Gnosis is a feminine Greek noun which means "knowledge" or "awareness."[10] It is often used for personal knowledge as opposed to intellectual knowledge (εἴδεινeídein), as with theFrenchconnaître compared withsavoir, thePortugueseconhecer compared withsaber, theSpanishconocer compared withsaber, theItalianconoscere compared withsapere, theGermankennen rather thanwissen, or the Modern Greek γνωρίζω compared with ξέρω.[11]
A related term is the adjectivegnostikos, "cognitive",[12] a reasonably common adjective in Classical Greek.[13] The terms do not appear to indicate any mystic,esoteric or hidden meaning in the works ofPlato, but instead expressed a sort of higher intelligence and ability analogous to talent.[14]
Stranger: In this way, then, divide all science into two arts, calling the one practical (praktikos), and the other purely intellectual (gnostikos). Younger Socrates: Let us assume that all science is one and that these are its two forms.[15]
The difference and meaning ofepignosis (Greek:ἐπίγνωσις) contrasted with gnosis is disputed. One proposed distinction is between the abstract and absolute knowledge (gnosis) and a practical or more literal knowledge (epignosis). Other interpretations have suggested that2 Peter is referring to an "epignosis of Jesus Christ", whatJ. B. Lightfoot described as a "larger and more thorough knowledge".Conversion to Christianity is seen as evidence of the deeper knowledge protecting againstfalse doctrine.[19]
Episteme, like Gnosis, is a Greek word for "knowledge," but they represent distinct kinds of understanding—though not necessarily exclusively. Episteme refers to knowledge gained through experience and reason. It encompasses the body of ideas we typically recognize as knowledge, and is the source of our wordepistemology. Gnosis, however, is often associated with experiential, intuitive, or spiritual understanding rather than empirical or logical deduction. While episteme deals with objective truths and verifiable facts, gnosis is more concerned with personal insight, inner transformation, and an engagement more ineffable than explicable.[20]
A lion-faced,serpentinedeity found on a Gnostic gem inBernard de Montfaucon'sL'antiquité expliquée et représentée en figures may be a depiction of the Demiurge.
In Gnosticism, thebiblical serpent in theGarden of Eden was praised and thanked for bringing knowledge (gnosis) toAdam and Eve and thereby freeing them from themalevolentDemiurge's control.[23] Gnostic Christian doctrines rely on adualistic cosmology that implies the eternal conflict between good and evil, and a conception of the serpent as theliberating savior and bestower of knowledge to humankind opposed to the Demiurge orcreator god, identified with theHebrew God of theOld Testament.[7][23] Gnostic Christians considered the Hebrew God of the Old Testament as the evil,false god and creator of the material universe, and theUnknown God of theGospel, the father ofJesus Christ and creator of the spiritual world, as the true, good God.[3][7][23][24] In theArchontic,Sethian, andOphite systems,Yaldabaoth (Yahweh) is regarded as the malevolent Demiurge and false god of the Old Testament who generated the material universe and keeps the souls trapped in physical bodies, imprisoned in the world full of pain and suffering that hecreated.[25][26][27]
However, not all Gnostic movements regarded the creator of the material universe as inherently evil or malevolent.[24][28] For instance,Valentinians believed that the Demiurge is merely an ignorant and incompetent creator, trying to fashion the world as good as he can, but lacking the proper power to maintain its goodness.[24][28] All Gnostics were regarded asheretics by theproto-orthodoxEarly Church Fathers.[3][7][8][23]
InMandaeism, the concept ofmanda ("knowledge", "wisdom", "intellect") is roughly equivalent to the Gnostic concept of gnosis.[29]Mandaeism ('having knowledge')[30] is the only surviving Gnostic religion from antiquity.[31][32]: 15 Mandaeans formally refer to themselves asNasurai (Nasoraeans) meaning guardians or possessors of secret rites and knowledge.[33][34] The Mandaeans emphasize salvation of the soul through secret knowledge (gnosis) of its divine origin.[30][35] Mandaeism "provides knowledge of whence we have come and whither we are going."[36]: 531
TheNew Testament uses the term γνῶσις (Strong's G1108, Transliteration gnōsis) 28 times.[37] Most of this usage is found inPaul'sEpistles, which later Gnostics used to develop their distinct concept of gnosis.[38]
TheChurch Fathers, such asClement of Alexandria, used the wordgnosis (knowledge), alongside the wordsyneidesis (conscience) to mean a spiritual knowledge by which believers could use reason to intuitively discern truth or righteousness. This positive usage was to contrast it with how gnostic sectarians used the word.Cardiognosis ("knowledge of the heart") from Eastern Christianity related to the tradition of thestarets and inRoman Catholic theology is the view that only God knows the condition of one's relationship with God.[39][40]Boston College Catholic philosopherDermot Moran notes that
...even in early Christianity, matters were complex, such that an anti-gnostic writer likeClement of Alexandria can regularly invoke the notion ofgnostike theoria in a positive sense.[41]
Gnosis inOrthodox Christian (primarilyEastern Orthodox) thought is the spiritual knowledge of asaint (one who has obtainedtheosis)[42] ordivinely-illuminated human being. Within the cultures of the term's provenance (Byzantine andHellenic)Gnosis was a knowledge orinsight into the infinite, divine and uncreated in all and above all,[43] rather than knowledge strictly into the finite, natural or material world.[44] Gnosis istranscendental as well asmature understanding. It indicates direct spiritual, experiential knowledge[45] andintuitive knowledge,mystic rather than that from rational or reasoned thinking. Gnosis itself is gained through understanding at which one can arrive via inner experience orcontemplation such as an internalepiphany of intuition and external epiphany such as thetheophany.
In thePhilokalia, it is emphasized that such knowledge is not secret knowledge but rather a maturing,transcendent form of knowledge derived fromcontemplation (theoria resulting from practice ofhesychasm), since knowledge cannot truly be derived from knowledge, but rather, knowledge can only be derived fromtheoria (to witness, see (vision) or experience).[46] Knowledge, thus plays an important role in relation totheosis (deification/personal relationship with God) andtheoria (revelation of the divine, vision of God).[47] Gnosis, as the proper use of the spiritual ornoetic faculty plays an important role inOrthodox Christian theology. Its importance in the economy of salvation is discussed periodically in thePhilokalia where as direct, personal knowledge of God (noesis) it is distinguished from ordinary epistemological knowledge (episteme—i.e., speculative philosophy).
Knowledge (orgnosis) inSufism refers to knowledge ofSelf andGod. The gnostic is calledal-arif bi'lah or "one who knows by God". The goal of the Sufi practitioner is to remove inner obstacles to the knowledge of God. Sufism, understood as the quest for Truth, is to seek for the separate existence of the Self to be consumed by Truth, as stated by the Sufi poetMansur al-Hallaj, who was executed for saying "I am the Truth" (ana'l haqq).[48]
^Cooper and Hutchinson. "Introduction to Politikos." Cooper, John M. & Hutchinson, D. S. (Eds.) (1997). Plato: Complete Works, Hackett Publishing Co., Inc.ISBN0-87220-349-2.
^ This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Arendzen, John Peter (1908). "Demiurge". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.).Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 4. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
^"Spiritual knowledge is the state of spiritualtheoria, when one sees invisibly and hears inaudibly and comprehends incomprehensibly the glory of God. Precisely then comprehension ceases and, what is more, he understands that he does not understand. Within the vision of the uncreated Light man also sees angels and Saints and, in general, he experiences communion with the angels and the Saints. He is then certain that resurrection exists. This is the spiritual knowledge which all the holy Prophets, the Apostles, Martyrs, ascetics and all the Saints of the Church had. The teachings of the Saints are an offspring of this spiritual knowledge. And, naturally, as we said earlier, spiritual knowledge is a fruit of the vision of God. "THE ILLNESS AND CURE OF THE SOUL" Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos[1]
^St. Symeon the New Theologian in Practical & Theological Discourses, 1.1 ThePhilokalia Volume Four: When men search for God with their bodily eyes they find Him nowhere, for He is invisible. But for those who ponder in the Spirit He is present everywhere. He is in all, yet beyond all
^Faith And Science In Orthodox Gnosiology And Methodology byGeorge Metallinos"The scientist and professor of the knowledge of the Uncreated, in the Orthodox Tradition, is the Geron/Starets (the Elder or Spiritual Father), the guide or "teacher of the desert." The recording of both types of knowledge presupposes empirical knowledge of the phenomenon.The same holds true in the field of science, where only the specialist understands the research of other scientists of the same field. The adoption of conclusions or findings of a scientific branch by non-specialists (i.e. those who are unable to experimentally examine the research of the specialists) is based on the trust of the specialists credibility. Otherwise, there would be no scientific progress.The same holds true for the science of faith. The empirical knowledge of the Saints, Prophets, Apostles, Fathers and Mothers of all ages is adopted and founded upon the same trust. The patristic tradition and the Church's Councils function on this provable experience. There is no Ecumenical Council without the presence of the glorified/deified (theoumenoi), those who see the divine (this is the problem of the councils of today!) Orthodox doctrine results from this relationship."University of Athens - Department of Theology
^Glossary of terms from thePhilokalia p. 434 the knowledge of the intellect as distinct from that of the reason(q.v.). Knowledge inspired by God, and so linked with contemplation (q.v.) and immediate spiritual perception.
^Nasr, Seyyed Hossain (2007).The Garden of Truth: The Vision and Promise of Sufism, Islam's Mystical Tradition. Harper Collins. p. 30.
^New Testament studies: Society for New Testament Studies – 1981 "see also the more extensive analysis of gnosis in Philo by Hans Jonas, Gnosis und spatantiker Geist 11/1"
Magris, Aldo (2005). "Gnosticism: Gnosticism from its origins to the Middle Ages (further considerations)". In Jones, Lindsay (ed.).Macmillan Encyclopedia of Religion (2nd ed.).New York:Macmillan Inc. pp. 3515–3516.ISBN978-0028657332.OCLC56057973.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Arendzen, John Peter (1908). "Demiurge". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.).Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 4. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
