What really is "Gnosticism"?

[Diserner]

Seems like a rubber word everyone bends and uses for their own purposes, usually to associate a doctrine they don't like as "gnostic."

But what really, is Gnosticism historically?

I'd particularly be interested in concrete references to original source materials.

What is the definition of the term Gnostic? | GotQuestions.org

What is the definition of the term Gnostic? Who were the Gnostics? How does modern Gnosticism compare with first century Gnosticism?

www.gotquestions.org

What is Christian Gnosticism? | GotQuestions.org

What is Christian Gnosticism? How does modern Gnosticism compare with first century Gnosticism?

www.gotquestions.org

What are the Gnostic gospels? | GotQuestions.org

What are the Gnostic gospels? Should the Gnostic gospels be included in the Bible? Why were the Gnostic gospels rejected by the early church?

www.gotquestions.org

Gnosticism - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Diserner]

Watch Video>

Some points I found interesting:

1. Considering the physical world and body as an evil prison we are trapped in.
2. Claiming God has the term "a feminine spirit," a very specific term.
3. Claiming the Bible has been corrupted by an evil lesser god.
4. Putting secret personal knowledge and experience above Biblical teaching.

 

[Azriel]

GNOSTICISM A variety of second-century AD religions whose participants believed that people could only be saved through revealed knowledge, or γνῶσις (gnōsis). Gnostics also held a negative view of the physical or material world. Early church fathers, such as Irenaeus, deemed Gnosticism heretical.

Introduction
Gnosticism shared some characteristics with Judaism and Christianity, but remained markedly distinct from either. Traditionally, Gnosticism was thought to have emerged from within Christianity (Smith, No Longer Jews, 18–25). Recent scholarship, however, has acknowledged that Gnosticism may have been an existing belief that only later came into contact with Christianity (Pearson, Ancient Gnosticism, 11; Smalley, 1, 2, 3 John, 44).


Zachary G. Smith, “Gnosticism,” ed. John D. Barry et al., The Lexham Bible Dictionary