This Is A New Release Of The Original 1918 Edition.

Gnosticism developed alongside Judeo-Christianity over two thousand years ago, but with an important difference: It emphasizes, not faith, but direct perception of God--Gnosticism being derived from the Greek word gnosis, meaning "knowledge." Given the controversial premise that one can know God directly, the history of Gnosticism is an unfolding drama of passion, political intrigue, martyrdom, and mystery. Dr. Hoeller traces this fascinating story throughout time and shows how Gnosticism has inspired such great thinkers as Voltaire, Blake, Yeats, Hesse, Melville, and Jung.

The Codex Brucianus, a Gnostic manuscript, was acquired by England in 1769. It included several Gnostic works written in Coptic, dating from about the 6th century ad, but the actual Greek texts are much older. "The Gnôsis of the Light" contains the translation of a part of the collection called "The Untitled Apocalypse." It lays out the early Gnostic teachings in mystical symbolism designed to work upon the initiate's inner understanding rather than being worked upon with the rational mind.

This Is A New Release Of The Original 1918 Edition.