Gnoosise Päritolu
Origin of Gnosis

Summary/Abstract: Gnosticism is salvation religion that spread similarly to Christianity in the Mediterranean area but its origin is much debated starting from the ancient authors. It was supposed that the roots of Gnosis are in ancient Grecian philosophy or even in the teaching of the legendary Witch of Simeon. At the same time paradoxically the teaching was considered to be Christian heresy. Followers of Gnosticism considered themselves Christians but not all of them. The idea that Gnosticism is a branch of Christian teaching developed by ancient scholars was widely accepted in modern theology. It was at the end of the 19th century that the German school of religion history created a theory that Gnosis and Christianity had developed independently. H. J. Schoeps and R. Haardt divided the modern understanding of the origin of Gnosis into three groups:1 theories that consider its roots to be found in Ancient Grecian philosophy and religious systems of mystic theology;2 theories believing that Gnosis can be traced in various Middle Eastern cults (Mesopotamian, Egyptian and Iranian); theories that support its origin in Jewish surroundings. Besides, there are a few men of learning who consider Gnosis to be a derivate of Christianity. The problem remains under discussion and each theory has pro and contra arguments. However, it is widely accepted that the origin of Gnosis cannot be reduced (back) to any single religious doctrine. Various religious teachings of the Mediterranean area and ancient Grecian philosophy have influenced its genesis. It has been pointed out and stressed that some elements of Gnosis have common features with Jewish beliefs that support the hypothesis of its genesis and original spreading in the Jewish environment open to foreign influences. Many sources support the fact of the existence of such intellectual circles in the Hellenic world and during the Roman empire. We cannot deny the influence of various cults (Mesopotamian, Iranian, Judaism) on the development of Gnosis but its origination must be independent. The “mental structure” of Gnosis stands clearly on its own feet and it is not simply a mixture of borrowed religious and philosophical elements. This is why the understanding of R. Bultmann and H. Jonas has gathered many supporters. They stress that Gnosis is an original understanding of the world system and world view with strong dualism between material and mental with denial of the material. Motives borrowed from other beliefs can be considered to be .bricks. or resources in expressing the very special world view and gnosiology. Although some motives and elements of Gnosis lead us back to the pre-Christian period, there is no approval of a solid system of it before Christ. This is why the majority of scholars agree that Gnosis has come into being independently but approximately at the same time as Christianity.

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