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Living Gnosticism: An Ancient Way of Knowing
 
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Living Gnosticism: An Ancient Way of Knowing (Paperback)

by Jordan Stratford (Author)
4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)

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Living Gnosticism: An Ancient Way of Knowing + Living Gnosis: A Practical Guide to Gnostic Christianity + The Gnostic Bible (Book and Audio-CD Set)
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Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Twenty-two centuries ago in Alexandria, a sect of philosopher-poets fashioned a myth the strands of which weave through Christianity, Judaism, Islam and Greek philosophy, and inspired the legends of the Holy Grail. Long banished to the realm of notorious heresy, the myths of the Gnostics took root in the fertile imagination of the nineteenth century's artistic movements and esoteric circles, bearing fruit in the daily spiritual practice of thousands today. In 1945, a library of Gnostic writings surfaced form the Egyptian desert, allowing the movement--after 1500 years of propaganda and slander--to speak with its own voice. Rich in imagery, nostalgic in tone, Gnosticism quietly restores Wisdom to her place as a Goddess in Western religion, reveres Eve as the first saint, and acknowledges Mary Magdelene as foremost of the Apostles.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 132 pages
  • Publisher: Apocryphile Press (November 1, 2007)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1933993537
  • ISBN-13: 978-1933993539
  • Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5 x 0.3 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #522,046 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

7 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
4.7 out of 5 stars (7 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Good introduction to gnosticism as a contemporary faith, January 4, 2008
By John P. Plummer (Nashville, TN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)      
Those who follow Jordan Stratford's writing will not be surprised by the poetic sensibilities and thoughtful reflection which run through this small and beautifully designed volume.

Readers may differ from Stratford in their evaluations of some historical and theological matters, but this is not a book intended as a contribution to academic debate. Rather, we are presented with contemporary gnosticism (and its heritage) as seen through the eyes of one of its most articulate practitioners.

This book will be of considerable interest to the gnostic community, to spiritual seekers intrigued by gnosticism, as well as to those who study new religious movements and independent sacramental churches.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A Subgenius on the Supreme Court, December 20, 2008
I've been a gnostic since before I was born. But, like Discordianism and the Church of the Subgenius, the only way to participate in "Gnosticism" is to wear the t-shirt everyday and hope that some other hipster "gets it." Of course, I've always held out hope that I might be discovered by some illuminatus and "tapped" into an esoteric order, but if they're out there they haven't found me. Until I found this book, Gnosticism seemed little more than a Google Group or a table at the ComicCon - an exciting idea for teenage boys, but not a cultural institution.

Jordan Stratford's "living" Gnosticism is different. This isn't a role-playing game or the Society for Creative Anachronism. It's a vibrant, substantial, morally-serious and historically-pedigreed church. Most interestingly, Stratford's Gnosticism is not an esoteric movement. While mystery is still an essential component of Gnosticism, the aggressive secrecy associated with historical Gnosticism was a defense mechanism, not an article of faith. (See e.g. Persecution and the Art of Writing) Without the threat of the stake, there's no need for secret handshakes.

Stratford's revolutionary notion is that, in a free society, Gnosticism can be a popular religious movement. But why, the free-thinker asks, is this necessary? "Why," as Stratford puts it, "so CHURCHY?" Well, it's easy to be a wise man on a mountain, but much harder to be a tantric illuminist in suburbia. If you have kids, you'll quickly discover that there is no Discordian preschool. There are no Subgenius soup kitchens. The organized religions compete for souls with tax-exempt enthusiasm and it can be all-too-convenient to let them win (especially when you need a babysitter). Ours are "moral values" and "family values" and only a mature and serious institution can sustain them. The Freemasons once carried this torch, but today Sophia is defenseless. Without a society to propogate the faith in reason, the world stays the same.

I am excited about this book and by Stratford's...um..."ministry." (I feel like Horselover Fat in Valis, but without the paranoia.) I'm eager to see what an organized and exoteric gnostic church can do in and for this world. I look forward to the day when gnostics refer business to one another at baptisms and confirmations, when there are mutual aid societies and charities and parochial schools and universities. In a year when a Mormon was a serious presidential contender, is it unreasonable to look forward to a Subgenius on the Supreme Court?
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Gnosticism as poetry, December 29, 2007
Not meant as a a competition to academic studies of Gnosticism, Fr Jordan lives & writes as a Gnostic priest within the independant Gnostic Church movement.

Modern Gnosticism is not focussed on polemic or dogmatic theology, but is meant to be a guide to each individuals' experience of the Divine directly. Fr Jordan writes of the mythologies & allegories of Gnosticism that relate directly to the mystical experience; stories that appeal to the soul rather than merely to the intellect.

If you are a student of Gnosticism, there is material here for you; but if you wish to know more about the living Gnostic Path than is available in other books, from someone actually living within it, then this book is meant for you.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Primer
A very good 101 book. If you're looking for an introduction to contemporary Gnosticism, this is your book. The only drawback is that it is a bit too brief. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Leo V. Lane

5.0 out of 5 stars Living Gnosticism
A must read for anyone interested in Gnosticism. Unlike so many other books I have read on the subject the author discusses his concepts in language anyone can understand... Read more
Published 16 months ago by L. Hoddinott

4.0 out of 5 stars Gnosticism is not orthodox Christianity, nor is it Paganism
Gnosticism, says Canadian Gnostic priest Jordan Statford (and blogger), is not a Jewish or Christian heresy, but stands alone, "too heretical for other faiths. . . . Read more
Published 16 months ago by Chas S. Clifton

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly Recommended
Living Gnosticism, by Gnostic Priest Jordan Stratford, manages to be both poetic and highly informative. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Thomas

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