My interest in Gnosticism stemmed from the knowledge that there was a group of mystical Christianity called the Gnostic Christians. After I read the book, I've found out that the Gnostics have been not exactly the Christians. Their emphasis is on "gnosis" which is a direct kind of knowledge (L.186) or as the author puts it:
True gnosis is a direct knowledge of the Self and the truth about the universe. Knowledge of oneself becomes knowledge of God, because the deepest and highest part of us is akin to the divine. L.194
The Gnostics first appeared in the first centuries of the Common Era (L.253) around the area of Egypt, Syria and Palestine (L.1690 - L.1691). They have always been heretical to the mainstream Christianity and to some other religions. L.1712
Anyhow, I think this book is an excellent choice for spiritual seekers to develop further in their realm of spirituality and The Ultimacy. It is not for the neonates of Western religious ideas because it requires much background to understand what the book is covering. My especial deficit is that I was born and raised in Southeast Asia, very far-flung from the Egyptian-Middle-Eastern reach of the Gnostic origin.
To me, the Gnostics seem to be pretty much creative people who spawn creative movements. As the author puts it,
In Gnosticism, diversity, not dogma, is the norm. L.2272
Gnosticism is always existing as long as there is still 'gnosis' (L.2498). Time is not on the 'gnosis' side, nevertheless (L.2507).
The style of the author's writing is penetrating, insightful, with the polymath touch.
I would like to sum up this review by what I think is the author's opinion of Gnosticism.
Perhaps our chief enemy is inertia and lack of direction. Or perhaps, as the Gnostics would have it, there are indicators that huge chunks of our basic human nature are opposed to gnosis. Yet with a little alchemy the dried petals of ancient Gnosticism can burst into bloom again, if only for a moment. L.3091 - L.3092
Some interesting quotes follow:
Any attempt to label or define God limits him. L.338
It is not praxis ('action'), nor pistis ('faith'), but gnosis that is truly important for Gnostics. L.1218
True knowledge is direct personal knowing - acquaintance, recognition, familiarity with God, knowing God as one might know an ideal father or mother or friend or lover. L.1223
Someone who has fulfilled the conditions of gnosis 'is no longer a Christian, but a Christ'. (Gospel of Philip 59) L.1446
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