| Gnostic Church of France | |
|---|---|
| Église gnostique de France | |
 Episcopal Seal of Jules Doinel | |
| Type | Gnosticism |
| Founder | Jules Doinel |
| Origin | 1890 |
TheGnostic Church of France (French:Église gnostique de France) is aneo-Gnostic Christian organisation formed byJules Doinel in 1890, in France. It is the firstGnostic church in modern times.
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TheesotericFreemason Jules Doinel, while working as archivist for the library ofOrléans in France, discovered a medieval manuscript dated 1022, which had been written by Stephen, acanon of theOrléans Cathedral, burned at the stake in 1022 for his pre-Cathar Gnostic doctrines (seeOrléans heresy).[1] Doinel founded the Gnostic Church in 1890, which he and his followers called "the first year of the Restoration ofGnosis".[2] Doinel claimed that he had a vision in which theAeonJesus appeared and charged Doinel with the work of establishing a new church. When Doinel attended aséance in theoratory of theCountess of Caithness, it was said that the disembodied spirits of ancientAlbigensians, joined by a heavenly voice, laid spiritual hands on Doinel, anointing him as the bishop of the Gnostic Church.[1]
Aspatriarch of the new Church, Doinel took the mystical name 'Valentinus II, Bishop of the Holy Assembly of theParaclete and of the Gnostic Church' (after the 2nd century Gnostic Christian leaderVelentinus), and nominated eleventitular bishops, including a 'sophia' (female bishop), as well as deacons and deaconesses. TheSymbolist poetLéonce Fabre des Essarts was named bishop ofBordeaux.[2] The dress of Gnostic bishops is characterized by purple gloves and the use ofTau symbol, a Greek letter which is also used before their names.[3]
In 1892, Doinel consecratedPapus—founder of the firstMartinist Order—as Tau Vincent, Bishop ofToulouse. Other Martinists, such asPaul Sédir andLucien Chamuel [nl] were also consecrated by Doinel. At the end of 1894, Doinel abjured his Gnostic faith and converted toRoman Catholicism due to theTaxil hoax. He returned to Gnosticism five years later under the mystical name Simon and the title 'Primate ofSamaria'.
In 1908, a schism occurred when the Gnosticbishop of Lyon,Jean Bricaud, renamed his branch asÉglise gnostique catholique (E.G.C.; Catholic Gnostic Church). Then it changed again becoming theÉglise gnostique universelle (E.G.U.; Universal Gnostic Church) and became the official church of Papus' Martinist Order. The patriarch Bricaud claimed the spiritual heritage ofJohn of Patmos.[4] The E.G.U. later changed its name toÉglise gnostique apostolique (E.G.A.; Apostolic Gnostic Church).[1] Meanwhile, the originalÉglise gnostique in Paris had been taken over byLéon Champrenaud (Théophane), it later disintegrated under Patrice Genty (Basilide) in 1926.[1]
TheÉglise Gnostique Catholique Apostolique (E.G.C.A.), inLatinEcclesia Gnostica Apostolica Catholica (not to be confused withEcclesia Gnostica Catholica), or known as the Gnostic Catholic Apostolic Church of North America, which operates inNew York, claims the heritage ofÉglise gnostique de France.[5] This church is in a state of fraternal alliance (concordat) with theEcclesia Gnostica.[6] Like the latter, it also accepts theordination of women andsame-sex marriage.[7]
In addition, the E.G.C.A. has affiliation with two other initiatic organisations: theOrdre Martiniste of North America and theAesthetic Rose+Croix Order of the Temple and the Grail. The latter is a reconstitution ofJoséphin Péladan'sOrdre de la Rose ✠ Croix Catholique et Esthétique du Temple et du Graal.
TheEcclesia Gnostica Catholica (E.G.C.) descended from a line of the above-mentioned 19th-century French Gnostic Revival Churches. TheseÉglises Gnostiques, as well as theÉglise Gnostique Catholique Apostolique, are essentially Christian in nature, except for the Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica. AlthoughGnosticism is seen asheresy in anorthodox Christian sense, the E.G.C. goes even further by worshipping such figures likeBabalon,Baphomet, et cetera. Interestingly, also in this Thelemic-Gnostic milieu an Ecclesia Gnostica Universalis eventually rose, in reaction to the Patriarch of E.G.U. binding the clergy of the church to advancement into the degrees of Ordo Templi Orientis, in strict opposition with the original plan laid out by the Prophet ofThelema,Aleister Crowley.[citation needed]
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