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THIS 8 PAGE ARTICLE WAS EXTRACTED FROM THE BOOK: Fragments of a Faith Forgotten, by G. R. S. Mead. To purchase the entire book, please order ISBN 092280222X. ... Read more

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Studies in Graeco-Roman Religions and Gnosticism
This volume brings together fifteen studies on Hellenistic and Graeco-Roman religion, as well as on Gnosticism, and will be of interest to scholars and students working on religious thought in Classical Antiquity, Christianity and comparative religion.

Subjects dealt with include Hermocles' Ithyphallus for Demetrius, the Sator Arepo square, the Gospel of Thomas, the Essenes, Naassenes, Peratae, Sethians, Justin, Basilides, and Pythagoras. ... Read more

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Spiritual Guides of the Third Century
Valantasis seeks to explain the type of spiritual guidance offered in the century that fell between the flowering of second-century philosophical schools and fourth-century monasticism. Through a discussion of texts representative of Christianity, Neo-Platonism, Hermeticism, and Gnosticism, Valantasis argues that the spiritual guides depicted are really literary creations: although the texts claim that the spiritual guidance is mediated through a relationship of persons, the guidance actually comes through the production of the text itself. Underlying Valantasis's thesis is the view that language forms experience, rather than that "experience" finds expression in language. ... Read more

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I GNOSTICISM AND AGNOSTICIS11 " We know in part, and W~ prophesy io part: but when that which is perfect is come, that which is io part shall be done away. WheD I was a child, I spake as a. child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child: DOW that I am become a man, I h~ve put awa.y childish Ihings."-I COR,INTHIA;S xiii. 9-11. THE history of man's search for knowledge In every branch of study has commonly to pass through three stages. First there is the season of toilsome struggle with difficulties) when perplexing problems are grappled with; a time of labour, no doubt, but of labour rewarded by a sense of constant progress, as difficulty after difficulty is mastered and problem after problem finds its solution. At length we reach a summit from which we can look round with some complacency on our achievements, when we see below LIS the heights that had been the object of OUr early ambition, and can delight ourselves with the ham;lOoious landscape which the field

Table of Contents

CONTEN'rs; L GKOSTICISM AND ACNOSTICISM; I, We know in p:lrt, and wc prophcsy in prrt: but; wheu th:H which is perfect is come, that which is in; parI shill be done ~W:ly When I was a child, I spnke; :lS a child, I fdt as a child, I thought as a child; nOw; that I am become :l man, C have put :lW~y chHdish; things "_I CORIXTIHAN!; xiii 9-1l; 11 UNION" WITH CHRIST ; Abide in Me, and I in you As the branch can·; nol bear fruit or itself, except it abide jn the , ine; no; more C:ln ),e, except ye abide jn Me I am the , ine,; ye are thc branches: he that abideth in Me, and I in; him, the same hringeth forth much fruit; for without; !Ie ye can do nothing "-JOHN xv 4, S; )II TilE }JURE I~ HEART SHALL SEE GOD; "messed ~c the pure in hearl: for they shall see; God"-~IArrHRv v 8; 1': ILL SUCCESS I~ SEARCHING AFTER RICHTEOUSNESS; "The GcnlHcs, wh ... Read more

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This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishings Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the worlds literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone! ... Read more

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The Origin of Phallicism; Deities Connected with Phallic Worship; Emblems Connected with Phallic Worship; Phallic Objects; Wide Prevalence of Phallic Worship; Phallic Worship in the Middle Ages; Moral Aspects of Phallicism; Sacta Puja, the Worship of the Female Power. ... Read more

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Scholarly and detailed
Nature Worship: An Account of Phallic Faiths and Practices Ancient and Modern, 1929 by Hargrave Jennings (?)

This is one of the more scholarly and less opinionated books on fertility worship that I've come across to date. The book appears to have been written by Hargrave Jennings, but was originally written anonymously. If you are interested in a very scholarly and to the point book on fertility worship, look no further.

On the negative side, the author is very uptight about sex, and possibly more so than the author's 1800's counter parts such as Rocco Brown - someone who promoted only primitivism as the reason for fertility religion - now proven false. The mere mention of naked female genitalia or orgy sends this author into fits of disgust. He sees no benefit to the fertility rituals and practices such as B.Z. Goldberg does in The Sacred Fire. Goldberg actually lays out the principles of ecstasy based on sex in his book - though all of these authors are pre-drug origins of religious understanding and miss/overlook the relation to the common practice of also using psychedelic drugs during these rituals. This was laid out by John Allegro in the much marginalized Sacred Mushroom and the Cross. Speaking of Allegro, he was largely attacked for attempting to base the origins of Christianity on fertility. If you are in doubt of this fact, this book will provide strong evidence that Allegro was correct in his assertion.

Overall this is a very good book and very well worth the read. I give it someplace between a 4 and 5 stars.

Captures your attention and doesn't let go!
Anyone who is interested in anthropology or world religions will find this an absolutely eye-opening book full of good insights and historical information. ... Read more

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Ever need a fact or quotation on "Gnosticism"? Designed for speechwriters, journalists, writers, researchers, students, professors, teachers, historians, academics, scrapbookers, trivia buffs and word lovers, this is the largest book ever created for this word. It represents a compilation of "single sentences" and/or "short paragraphs" from a variety of sources with a linguistic emphasis on anything relating to the term "Gnosticism," including non-conventional usage and alternative meanings which capture ambiguities. This is not an encyclopedic book, but rather a collage of statements made using the word "Gnosticism," or related words (e.g. inflections, synonyms or antonyms). This title is one of a series of books that considers all major vocabulary words. The entries in each book cover all parts of speech (noun, verb, adverb or adjective usage) as well as use in modern slang, pop culture, social sciences (linguistics, history, geography, economics, sociology, political science), business, computer science, literature, law, medicine, psychology, mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology and other physical sciences. This data dump results in many unexpected examples for "Gnosticism," since the editorial decision to include or exclude terms is purely a computer-generated linguistic process. The resulting entries are used under license or with permission, used under fair use conditions, used in agreement with the original authors, or are in the public domain. ... Read more

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THIS 8 PAGE ARTICLE WAS EXTRACTED FROM THE BOOK: Gnostics and their Remains Ancient and Mediaeval, by C. W. King. To purchase the entire book, please order ISBN 0766103811. ... Read more

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This study describes, criticises and corrects the assumption that apocalyptic eschatology had no place in Gnosticism, an assumption frequently employed by Johannine scholars. It explores the assumption's background in apocalypticism and in the light of the Nag Hammadi texts. ... Read more

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Apocalypticism and Gnosticism in Johannine Studies
In Johannine studies it is often assumed that apocalyptic eschatology offended the Gnostic and that vertical eschatology was uncharacteristic of the Apocalypticist. The thesis demonstrates that this assumption is unwarranted. First, the assumption is identified and described as it functions in Johannine studies. Second, the assumption is compared to the trend in current apocalyptic studies. Third, the assumption is compared to evidence from recently discovered gnostic tractates. The thesis concludes that this assumption, widely present in scholarship devoted to the Fourth Gospel, is unwarranted in light of contemporary apocalyptic studies, and in light of new evidence from gnostic documents. Consequently, a new understanding of eschatology in Gnosticism, parallel to the new trend in Apocalypticism, is needed. Further, the assumption can no longer function as it has in Johannine scholarship. ... Read more

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THIS 118 PAGE ARTICLE WAS EXTRACTED FROM THE BOOK: Gnostics and their Remains Ancient and Mediaeval, by C. W. King. To purchase the entire book, please order ISBN 0766103811. ... Read more

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THIS 26 PAGE ARTICLE WAS EXTRACTED FROM THE BOOK: Fragments of a Faith Forgotten, by G. R. S. Mead. To purchase the entire book, please order ISBN 092280222X. ... Read more

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THIS 20 PAGE ARTICLE WAS EXTRACTED FROM THE BOOK: Gnostics and their Remains Ancient and Mediaeval, by C. W. King. To purchase the entire book, please order ISBN 0766103811. ... Read more

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The gnostic writings found at Nag Hammadi have stimulated much controversy about the relationship between early Christians and the diverse religious movement of the first three centuries. Perkins fills the New Testament student's need for a guide to recent developments in scholarship with a helpful survey that addresses the origins of Gnosticism, its relationship to Judaism, Redeemer myths and New Testament hymns, and other relevant topics. ... Read more

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the truth hurts
The truth hurts thats why the greeks are christians not gnostics. If you want history not speculation and heresay buy this book.
It appears that some people don't want people to read both sides and draw their own conclusions. These people are never ever "open minded". They are cultists looking to sell their "knowledge" and slander the truth. Remember St Paul-wolves with perverse teachings. These are "pagels' gnostics". I would also suggest V Lossky for the byzantine angle and clarification from the ancient Greeks themselves. It's kinda like "not out of africa" for the gnostics greek haters.

Makes a good fly-swatter
A tedious and rather biased rehash of Hans Jonas' "The Gnostic Religion: The Message of an alien God and the beginnings of Christianity." Although Jonas' view of Gnosticism is outdated, itcontains much useful background information on the various Gnosticmovements. Pheme Perkins has successfully drained away all the gold fromJonas and kept only the dross. Elaine Pagel's book, the Gnostic Gospels, isfar more open-minded, far more original,and far better researched. BuyPagels, not this! ... Read more