III. Recapitulation of Principal Errors of Gnosticism

Here is a summary of the multiple errors of Gnosticism in its variant forms:CFF1 866.1

1. Dualism—The coexisting opposition of two eternally contrary principles, with matter regarded as evil, and therefore not having been created directly by the Supreme Being. There was consequent repugnance toward anything material.CFF1 866.2

2. Emanations—Posited on a succession of Aeons through emanations from the Supreme Being, the more remote the more degraded. In place of a direct creation, emanation ultimately produced the world.CFF1 866.3

3. Demiurge—The most degraded of the emanation figures was the World-Framer, identified with the God of the Jews, and the Old Testament inspired by him.CFF1 866.4

4. Hostility to Judaism—Jehovah regarded as malign, and actively hostile to the true god. Regarded as diabolical by some, while others considered him merely ignorant and imperfect.CFF1 866.5

5. Docetism—The Messiah’s body only an appearance, or only temporarily used. Thus His Saviourship was denied.CFF1 866.6

6. Rejection of Old Testament and All but Pauline New Testament Epistles—Peter and James considered servants of the Demiurge.CFF1 866.7

7. Striving After System—Seeking to bring all eclectic truth into harmony, but with emphasis on pomp and ceremony.CFF1 866.8

8. Arbitrary Aristocracy—Men scaled in proportion to knowledge of supposed “mysteries“: (1) the masses sarkical, animal or fleshly; (2) some—Psychical or capable of reasoning about earthly matters; and (3) the elite, or Gnostics—the spiritual, apprehending divine mysteries.CFF1 866.9

9. Fatalistic—Man’s present condition not from his own choosing, but results from the method of his creation. And from this he can do nothing to free himself.CFF1 866.10

10. Matter Inherently Evil—Great contempt of the flesh as inherently evil. Some practiced extreme asceticism; others believed that the indulgence of the flesh was immaterial, giving free rein to indulgence; and still others even insisted that the flesh ought to be destroyed by the practice of vice.CFF1 866.11

11. Included Idea of Redemption—A divine interposition in world affairs was, however, conceived, to deliver from the dominion of evil. In this it differed from other theosophical systems.CFF1 866.12

12. Degraded Christ—Through the separation of the Creator of the world from the Supreme God, and putting Christ in the same category as other beings of a lower nature, Gnosticism degraded the dignity and deity of Christ.CFF1 867.1

13. Transmigration—That souls migrate from body to body until complete purification has been achieved; thus at fundamental variance with the Christian doctrine of the resurrection of the body.CFF1 867.2

Such was the complex peril that confronted the church and impelled Irenaeus to detail its errors and confront its claims—with much emphasis on the true nature and destiny of man. But before we turn to Irenaeus we must briefly note the menace of Manichaeism.CFF1 867.3