In this helpful survey Pheme Perkins addresses: The origins of Gnosticism The search for pre-Christian Gnosticism Gnosticism and Judaism Gnostic materials and the sayings of Jesus Gnosis and the Pauline tradition Redeemer myths and New Testament hymns Gnostic understandings of Jesus as heavenly revealer The place of women in gnostic sects
Pheme Perkins is Professor of New Testament at Boston College and author of numerous books She also is past president of the Catholic Biblical Association of America.
Preface Introduction PART ONE: GNOSTIC ORIGINS The Search for Pre-Christian Gnosticism Simon Magus Jewish Syncretism Gnostic Mythemes and Alienation A Demonized World Summary Gnosticism and the Jewish Connection A Samaritan Origin? Lingquistic Evidence for Palestinian Traditions Enoch raditions in Gnostic Mythology Anti-Jewish Midrash Christianizing Early Gnostic Traditions Summary Gnostic Influence and the New Testament Variations on the Redeemer Figure Gnostic Elements in the New Testament Cultic Innovation and Mythology Summary Reconstructing Gnostic History On the Margins of Judasim Gnostic Teachers of the Second Century Valentinians Sethian Tradition History Summary PART TWO: GNOSTIC AND NEW TESTAMENT TRADITIONS Jesus as Teacher of Wisdom: Sayings and Revelation Gospel of Thomas and the Sayings Tradition Dialogue of the Savior Sayings in Gospel of Truth Kingdom Parables and Gnosis Recovering the Divine Image Praxis in Gospel of Thomas Summary Gnosis and the Pauline Tradition Pauline Opponents (Schmithals) Gnostic Mythemnes and Pauline Anthropology Eschatology and Anthropology The Divine Image Summary Redeemer Myths and New Testament Hymns The Revealer Appears in the World The Powers React Christianizing the Gnostic Redeemer The Revealer in Zostrianos The Revealer in Gospel of the Egyptians Summary Jesus as Word Wisdom and Myth in John's Prologue A Gnostic Reading of John's Prologue John's Prologue and Trimorphic Protennoia The Word as Revealer Summary Discourses of the Revealer Jesus Reveals God Postresurrection Revelations The Style of the Revelation Discourse Johannine Discourse and the Sayings Tradition (Koester) "I Am" Predications as Text and Riddle Discourse and the Elect Community Summary PART THREE: GNOSTIC CHRISTIANITY Gnostic Identity: Conversion and Asceticism Interpretation and Antinomianism The Danger of the Demonic A Call to Conversion Salvation and Metaphor in Gospel of Truth Conflict over Ascetic Practice The Rhetoric of 1 John and Gospel of Truth Summary Women Disciplies and Worshipers Women in the Marcosian Sect Women in Pauline Traditions The Ambiguity of the Feminine The Suffering of Wisdom Repentance Displaces Wisdom Summary Christians: Gnostic and Orthodox Gnostic Christian Writings Irenaeus Against the Gnostics Jesus' Disciples in Gnostic Sources Christian Gnostics and Religious Pluralism Christian Gnostics and the Gospel Canon Summary Abbreviations Notes Glossary Bibliography Index of Ancient Sources Index of Modern Authors
