more
than ordinary thanks to my honoured colleague R. McL. Wil
son and his team - this is not the first time that they have ren
dered service by the translation of German works in theology
and the science of religion - and especially because through
them it is possible for me to express more general thanks for the
stimulus which I have received from the literature in English on
research into Gnosis. It is to be hoped that the worldwide range
of the English language will not only be of advantage for the
dissemination of the book, but will also further knowledge
about Gnosis and Gnosticism in wider circles, since precisely
here in my experience a mass of false and unscientific opinions
and speculations is in circulation. In this regard it is certainly
appropriate to reproduce in the English edition also the follow
ing passages from the Preface to the first German edition
(1977), in the context of which I take the liberty of making brief
and explicit reference to some older works of British and
American research into Gnosis.
The growing interest, even among a wider public, in what is
to be understood by “Gnosis” or “Gnosticism” is founded not
only on the great discoveries of Manichean and gnostic manu
scripts which have been made in this century in Turkestan (Tur-
fan 1902-1914) and Egypt (Medinet Madi 1930 and Nag Ham
madi 1945/6-1948), but also on the importance of this form of
religion in late antiquity, which has been increasingly recog
nised in historical and critical research. A clear-cut definition of
G n o s is
this “religion of knowledge” or of “insight”, as the Greek word
gnosis may be translated, is not easy, but should at least be
briefly suggested at the very outset. We shall not go far wrong
to see in it a dualistic religion, consisting of several schools and
movements, which took up a definitely negative attitude to
wards the world and the society of the time, and proclaimed a
deliverance (“redemption”) of man precisely from the con
straints of earthly existence through “insight” into his essential
relationship, whether as “soul” or “spirit”, - a relationship tem
porarily obscured-with a supramundane realm of freedom and
of rest. Its spread through time and space, from the beginning
of our era onwards, from the western part of the Near East (Sy
ria, Palestine, Egypt, Asia Minor) to central and eastern Asia
and mediaeval Europe (14th cent.) affords some indication of
the role to be assigned to it, even in a modified and adapted
form, in the history of religion, to say nothing of the fact that
even today a remnant still exists in the Mandeans of Iraq and
Iran. In other respects also manifold influences on the history
of thought can be detected in European and Near Eastern tra
ditions, be it in theology, theosophy, mysticism or philosophy.
In regard to information about Gnosis, however, the situa
tion is none of the best, especially for the non-specialist, since
for a long time there has been no major full-scale survey. We
may recall the two older works of G. R. S. Mead (Fragments of
a Faith Forgotten: The Gnostics, 1900, reprint 1960; 3 German
editions 1902, 1906, 1931) and F.Legge (Fore-runners and Ri
vals of Christianity from 330 B. C. to 333 A. D ., 1915, reprint
1964). In 1932 F. C. Burkitt wrote his influential book Church
and Gnosis. The handy monograph Die Gnosis by H.Leise-
gang, which went through four editions in German, goes back
ultimately to 1924 (only a French translation has appeared: La
Gnose. Paris 1951). In 1934, shortly before his exile from Nazi
Germany, Hans Jonas published the first part of his pioneering
and influential study Gnosis und spätantiker Geist (3rd ed.
1964). Then from his new homeland in the U.S.A. he provided
for the English-speaking reader a more popular and slightly
modified introduction to his position in The Gnostic Religion
(1958, 21963, 31970). Basic questions of research into Gnosis,
such as resulted from the influence of R.Bultmann and his
school (to which Jonas also belongs), are discussed in the works
of R.McL. Wilson {The Gnostic Problem 1958, 21964; Gnosis
