Rethinking "gnosticism": an argument for dismantling a dubious category
Most anyone interested in such topics as creation mythology, Jungian theory, or the idea of "secret teachings" in ancient Judaism and Christianity has found "gnosticism" compelling. Yet the term "gnosticism," which often connotes a single rebellious movement against the...
Saved in:
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Book |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Princeton
Princeton Univ. Press
1996
|
| Subjects: | |
| Summary: | Most anyone interested in such topics as creation mythology, Jungian theory, or the idea of "secret teachings" in ancient Judaism and Christianity has found "gnosticism" compelling. Yet the term "gnosticism," which often connotes a single rebellious movement against the prevailing religions of late antiquity, gives the false impression of a monolithic religious phenomenon. Here Michael Williams challenges the validity of the widely invoked category of ancient "gnosticism" and the ways it has been described. Presenting such famous writings and movements as the Apocryphon of John and Valentinian Christianity, Williams uncovers the similarities and differences among some major traditions widely categorized as gnostic. He provides an eloquent, systematic argument for a more accurate way to discuss these interpretive approaches. The modern construct "gnosticism" is not justified by any ancient self-definition, and many of the most commonly cited religious features that supposedly define gnosticism phenomenologically turn out to be questionable. Exploring the sample sets of "gnostic" teachings, Williams refutes generalizations concerning asceticism and libertinism, attitudes toward the body and the created world, and alleged features of protest, parasitism, and elitism. He sketches a fresh model for understanding ancient innovations on more "mainstream" Judaism and Christianity, a model that is informed by modern research on dynamics in new religious movements and is freed from the false stereotypes from which the category "gnosticism" has been constructed. |
| Physical Description: | XIX, 335 S. |
| ISBN: | 0691011273 |
Staff View
MARC
| LEADER | 00000nam a2200000 c 4500 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 001 | BV011204246 | ||
| 003 | DE-604 | ||
| 005 | 20070927 | ||
| 007 | t | ||
| 008 | 970217s1996 |||| 00||| eng d | ||
| 020 | |a 0691011273 |9 0-691-01127-3 | ||
| 035 | |a (OCoLC)34318695 | ||
| 035 | |a (DE-599)BVBBV011204246 | ||
| 040 | |a DE-604 |b ger |e rakddb | ||
| 041 | 0 | |a eng | |
| 049 | |a DE-12 |a DE-473 |a DE-11 | ||
| 050 | 0 | |a BT1390 | |
| 082 | 0 | |a 299/.932 |2 20 | |
| 084 | |a BO 2210 |0 (DE-625)14103: |2 rvk | ||
| 084 | |a 6,15 |2 ssgn | ||
| 084 | |a 6,11 |2 ssgn | ||
| 084 | |a 6,12 |2 ssgn | ||
| 100 | 1 | |a Williams, Michael Allen |e Verfasser |4 aut | |
| 245 | 1 | 0 | |a Rethinking "gnosticism" |b an argument for dismantling a dubious category |c Michael Allen Williams |
| 264 | 1 | |a Princeton |b Princeton Univ. Press |c 1996 | |
| 300 | |a XIX, 335 S. | ||
| 336 | |b txt |2 rdacontent | ||
| 337 | |b n |2 rdamedia | ||
| 338 | |b nc |2 rdacarrier | ||
| 520 | 3 | |a Most anyone interested in such topics as creation mythology, Jungian theory, or the idea of "secret teachings" in ancient Judaism and Christianity has found "gnosticism" compelling. Yet the term "gnosticism," which often connotes a single rebellious movement against the prevailing religions of late antiquity, gives the false impression of a monolithic religious phenomenon. Here Michael Williams challenges the validity of the widely invoked category of ancient "gnosticism" and the ways it has been described. Presenting such famous writings and movements as the Apocryphon of John and Valentinian Christianity, Williams uncovers the similarities and differences among some major traditions widely categorized as gnostic. He provides an eloquent, systematic argument for a more accurate way to discuss these interpretive approaches. The modern construct "gnosticism" is not justified by any ancient self-definition, and many of the most commonly cited religious features that supposedly define gnosticism phenomenologically turn out to be questionable. Exploring the sample sets of "gnostic" teachings, Williams refutes generalizations concerning asceticism and libertinism, attitudes toward the body and the created world, and alleged features of protest, parasitism, and elitism. He sketches a fresh model for understanding ancient innovations on more "mainstream" Judaism and Christianity, a model that is informed by modern research on dynamics in new religious movements and is freed from the false stereotypes from which the category "gnosticism" has been constructed. | |
| 650 | 4 | |a Gnosticisme | |
| 650 | 7 | |a Gnosticisme |2 gtt | |
| 650 | 4 | |a Religion romaine | |
| 650 | 4 | |a Gnosticism | |
| 650 | 0 | 7 | |a Gnosis |0 (DE-588)4021391-2 |2 gnd |9 rswk-swf |
| 651 | 4 | |a Rom | |
| 651 | 4 | |a Rome |x Religion | |
| 689 | 0 | 0 | |a Gnosis |0 (DE-588)4021391-2 |D s |
| 689 | 0 | |5 DE-604 | |
| 940 | 1 | |q HUB-TE133200904 | |
| 999 | |a oai:aleph.bib-bvb.de:BVB01-007515048 | ||
Record in the Search Index
| _version_ | 1804125700958978048 |
|---|---|
| any_adam_object | |
| author | Williams, Michael Allen |
| author_facet | Williams, Michael Allen |
| author_role | aut |
| author_sort | Williams, Michael Allen |
| author_variant | m a w ma maw |
| building | Verbundindex |
| bvnumber | BV011204246 |
| callnumber-first | B - Philosophy, Psychology, Religion |
| callnumber-label | BT1390 |
| callnumber-raw | BT1390 |
| callnumber-search | BT1390 |
| callnumber-sort | BT 41390 |
| callnumber-subject | BT - Doctrinal Theology |
| classification_rvk | BO 2210 |
| ctrlnum | (OCoLC)34318695 (DE-599)BVBBV011204246 |
| dewey-full | 299/.932 |
| dewey-hundreds | 200 - Religion |
| dewey-ones | 299 - Religions not provided for elsewhere |
| dewey-raw | 299/.932 |
| dewey-search | 299/.932 |
| dewey-sort | 3299 3932 |
| dewey-tens | 290 - Other religions |
| discipline | Theologie / Religionswissenschaften |
| format | Book |
| fullrecord | <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><collection xmlns="http://www.loc.gov/MARC21/slim"><record><leader>02867nam a2200457 c 4500</leader><controlfield tag="001">BV011204246</controlfield><controlfield tag="003">DE-604</controlfield><controlfield tag="005">20070927 </controlfield><controlfield tag="007">t</controlfield><controlfield tag="008">970217s1996 |||| 00||| eng d</controlfield><datafield tag="020" ind1=" " ind2=" "><subfield code="a">0691011273</subfield><subfield code="9">0-691-01127-3</subfield></datafield><datafield tag="035" ind1=" " ind2=" "><subfield code="a">(OCoLC)34318695</subfield></datafield><datafield tag="035" ind1=" " ind2=" "><subfield code="a">(DE-599)BVBBV011204246</subfield></datafield><datafield tag="040" ind1=" " ind2=" "><subfield code="a">DE-604</subfield><subfield code="b">ger</subfield><subfield code="e">rakddb</subfield></datafield><datafield tag="041" ind1="0" ind2=" "><subfield code="a">eng</subfield></datafield><datafield tag="049" ind1=" " ind2=" "><subfield code="a">DE-12</subfield><subfield code="a">DE-473</subfield><subfield code="a">DE-11</subfield></datafield><datafield tag="050" ind1=" " ind2="0"><subfield code="a">BT1390</subfield></datafield><datafield tag="082" ind1="0" ind2=" "><subfield code="a">299/.932</subfield><subfield code="2">20</subfield></datafield><datafield tag="084" ind1=" " ind2=" "><subfield code="a">BO 2210</subfield><subfield code="0">(DE-625)14103:</subfield><subfield code="2">rvk</subfield></datafield><datafield tag="084" ind1=" " ind2=" "><subfield code="a">6,15</subfield><subfield code="2">ssgn</subfield></datafield><datafield tag="084" ind1=" " ind2=" "><subfield code="a">6,11</subfield><subfield code="2">ssgn</subfield></datafield><datafield tag="084" ind1=" " ind2=" "><subfield code="a">6,12</subfield><subfield code="2">ssgn</subfield></datafield><datafield tag="100" ind1="1" ind2=" "><subfield code="a">Williams, Michael Allen</subfield><subfield code="e">Verfasser</subfield><subfield code="4">aut</subfield></datafield><datafield tag="245" ind1="1" ind2="0"><subfield code="a">Rethinking "gnosticism"</subfield><subfield code="b">an argument for dismantling a dubious category</subfield><subfield code="c">Michael Allen Williams</subfield></datafield><datafield tag="264" ind1=" " ind2="1"><subfield code="a">Princeton</subfield><subfield code="b">Princeton Univ. Press</subfield><subfield code="c">1996</subfield></datafield><datafield tag="300" ind1=" " ind2=" "><subfield code="a">XIX, 335 S.</subfield></datafield><datafield tag="336" ind1=" " ind2=" "><subfield code="b">txt</subfield><subfield code="2">rdacontent</subfield></datafield><datafield tag="337" ind1=" " ind2=" "><subfield code="b">n</subfield><subfield code="2">rdamedia</subfield></datafield><datafield tag="338" ind1=" " ind2=" "><subfield code="b">nc</subfield><subfield code="2">rdacarrier</subfield></datafield><datafield tag="520" ind1="3" ind2=" "><subfield code="a">Most anyone interested in such topics as creation mythology, Jungian theory, or the idea of "secret teachings" in ancient Judaism and Christianity has found "gnosticism" compelling. Yet the term "gnosticism," which often connotes a single rebellious movement against the prevailing religions of late antiquity, gives the false impression of a monolithic religious phenomenon. Here Michael Williams challenges the validity of the widely invoked category of ancient "gnosticism" and the ways it has been described. Presenting such famous writings and movements as the Apocryphon of John and Valentinian Christianity, Williams uncovers the similarities and differences among some major traditions widely categorized as gnostic. He provides an eloquent, systematic argument for a more accurate way to discuss these interpretive approaches. The modern construct "gnosticism" is not justified by any ancient self-definition, and many of the most commonly cited religious features that supposedly define gnosticism phenomenologically turn out to be questionable. Exploring the sample sets of "gnostic" teachings, Williams refutes generalizations concerning asceticism and libertinism, attitudes toward the body and the created world, and alleged features of protest, parasitism, and elitism. He sketches a fresh model for understanding ancient innovations on more "mainstream" Judaism and Christianity, a model that is informed by modern research on dynamics in new religious movements and is freed from the false stereotypes from which the category "gnosticism" has been constructed.</subfield></datafield><datafield tag="650" ind1=" " ind2="4"><subfield code="a">Gnosticisme</subfield></datafield><datafield tag="650" ind1=" " ind2="7"><subfield code="a">Gnosticisme</subfield><subfield code="2">gtt</subfield></datafield><datafield tag="650" ind1=" " ind2="4"><subfield code="a">Religion romaine</subfield></datafield><datafield tag="650" ind1=" " ind2="4"><subfield code="a">Gnosticism</subfield></datafield><datafield tag="650" ind1="0" ind2="7"><subfield code="a">Gnosis</subfield><subfield code="0">(DE-588)4021391-2</subfield><subfield code="2">gnd</subfield><subfield code="9">rswk-swf</subfield></datafield><datafield tag="651" ind1=" " ind2="4"><subfield code="a">Rom</subfield></datafield><datafield tag="651" ind1=" " ind2="4"><subfield code="a">Rome</subfield><subfield code="x">Religion</subfield></datafield><datafield tag="689" ind1="0" ind2="0"><subfield code="a">Gnosis</subfield><subfield code="0">(DE-588)4021391-2</subfield><subfield code="D">s</subfield></datafield><datafield tag="689" ind1="0" ind2=" "><subfield code="5">DE-604</subfield></datafield><datafield tag="940" ind1="1" ind2=" "><subfield code="q">HUB-TE133200904</subfield></datafield><datafield tag="999" ind1=" " ind2=" "><subfield code="a">oai:aleph.bib-bvb.de:BVB01-007515048</subfield></datafield></record></collection> |
| geographic | Rom Rome Religion |
| geographic_facet | Rom Rome Religion |
| id | DE-604.BV011204246 |
| illustrated | Not Illustrated |
| indexdate | 2024-07-09T18:05:44Z |
| institution | BVB |
| isbn | 0691011273 |
| language | English |
| oai_aleph_id | oai:aleph.bib-bvb.de:BVB01-007515048 |
| oclc_num | 34318695 |
| open_access_boolean | |
| owner | DE-12 DE-473 DE-BY-UBG DE-11 |
| owner_facet | DE-12 DE-473 DE-BY-UBG DE-11 |
| physical | XIX, 335 S. |
| psigel | HUB-TE133200904 |
| publishDate | 1996 |
| publishDateSearch | 1996 |
| publishDateSort | 1996 |
| publisher | Princeton Univ. Press |
| record_format | marc |
| spelling | Williams, Michael Allen Verfasser aut Rethinking "gnosticism" an argument for dismantling a dubious category Michael Allen Williams Princeton Princeton Univ. Press 1996 XIX, 335 S. txt rdacontent n rdamedia nc rdacarrier Most anyone interested in such topics as creation mythology, Jungian theory, or the idea of "secret teachings" in ancient Judaism and Christianity has found "gnosticism" compelling. Yet the term "gnosticism," which often connotes a single rebellious movement against the prevailing religions of late antiquity, gives the false impression of a monolithic religious phenomenon. Here Michael Williams challenges the validity of the widely invoked category of ancient "gnosticism" and the ways it has been described. Presenting such famous writings and movements as the Apocryphon of John and Valentinian Christianity, Williams uncovers the similarities and differences among some major traditions widely categorized as gnostic. He provides an eloquent, systematic argument for a more accurate way to discuss these interpretive approaches. The modern construct "gnosticism" is not justified by any ancient self-definition, and many of the most commonly cited religious features that supposedly define gnosticism phenomenologically turn out to be questionable. Exploring the sample sets of "gnostic" teachings, Williams refutes generalizations concerning asceticism and libertinism, attitudes toward the body and the created world, and alleged features of protest, parasitism, and elitism. He sketches a fresh model for understanding ancient innovations on more "mainstream" Judaism and Christianity, a model that is informed by modern research on dynamics in new religious movements and is freed from the false stereotypes from which the category "gnosticism" has been constructed. Gnosticisme Gnosticisme gtt Religion romaine Gnosticism Gnosis (DE-588)4021391-2 gnd rswk-swf Rom Rome Religion Gnosis (DE-588)4021391-2 s DE-604 |
| spellingShingle | Williams, Michael Allen Rethinking "gnosticism" an argument for dismantling a dubious category Gnosticisme Gnosticisme gtt Religion romaine Gnosticism Gnosis (DE-588)4021391-2 gnd |
| subject_GND | (DE-588)4021391-2 |
| title | Rethinking "gnosticism" an argument for dismantling a dubious category |
| title_auth | Rethinking "gnosticism" an argument for dismantling a dubious category |
| title_exact_search | Rethinking "gnosticism" an argument for dismantling a dubious category |
| title_full | Rethinking "gnosticism" an argument for dismantling a dubious category Michael Allen Williams |
| title_fullStr | Rethinking "gnosticism" an argument for dismantling a dubious category Michael Allen Williams |
| title_full_unstemmed | Rethinking "gnosticism" an argument for dismantling a dubious category Michael Allen Williams |
| title_short | Rethinking "gnosticism" |
| title_sort | rethinking gnosticism an argument for dismantling a dubious category |
| title_sub | an argument for dismantling a dubious category |
| topic | Gnosticisme Gnosticisme gtt Religion romaine Gnosticism Gnosis (DE-588)4021391-2 gnd |
| topic_facet | Gnosticisme Religion romaine Gnosticism Gnosis Rom Rome Religion |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT williamsmichaelallen rethinkinggnosticismanargumentfordismantlingadubiouscategory |