Religious studies a religious tradition that emphasizes the primary place of gnosis, or mystical knowledge, understood through aspects of wisdom.
Marvin Meyer defines Gnosticism as “a religious tradition that emphasizes the primary place of genosis, or mystical knowledge, understood through aspects of wisdom (often personified wisdom) presented in creation stories, particularly stories based on the Genesis accounts, and interpreted by means of a variety of religious and philosophical traditions… in order to proclaim a radically enlightened way and life of knowledge” (in The Gnostic Gospels of Jesus, HarperSanFrancisco, 2005, p. xiii). Consider the Gospel of Thomas in light of this definition. Does it seem to represent “a religious tradition” of any sort? Does it emphasize wisdom and/or mystical knowledge? Does that knowledge provide for a “radically enlightened” way of life? Consider as well what might have made this gospel either controversial or dangerous. Feel free to compare the Gospel of Thomas to any of the canonical gospels; likewise, feel free to make use of any other Gnostic or
apocryphal gospels.
Texts
1. Linda Woodhead, Christianity: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford, 2014)
2. Richard Bauckham, Jesus: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford, 2011)
3. Bernard McGinn, The Essential Writings of Christian Mysticism (Modern Library, 2006)