Living Gnosticism: Question 2

From Fr. Jordan Stratford's blog: Living Gnosticism: 20 Questions

2. Is Gnosticism a distinct religion, an approach to religion, or a sect within another religion?

A. Gnosticism can be all three. For me, it is a distinct religion. I practice my daily routines while trying to maintain an outlook on life through my own gnosis. For someone else, it can be an approach to religion: you can have gnosis, which for the individual is very concrete awareness - yet you can believe anything about that awareness and its relationto reality. Still others look at Gnosticism as a sub-sect of Christianity, because the two grew together within the same roots.


Gnosticism can be absorbed through many approaches.

For some, Gnosticism is the "true" Christianity, the religion that Jesus really intended Christianity to be, but instead it got corrupted into what the current form is today. These Gnostics often refer to themselves as Gnostic Christians, which seemingly makes it a distinct sect of Christianity but still a Christianity nonetheless.

Others, of the modern day philosophy, tend to encompass Gnosticism as an "approach" to religion, being able to apply a Gnostic perspective to any set of beliefs. With this form, one can believe absolutely anything about Gnosticism, but Gnosis is always the key ingredient. For instance, you can follow Islam or Christianity with a search for the "truth," which can be applied aptly as "gnosis."

For me, Gnosticism is a distinct religion. *Most* Christians will not associate with the term "Gnosticism," as this seems to bring the ancient words of "heretic" and "blasphemer" back to the table. The modern day definition of "Christianity" has become so far gone from what I hold to be true that I don't even call myself "Christian" anymore. I still identify with the Christ, but not to "Christianity." And of course, the Jews and the Muslims don't really identify with Gnosticism either.

We really, then, have no choice but to accept Gnosticism as anything other than valid through the minds and beliefs of its own followers, which would make it a distinct religious view and practice. It seems to me that it is easy to bring a Gnostic perspective to any religion, as Gnosis is really the base to any spirituality, but you can't bring any religious perspective to Gnosticism.

Of course that's just my opinion.