Customer Reviews

The Beliefnet Guide to Gnosticism and Other Vanished Christianities (Beliefnet Guides)

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This book simplifies a very complicated subject. I easily read it in one sitting, and I am a slow reader. This is an excellent introduction to gnosticism and early Christianities, and is a perfect example of what "introduction" means.

It does not go into great detail, but this is the perfect book if you have not read anything about gnosticism. It covers quite a wide range of early religious groups, so you can pick the ones you might be really interested in. There are more in depth books out there, which take longer to read, but this should be your first venture into Gnosticism.

there is a list of recommended readings that will point you in the right direction. I highly recommend "Lost Christianities" by Bart D. Erhman.

This is an okay book that has a lot of interesting information. However, there are better books available for those who want to know what real spirituality is all about. For example, "The Disappearance of the Universe" by Gary Renard really captures the spirit of The Gospel of Thomas, and gives an exciting vision of the early days of the Disciple's attempt to give the true message of Jesus before it was lost. I don't have anything against this Belienet Guide, but they could certainly do more to bring people the passion behind true spirituality, as opposed to what is usually (and tedpidly) passing for spirituality in today's marketplace.