Lectures - Valentinus and the Gnostics?

What did ancient Gnostics believe about creation and salvation? Who was Sophia, and what did it mean for her to “fall”? Who was the Demiurgos? Is the world we live in good, as Genesis suggests, or was it the result of a cosmic mistake? The writings associated with Gnosticism offer a wide range of answers to these questions. Some texts present elaborate mythological systems, while others fit more closely within the theological debates of early Christianity. The latter is especially true of the system developed by Valentinus and his followers, who reworked earlier Gnostic traditions to better align gnosis with scripture. In this lecture, John Hamer of Toronto Centre Place will situate Valentinus within the broader context of Gnosticism and proto-Orthodox Christianity and will examine his teachings to account for their appeal. Join the livestream to participate in the discussion and to ask questions of our lecturer during the Q&A. This lecture is part of our series exploring Christianity and the Bible from an academic perspective through history, mythology, archaeology, theology, and biblical studies. In this presentation we focus on Valentinus and the Gnostics. 📚 Browse our catalogue of free lectures at https://www.centreplace.ca/lectures Your generous support allows us to offer these lectures at no cost. Please consider making a donation (tax deductible in the US and Canada): ❤️ https://www.centreplace.ca/donate