The
Gnostic Catechism
by Stephan A.
Hoeller
+ Tau Stephanus I
CONTENTS
Why
a Gnostic Catechism?
"A Gnostic
Catechism? What a preposterous idea and a
contradiction in terms to boot!" Such and
similar objections are likely to be forthcoming
in response to the present effort. The word
"catechism" readily conjures up visions of
dogmatic belief, enshrined in rigidly formulated
articles and designed to be memorized and
mindlessly recited by children and by adults of
childish minds. Yet a catechism is truly but a
compendium of instructions, usually of a
religious nature, arranged in the form of
questions and answers. There is no necessary
implication of dogmatism and even less of
childish simple mindedness at all.
Still, when we
attach the word "Gnostic" to "Catechism" we may
encounter another problem. A Gnostic is by
definition a knower, and since knowledge
supersedes belief, a knower cannot very well be
a believer. If a catechism is mainly a statement
of beliefs, it is something that no Gnostic
would have a need for. So far so good, but the
issue under consideration is a bit more complex
than that.
Throughout history
there existed two principal ways of viewing
Gnosticism. The first was rooted in the hostile
critique of the heresiologist Church Fathers. It
declared that Gnosticism was speculation and
philosophizing resulting in a patchwork system
of purloined parts from here and there. A
catechism based on such a system would be
worthless because the system itself would be
worthless. The second way of viewing Gnosticism,
which has been gaining in acceptance lately, is
both more fair and more accurate than the
former. In this view, Gnosticism is grounded in
the experience of Gnosis, which is the salvific
and revelatory experience of transcendence. The
experience of Gnosis then receives expression in
the Gnostic Mythos which allows the Gnostic to
amplify and assimilate the experience of Gnosis
and also makes further experience of Gnosis
possible.
Rushing to
conclusions on the basis of only the first
portion of this definition, some people come to
exaggerate the importance of Gnosis at the
expense of the Gnostic Mythos. They come to feel
that nothing other than Gnosis matters, and that
a Gnostic is simply one who has experienced
Gnosis.
It is no doubt
true that without Gnosis there is no Gnosticism,
but it is also true that without the context of
the Gnostic Mythos the Gnosis of the individual
loses its salvific character. Our world harbors
many people who have had impressive spiritual
experiences which, however, never yielded any
significant meaning. (The specific salvific
meaning the Gnostic derives from the experience
of Gnosis is redemption, which means liberation
from the necessity of earthly existence.) Only
when Gnosis occurs within a particular
meaningful context will the Gnostic obtain
optimal results from his experience. This does
not mean that Gnosticism posits any kind of
dogma against which to measure the authenticity
of the experience of the Gnostic. What it means
is that Gnostic sages and seers have brought
forth from their own original experiences of
Gnosis a vast and meaningful Mythos which
represents the theoretical matrix for our
practical experience. This mythic matrix is of
course not closed; rather it invites
modifications and additions of an appropriate
nature from other seers and travelers on the
Aeonial paths of Gnosis.
The catechism
which follows is a manual of instruction in the
Gnostic Mythos. Its aim is to instruct not only
in one variety of this Mythos, but in the entire
heritage of the Gnostic tradition, whereby we
mean the teachings of the Gnostic sages and
seers as found in their original writings,
including the Nag Hammadi collection. The less
reliable accounts and recensions of these
teachings found in the writings of the Church
Fathers have also been taken into consideration.
The non-Christian Gnosis of the Hermetic
writings has been considered also. The teachings
of the Prophet Mani are often included. (It is
increasingly evident to scholarship that the
Manichaean Gnosis is an organic part of the
Gnostic tradition.) The spirit, if not always
the letter of all known dispensations of the
Gnostic tradition, finds its expression in this
catechism.
Catechisms have
been with us for a long time. It is believed
that the first such compendia were based on the
catechetical lectures of Cyril of Jerusalem in
the Fourth Century A.D. The name originates in
the Greek verb katexein, meaning to
teach, and the first catechisms seem to have
grown out of oral instructions given to those
who were candidates for membership in the
church.
Not only
mainstream orthodoxy had catechisms, however. So
called heretics, sometimes of a Gnostic or
gnosticising orientation, often had their own
catechisms. It was rumored that the Cathars of
the Languedoc had a catechism, but no copy of
this work has been found so far. The most famous
"heretical" catechism was the one printed in
1498 (although existing earlier) which was used
not by one but by three heterodox movements at
once, i.e. the Waldenses of Savoy, the Brethren
of the Common Life in Germany and the Unitas
Fratrum in Bohemia. A catechism format was
even employed by the renowned esoteric teacher
of the 19th Century, H. P. Blavatsky, in her
work, The Key to Theosophy. (Indeed one
is tempted to interject that if such a
non-dogmatic system as Theosophy could employ
this format, surely modern Gnosticism could do
the same.) The French Gnostic Church possessed a
catechism, written by Bishop Jean Bricaud and
published in 1907. (See our bibliography.) It
would seem that there exists ample precedent for
our present effort.
Let us state then
once and for all: This catechism was not
prepared in order to create a Gnostic orthodoxy
or to proclaim Gnostic dogmas. Rather it is
designed to meet a twofold need, one general and
the other particular. There exists a general
need for concise, clear and authentic
information regarding the Mythos held by the
Gnostic tradition. The present age is
characterized by much shallow thinking and a
tendency to reduce meaningful ideas to nebulous
nonsense. With the increase of publicity
attached to some teachings of the Nag Hammadi
material, Gnostic ideas and terms are being
appropriated by uninformed sources. The name
Gnostic is often misapplied. When everything is
"Gnostic", nothing is Gnostic. Although far
flung and poetic, the Gnostic Mythos is a
specific one; one ought to know what it is and
what it is not.
The other need is
particular. It relates primarily to the Ecclesia
Gnostica, a Gnostic church with which the author
is associated, although other kindred churches
might be interested also. Candidates for Gnostic
Baptism, and for other sacraments, including
Holy Orders, are in dire need of such
information. Certainly they are not asked to
blindly believe in the contents of the Gnostic
Catechism. Rather, it is likely that they will
be pleased to read a brief yet comprehensive
statement of the Mythos to which they have been
attracted. While few of them wish for some sort
of litmus test of Gnosticism to which they are
expected to conform slavishly, a compendium of
ideas and ideals, used as a point of reference
will be welcomed by all. May all practitioners
of the Gnostic tradition profit from the fruit
of our present labors and may the holy cause of
the Gnosis be furthered thereby!
+
Stephan A. Hoeller
Tau Stephanus I.
PRAYERS AND CREEDS
The
Sign of the Cross
In the name of the
Father, + and of the Son, and of the Holy
Spirit. Amen.
The
Gnostic's Prayer
Almighty God,
whose footstool is the highest firmament: Great
Ruler of Heaven and all the powers therein: Hear
the prayers of Thy servants who put their trust
in Thee. We pray Thee, supply our needs from day
to day: Command Thy heavenly host to comfort and
succor us: That it may be to Thy glory and unto
the good of man. Forgive us our transgressions
as we forgive our brothers and sisters: Be
present with us: strengthen and sustain us: For
we are but instruments in Thy hands. Let us not
fall into temptation: Defend us from all danger
and evil: Let Thy mighty power ever guard and
protect us, Thou great Fount of knowledge and
wisdom: Instruct Thy servants by Thy holy
presence: Guide and support us, now and forever.
Amen.
The
Hail Sophia
Hail Sophia,
filled with light, the Christ is with Thee,
blessed art Thou among the Aeons, and blessed is
the Liberator of Thy light, Jesus. Holy Sophia,
Mother of all gods, pray to the light for us Thy
children, now and in the hour of our death.
Amen.
Glory Be to the Father
Glory be to the
Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever
shall be, world without end. (or "throughout the
Aeons of Aeons") Amen.
An
Act of Gnosis
We know Thee
Thou eternal thought
immovable, unchangeable, unlimited and
unconditioned
remaining unchanged in essential essence
while forever thinking the mystery of the
universe
manifesting three extensions of cosmic power
creation, preservation and destruction -
Thou, Lord of all.
We know Thee
Father
Thou secret, supreme and ineffable Maker
unchanging in essence
yet ever-changing in appearance and
manifestation
visualizing as an act of consciousness the
mystery of creation
and by an act of will absorbed into life -
Creator.
We know Thee
Son
Thou Word, Thou Logos
divine manifestation of the Lord
alone-begotten of the great stillness
begotten by an act of consciousness alone
coming to the flesh to destroy incarnate error-
Sustainer.
We know Thee
Holy Spirit
Thou giver of life and goodness
principle of love, beauty and compassion
remaining here on earth to guide and care for us
Thou, with the Father and the Son
art the wholeness upon which the manifested
universe is erected -
and Destroyed.
We know you
Messengers
custodians of the essential wisdom of the race
Preachers of the great Law
containing within yourselves spiritual insight
and courage
living and laboring unselfishly
mediating between the supreme source and its
creation
dedicated to the advancement of all.
We look to the
union of the self
with the Fullness
and thus liberation
from the infinite chain of attainment.
Amen.
A
Brief Credo
We acknowledge one
great invisible God, the Unknown Father, the
Aeon of Aeons, who brought forth with His
providence: the Father, the Mother and the Son.
We acknowledge the
Christos, the self-begotten Son, born from the
virginal and ineffable Mother in the high Aeons:
who in the Logos of God came down from above to
annul the emptiness of this age and restore the
fullness of the Aeon.
We acknowledge the
Holy Spirit, our celestial Mother and consoler,
who proceeded from Herself, a gift of Herself
out of the silence of the unknown God.
We seek the
gathering of the sparks of light from the sea of
forgetfulness and we look to the glories of
eternal life in the Fullness. Amen.
A
Prayer to the Supernal Parents
All-powerful Lord,
Our Father;
All-wise Lady, Our Mother;
Supernal parents of all that was, and is, and is
to come;
Sustain us, your children this day.
Give us the wisdom
to see your path,
And the strength to prevail in the darkest hour.
We thank you for
the joys we have,
And for your grace bestowed on us
This day and every day.
May we thrive and
grow in knowledge, wisdom and
understanding. Now and forevermore. Amen.
An
Act of Contrition
(Especially
important when in danger of death)
Oh my God, I am
heartily sorry for having offended Thee and I
detest all my faults which I have committed, not
because of punishment which I may receive but
chiefly because with my faults I have turned
away from Thee, my God, who art all-good, and
who art wholly deserving of my love. I firmly
resolve with the help of Thy grace to sin no
more, and I ask to be forgiven even as I forgive
those who have offended against me. Amen.
A
Morning Prayer
On waking,
Heavenly Father, I sing Thy praises and I dare
say to Thee again with confidence the prayer
that the divine Master taught us:
Our Father who art
in the depths of the Aeons, may Thy Holy Logos
and Christ be understood and adored in the
Universe; may the kingdom of Thy Holy Spirit
come to us, may Thy will be done on earth as in
heaven. Give us this day our spiritual
nourishment, the strength and courage to earn
the bread for our body. Forgive us for our
digressions from Thy laws, as our assembly
forgives those who repent of their sins. Support
us in our state of weakness so that we may not
be carried away by our passions and deliver us
from the deceptive mirages of the Archons. For
we have no other ruler than Thy beloved Son,
Christ our Savior whose is the kingdom, the
triumph and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Lord, our divine
Propator, hear my prayer, listen to my
supplication; let me hear the voice of Thy mercy
from the morning, for it is in Thy hands that I
place myself. I adore Thee, I praise Thee, I
give Thee thanks from the morning.
I thank Thee for
having protected me during the night from all
the dangers and all the evils which could have
harmed me and from which Thou hast covered me
with Thy protection. During this day, remain my
support, my strength, my refuge, my salvation
and my consolation.
Oh my Father, I
thank Thee for all the good things that I have
received from Thee so far. It is also by an
effect of Thy goodness that I have come to see
this day; I want to use it to serve Thee. I
devote to Thee all my thoughts, words, deeds and
sorrows. Bless them, oh my God, so that there
will be none which are not activated by Thy love
and which do not tend to glorify Thee. (From
the usage of the French Gnostic Church)
An
Evening Prayer
(With examination
of conscience)
Night has spread
its veils over us, everything invites us to
meditate. I raise my thoughts to Thee, oh divine
Propator, and I come into Thy presence to
examine my conduct this day.
Did I not hide my
religious thoughts when, on the contrary, I
should have expressed them clearly? Have I not
mixed the name of God with words of impatience,
anger, untruth or thoughtlessness? Have I at all
times had a firm will, and have I always
subjected it to the light of Gnosis? Have I
always preserved my spiritual dignity? Have I
always been moderate in prosperity and patient
in adversity? Have I been angry? Have I been
proud, vain and ambitious? Have I always treated
my neighbor like a brother or sister and with
love? Have I acted out of hatred or vengeance?
Have I abstained from gossip, from slander and
from rash judgments? Have I put right the wrong
caused to my fellowman? Have I always told the
truth? Have I always kept my word when it has
been given? Finally, have I spent my day well?
These, oh my
Father, are my faults; I admit them before Thee,
and even though Thou hast no need of my
confession, and Thou seest into the depths of my
heart, I confess them to Thee nevertheless and I
admit them to heaven and to earth because I have
sinned in words, in thoughts, in deeds and
omissions, and this is my fault, my grievous
fault. Oh my God and my Father, I have missed
the mark Thou has set for me; break the hardness
of my heart and by Thy infinite strength and
goodness, bring forth from it tears of
penitence. Forgive me, oh my God, for all the
wrong that I have done and caused to be done;
forgive me for all the good I have not done, and
which I should have done, or that I have done
badly; forgive me for all the transgressions
which I know and also for those which I do not
know; I feel sincere repentance for them and I
wish to make an effort to put them right.
Lord, oh divine
Propator, who art the Father of the Lights and
the Protector of all those who trust in Thee,
deign to take me in Thy holy protection during
this night and keep me from all earthly dangers
and spiritual perils. During the sleep of my
body make my soul watch in Thee. Subdue in me
all wrong desires; make my conscience enjoy a
holy tranquillity; take far from me all evil
thoughts and all the dangerous illusions of the
Archons. Grant Thy powerful protection to all
whom I love; my parents, my friends and to all
those who make up the household of the Gnosis
and to all human spirits still wandering in this
place of exile whether they be in the body or
out of the body.
Father of the
Lights, as I fall asleep, I place my trust in
Thee and in the double and shining star of the
Pleroma. Amen. (From the usage of the French
Gnostic Church, slightly modified)
OF
GOD AND THE UNIVERSE
1.
What is God?
The infinite and
eternal Reality behind all phenomena, known to
the Gnostic under several names, such as the
True God, the Unknown Father, the King of Light
and many more.
2.
What are some further characteristics of God?
Although being
infinite, God is in a sense beyond all
qualities; one may nevertheless affirm that God
is the highest, perfect transcendental Existence
in Whom everything originated and by Whom
everything is sustained.
3.
What is God essentially?
Essentially, God
is potential Being, for in Him all
potentialities are present.
4.
What is God secondarily?
In a secondary
sense God is Being in activity; He is Being in
actuality.
5.
How does the potentiality of God make its to
actuality?
The word whereby
we express the passage from potential Being to
actualized Being is the term "to emanate". It is
by such emanation (pouring forth) that the
multitude of spiritual and material worlds and
their fashioners emerge from the original
potentiality of God.
6.
Can there be more than one God?
If under "God" we
understand the ultimate and true Reality then
the answer is no.
If the lesser
emanated deities should be called "Gods" then
the answer would be yes. It is also
possible to envision the ultimate God as the
first God, and the Demiurge, the lesser god of
this world, as the second god.
7.
Is God a Holy Trinity?
Yes. The Gnostic
tradition has always affirmed the existence of
God as the Holy Trinity consisting of Father,
Son and Holy Spirit.
8.
What are the properties of the three persons of the
Holy Trinity?
The Father is
characterized by activity, the creation of
beings and their attraction; the Son by
articulated intelligence (LOGOS) and the will to
redeem; and the Holy Spirit by inspiration,
fortification and vivification. In short: The
Father is creator, the Son redeemer and the Holy
Spirit sanctifier.
9.
God being called "He" and Father and Son being
masculine names, do we need to assume that the
godhead is of the male gender?
No. God is totally
beyond the limiting characteristics of gender.
The ineffable qualities of the Divine, when
receiving names in human language, have come to
receive the common articles of "he", "she" and
"it". It is not uncommon to find terms for God
in Gnostic scriptures which are androgynous such
as "Mother-Father" (METROPATOR), and the third
person of the Holy Trinity (the Holy Spirit) is
regarded by Gnostics as feminine.
10.
Why is it that Gnostics do not apply "gender
neutral" terms to God?
Traditional names
such as "God the Father" or "God the Son" are
instrumentalities whereby qualities and keynotes
of profound mystical subtlety have been
expressed within the limitations of human
language. To substitute for them arbitrary
products of human thought would almost certainly
lead to the loss of these qualities and
keynotes.
11.
Is this the only reason?
No. Gnostics know
that ancient Divine Names are Words of Power,
which, when uttered, bring forth from the
Aeonial regions specific responses of grace. (A
good example is to be found in the scripture
Thunder, the Perfect Mind, where a Divine
Being says: "I am the utterance of my name".)
The effectiveness of such sacred theurgy should
not be jeopardized by a change of names.
12.
How did this universe come into existence?
Like all other
things and beings, this universe was emanated by
God.
13.
Does this mean that the universe is God, or part of
God?
The universe is
not God in the exclusive sense, for God is by no
means confined to this or any other universe.
The universe, however, consists of the substance
of God. It came forth from Him and to Him it
shall return.
14.
Is the universe good?
Since God is good
and the universe was emanated by Him, it would
be reasonable to assume that the universe is
good. Yet we find that the universe contains
some qualities that are good, others that are
evil, and yet others that are indifferent.
15.
Where do these qualities originate?
In contrast with
the good qualities, the evil and the indifferent
ones originate not in the goodness and wisdom of
God, whose substance underlies the universe, but
in the blindness and willfulness of certain
spiritual entities who fashioned this substance
into a universe. These half-makers (Demiurges),
or false rulers (Archons), are the cause of the
ambivalent nature of the worlds of matter and
mind.
16.
Is God present in the universe?
Yes. God is
present because He is everywhere. He is present
as the source and end of all; He is present
because ultimately all things are under His
dominion; and He is also present because nothing
is hidden from Him. This presence is known as
omnipresence, which, however, does not denote
omnipotence, since effective control of our
universe is not exercised by God, but by the
Demiurge and Archons.
17.
Is this the only way in which God is present in the
universe?
No. God is not
only omnipresent but also immanent in the
universe, for the underlying essence of all
things is none other than God. Once again, this
underlying essence does not imply effective
control over the forms within which the essence
is embodied.
18.
Is God present within the human being?
God is present in
the human being in a very special way, for the
spirit in man contains God's effective presence.
This is also at times called the Christ in us,
described by St. Paul as our "hope of glory".
19. What will happen to the universe at the end of
time?
When the present
Aeon comes to an end, the seeds of light
(redeemable spiritual portions) in the universe
will be lifted up into the fullness of God (PLEROMA)
while the darkness present in the universe will
be left behind.
20.
What is to be the fate of the unredeemed darkness of
the universe?
Gnostic revelation
is not unanimous on this question. There are
indications that at least some portion of the
darkness of the universe will go into a state of
purificatory suspension to be redeemed in some
future cycle. Other indications intimate that
much of such darkness, particularly the material
(HYLIC) world will be dissolved so that its
existence will only have been an accident in
limitless time.
OF
THE SPIRITUAL WORLDS AND THE DEMIURGE
21.
What is a spirit?
A spirit is a
being that has a measure of consciousness and
free will, but no material body, and thus will
never die.
22.
Are there many spirits?
Their number is
immeasurable and they form both within and
beyond the universe a vast, luminous realm which
is called heaven by many traditions. Not all
spirits are in this beneficent, luminous realm,
however.
23.
What are the spirits and their habitations called by
Gnostics?
Both the spirits
and their habitations are frequently called
Aeons. (In a derivative sense, an age is
sometimes also called an Aeon.)
24.
How many categories are the spirits divided into?
The categories and
hierarchies of spirits are very numerous and
only a few are explicitly known. They range all
the way from the highest deific Aeonial beings
who dwell in perfect harmony, balance and bliss
in the Fullness (PLEROMA), to the various kinds
of angels, down to elementals and
spirit-denizens of nature.
25.
What are angels?
Angels are
spirits, upon whom great power, wisdom and
holiness have been bestowed by God.
26.
What does the word "angel" mean?
It means
"messenger", for the most frequent role of
angels is that of messengers and mediators
between the PLEROMA and the world of humans.
27.
Which angelic hierarchies and individual angels are
known to us?
There are nine
orders or "choirs" of angels: Seraphim,
Cherubim, Thrones, Dominions (or Dominations),
Virtues, Powers, Principalities (Kingdoms),
Archangels and Angels. The canonical scriptures
mention three angels by name: the Archangels
Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. The Gnostic church
adds to these a fourth: Uriel. Gnostic
scriptures mention most of these angels and add
numerous others such as the rescuer of Gnostics,
Eleleth, and many others.
28.
How do angels help humans?
Angels help humans
by praying for them, by acting as messengers
between the PLEROMA and our earthly dwelling
place, and by serving as our guardian angels.
29.
In what special ways do our guardian angels help us?
Guardian angels
pray for us, protect us from spiritual harm (or
at times also from physical harm), and inspire
us to aspire to Gnosis.
30.
Does each individual human have a guardian angel?
It has been
commonly held by tradition that each person has
a special guardian angel. Experience both
Gnostic and otherwise bears this out. By the
same token it must be recalled that the concept
of the guardian angel has been influenced by a
yet more profound mystery, i.e. that of the
Divine Twin, or Twin Angel.
31.
What is the Divine Twin or Twin Angel?
There are reports
in Gnostic scripture and tradition about a
celestial twin spirit who overshadows the human
and at certain special times manifests to him.
In Pistis Sophia such a twin comes to
Jesus early in his life and unites with Him. The
Holy Prophet Mani experienced several
manifestations of his twin who finally united
with him and took him to heaven.
32.
Can spirits including angels be seen?
Not ordinarily.
However, under special circumstances, angels
have visibly manifested to humans. The
visitation of the Holy Virgin Mary by the
Archangel Gabriel and the revelation of the
Koran to Mohammed by the same Archangel are two
examples.
33.
Are there spirits involved in our lives who are not
good?
Yes. There are
spiritual beings who have become estranged from
God and from the PLEROMA and who are thus at
best unwise and at worst evil.
34.
Where are these estranged spiritual beings to be
found?
They are found
primarily in connection with the material
universe and its mental and emotional aspects,
for they are primarily responsible for the
creation and management of these realms and for
the suffering and sorrow that abide therein.
35.
Are these estranged spiritual beings the same as the
fallen angels that some Christians believe in?
There can be
little doubt that the myth of the war in heaven
and of the fall of Lucifer are but a form of the
Gnostic statements about the estrangement of the
Demiurge and his Archons from the PLEROMA.
36.
What is the Demiurge?
He is called
Demiurge or "half-maker" because he had taken
the divine substance and fashioned out of it a
world. He is the spiritual being who had become
forgetful of his origins, even of God. He thinks
that he is God and there is no other God before
him.
37.
By what names is the Demiurge known?
In Gnostic
scriptures he is called YALDABAOTH (child of
chaos), SACLAS (fool) and SAMAEL (blind one). In
later Gnosticizing lore he was at times
identified with LUCIFER or SATAN, the prince of
the powers of air.
38.
Is the Demiurge evil?
He is classically
regarded as flawed and foolish but not utterly
evil. In medieval Gnostic traditions he became
increasingly identified with evil.
39.
Does the Demiurge have associates?
Yes, they are the
Archons (rulers), and their desire is to rule
over humans and other beings.
40.
What is the relationship of the Demiurge to YAHWEH,
the God of the Old Testament?
Not all the images
of God in the Old Testament come from the same
source. A good many are descriptions of the
Demiurge. Some, such as those in the Wisdom
Literature and in some Psalms, are of a much
more exalted nature. Some Gnostic teachers held
that the teachings of the Old Testament were a
mixture attributable to three sources: the
Demiurge, the elders of Israel and the True God.
41.
If the Demiurge and his Archons are power-hungry and
arrogant but not truly evil, are there, in addition,
truly evil demons?
Yes. There exist
monstrosities of evil which populate hellish
regions in association with earth. Their origins
are unknown. The name of one demon mentioned in
Gnostic scriptures is YACHTANABAS, although
there are others.
42.
Can the Demiurge and his Archons be redeemed?
This possibility
is alluded to in some Gnostic writings. At least
one such being, the brother of the Demiurge, has
turned to the good and been redeemed. His name
is SABAOTH and also ABRAXAS. Cognate theories of
universal redemption, even of demons and of the
Demiurge, were articulated in early times by
Origen (APOKATASTASIS PANTHON) and in our days
by C. G. Jung (in Answer to Job).
OF
THE HUMAN BEING
43.
What is the human being?
The human being is
a spirit (PNEUMA) endowed with reason and with
free will combined with a soul and an animal
body.
44.
What is an animal?
It is a certain
kind of soul (ANIMA, PSYCHE) combined with a
body (SOMA).
45.
In what way does the human differ from the animal?
The human being
differs from the animal in that the human is
connected with his true nature which is spirit.
46.
Where does the spirit of the human being come from?
The spirit of the
human being originates in the Divine Fullness
(PLEROMA), from whence it descended into the
soul and body.
47.
How may the spirit (PNEUMA) of the human being be
described?
The human spirit
is a spark of God's light, an effective part of
God, separated from God in outer manifestation,
but retaining a living connection with its
ultimate source.
48.
How may the soul (PSYCHE) of the human being be
described?
The soul consists
of several components which at the present stage
of human development are largely dominated by
the thinking principle and to some extent by the
feeling principle.
49.
How may the body (SOMA) of the human being be
described?
The body of the
human being is composed of flesh (SARX) which is
a form of matter (HYLE) albeit endowed
temporarily with biological life.
50.
Where do the soul and the body of the human being
come from?
The soul is
composed of immaterial substance brought about
by the prolonged interaction of spirit and body
(or bodies). The body is the product of
biological evolution that has taken place on
earth; a process influenced by the Archons.
51.
For what reason did the spirits of human beings come
to embody themselves on earth?
The classical
scriptures of the Gnosis are not explicit on
this subject. Other scriptures (The Hymn of
the Pearl; the revelations of The Holy
Prophet Mani) indicate that human beings come
into souls and bodies in order to rescue earlier
emanations of the divine light by refining and
purifying the darkness.
52.
Was the aim achieved which was set for the human
spirits when they came down to earth?
Only in a very few
instances. Almost all those which came down
failed. Tempted by the deceptive mirages here
below, they yielded to the impulses of the soul
and body instead of retaining spiritual mastery
over them. Thus the first or heavenly man became
the man of earth.
53.
How do some kindred traditions describe this
calamitous event?
The Hermetic
Gnosis states that charmed by the universe the
human being yielded to the attractions of
physical matter and identified himself with it,
and so was trapped in the body. The Jewish and
Christian traditions call it the Fall.
54.
How can the human being recover his original
condition?
By Gnosis, which
is the knowledge of his true nature and original
condition, a portion of which is ANAMNESIS, the
remembering of true things forgotten.
55.
What stands in the way of humanity's recovery of its
original condition?
The obstacle is
ignorance (A-GNOSIS) manifesting in the
forgetting of the real (AMNESIS).
56.
Is there an original sin?
Yes and no. Being
trapped in the body and deceived by the Archonic
part of the soul, all humans suffer from a
deficiency which they share with all of
creation. This deficiency, however, is not the
result of any particular sinful act on the part
of human ancestors (Adam and Eve). Rather than
being a sin (moral failing), it is an
unfortunate existential condition.
57.
What are the results of this existential condition?
As the result of
this condition, humans are born as slaves of the
earthly Demiurge and his Archons.
58.
What sufferings do these Archonic powers make us
undergo?
The afflictions
attendant upon life in the realm of the Archons
are very numerous. Some of these are: gravity
(being earthbound), heat, cold, natural
disasters, diseases, pain, death and the torment
of re-embodiment in successive lives.
OF
GNOSIS AND SALVATION
59.
What is Gnosis?
Gnosis is the
revelatory and salvific knowledge of who we
were, of what we have become, of where we were,
of wherein we have been thrown, of whereto we
are hastening, of what we are being freed, of
what birth really is, and of what rebirth really
is. This is an ancient definition which is still
accurate.
60.
Is there more than one kind of Gnosis?
The experience of
Gnosis comes to human beings in individual
manifestations, yet it always has common
features and a common keynote.
61.
Is Gnosis an experience or a doctrine?
It is both. The
experience of Gnosis is mystical knowledge that
liberates. This is both accompanied and preceded
by a kindred kind of Gnosis that informs. These
were called (by Clement of Alexandria) the
Divine Gnosis and Human Gnosis respectively. The
human or doctrinal part of Gnosis consists of a
certain kind of knowledge of the spiritual,
psychic and material worlds and their
relationships.
62.
How is Human Gnosis acquired?
Primarily by way
of the study and assimilation of the teachings
of the Messengers of Light and of the seers and
sages of the Gnostic tradition and by way of the
amplification of these by individual insight.
63.
How does one come to Divine Gnosis?
By divine grace
combined with sincere and informed human
aspiration.
64.
What specific help is there available to us in order
to receive both Divine and Human Gnosis?
Such help comes to
us from Messengers of Light and other
enlightened teachers of Gnosis.
65.
Was there a time when humans were without Gnosis?
From the beginning
of the human race, some people were in
possession of Gnosis. These early Gnostics were
at times symbolically called the "Great Race of
Seth", after Seth, the third son of Adam, who
was recognized as the prototype of all Gnostics.
66.
Who was the latest great revealer of Gnosis?
It was the Lord
Jesus Christ, who acted both as the rectifier of
the existing tradition of Gnosis and as the
revealer of new elements of Gnosis.
67.
Can Gnosis be given by another?
A Messenger of
Light comes to enlighten humans by his teachings
and to transform their spiritual lives by the
mysteries he bestows on them. But only those in
whom the true spiritual intuition ("the Light
Mind") is awakened will welcome the message and
benefit from the mysteries.
68.
What are we to be saved from?
We are to be saved
first from ignorance which prevents us from
knowing our true source, our real nature, our
condition and our destiny. At last we shall also
be saved from the burden of earthly existence
with its attendant conditions of suffering and
exile from our true home.
69.
What brings about salvation?
Salvation is
brought about neither by faith (belief in God,
or Christ) nor by works (the performance of good
deeds), but by Gnosis.
70.
Why is this so?
Because faith and
works do not result in a radical change in the
being of one's consciousness, but Gnosis does.
71.
What does the radical change of consciousness
brought about by Gnosis accomplish?
It establishes a
renewed link of the soul with the spirit and of
both with God. This breaks the bonds that have
shackled our true being to the forces of earth.
Ultimately it brings liberation from all earthly
things.
72.
What are the further benefits of salvation by
Gnosis?
A turning away of
the soul from the attachments of life, a
constant straining upwards to the pure Divine
Spirit, wherein is our true home. Also, God's
friendship in this life, a good death, and after
that a swift passage through cleansing regions
to God's presence in the Fullness (PLEROMA) of
divine glory, goodness and love.
OF
THE LORD CHRIST
73.
Who is the Lord Christ?
He is one of the
High Aeons of the Fullness (PLEROMA); being the
articulated thought (LOGOS) of God and the
expression of God's redemptive power (SOTERIA),
for which latter reason He is also called the
Savior (SOTER).
74.
Are the Lord Christ and Jesus one and the same
person?
Jesus is the
earthly manifestation of Christ, the celestial
Aeon.
75.
Did the celestial Aeon Christ manifest fully and
equally during the earthly existence of Jesus?
No. The celestial
Aeon Christ came to fully manifest in Jesus
beginning with the baptism of the latter in the
river Jordan at the hands of Saint John, the
Baptizer. Yet, Christ was present in some
measure and manner in Jesus before His baptism
also.
76.
Did the celestial Aeon Christ ever depart from
Jesus?
It appears He did
withdraw, at least to some degree, at the time
of the crucifixion and death of Jesus, as
indicated by the exclamation of Jesus; "Aeon,
Aeon, why have you departed from me" (ELI, ELI,
LAMA SABAKTANI).
77.
Did the celestial Aeon Christ return to Jesus after
Jesus' crucifixion and death?
Yes, He fully
returned at the time of the resurrection when
Jesus became "the Living One" (REDIVIVUS).
78.
Did Jesus save humankind by His physical death on
the Cross?
No. His physical
death was merely a tragic incident in the
sublime drama of His life.
79.
Why have so many Christians come to assume that it
was by His physical death that Jesus saved
humankind?
Because many of
them possess a consciousness that appreciates
only physical reality and ignores the greater
realities which are spiritual.
80.
What is the spiritual reality of the suffering and
death of Jesus?
The true sacrifice
of the Aeon Christ and of His manifestation,
Jesus, was not His physical death and the
torments He endured prior to the same. His true
sacrifice was His willing entry into the
horrendous limitations of earthly embodiment.
All spirits suffer grievously when entering into
earthly embodiment; the sufferings endured by a
high celestial Aeon of Christ's stature are
incomprehensibly great.
81.
It is true then that Christ sacrificed Himself for
us?
It is most
certainly true, but His sacrifice was a
spiritual one.
82.
What was the mission of Christ the Savior (SOTER) on
earth?
It was threefold:
(1) to deliver us from the slavery of the
Demiurge and the Archons and to re-join us to
our original state; (2) to contribute to the
enlivening of the spiritual influences on earth
(this has been at times interpreted as the
restoration of God's kingdom on earth); and (3)
to bring us back to the spiritual Fullness
(PLEROMA), our homeland.
83.
What were the means whereby Christ the Savior
(SOTER) fulfilled His mission on earth?
The means were
two: (1) He taught His teachings of liberation
through the law of love, and (2) He bestowed
illuminating and liberating mysteries on His
qualified disciples. Both teachings and
mysteries were to be handed down to God's people
throughout the ages.
84.
What do we learn from the sufferings of Christ?
From the
sufferings of Christ we learn of the great love
of God and of all the great Aeonial beings for
humanity, who have sent the Savior (SOTER) to
us. We also learn that earthly life is suffering
for all spiritual beings, including Christ and
ourselves.
85.
What do we learn from the life of Christ?
From His life we
may learn the pattern of the great drama of the
life of spirit in material confinement; its
vicissitudes and triumphs. This is what has been
called the imitation of Christ (IMITATIO
CHRISTI).
86.
Is it true that Christ descended into hell?
In addition to
descending into this hell we call the world, He
also descended after the crucifixion into a
state where the spirits and souls of many
disembodied humans dwelt and waited for Him. The
instructions He gave to and the mysteries He
conferred upon these beings liberated many of
them from the underworld (HADES, SHOEL) where
they were. This journey of Christ is sometimes
known as "the Harrowing of Hell".
87.
Did Christ rise from the dead?
All the scriptures
affirm that He came back to earthly life after
His death and burial. The historic creeds say
that He rose "according to the scriptures"
(SECUNDUM SCRIPTURAS).
88.
Why is Christ's resurrection of importance to us?
Because it serves
as our example for our own resurrection.
89.
How and when is our resurrection to take place?
It takes place by
Gnosis while we are still in earthly life.
90.
Did Christ remain on earth for some time after His
resurrection?
At that time
Christ remained on earth in order to impart the
Gnosis to certain disciples. It is traditionally
held that this time lasted for forty days, but
longer time periods are mentioned in Gnostic
scriptures.
91.
How did Christ depart the earth?
After the time He
spent on earth after the resurrection, He
ascended in glory into the Fullness (PLEROMA).
92.
Did Christ occupy a fleshly body like ours?
It is most
unlikely that He occupied a body quite like
ours. He walked on water, passed through walls,
made His body shine like the sun; none of these
can be done by way of a body of flesh.
Valentinus stated that Jesus did not have a
digestive system like other humans. Therefore
Jesus' body has been called an appearance
(DOKESIS).
93.
Does this deny the incarnation (becoming flesh) of
Christ, the Logos?
No, for there can
be many kinds of different substances He may
have used for His embodiment and they all would
have served as His "flesh".
OF
OUR LADY SOPHIA
94.
Who is our Lady Sophia?
She is a high Aeon
of the Fullness (PLEROMA), whose name means
Wisdom and who is of a feminine character.
95.
Is Sophia only known to Gnostics?
Although She is
known to Gnostics in a special way, Sophia was
known to certain Biblical authors who wrote the
Wisdom literature (Book of the Wisdom,
Ecclesiastes, Ecclesiasticus and Proverbs, and
also the Song of Songs), to ancient philosophers
such as Philo, and to certain theologians known
as Sophiologists.
96.
How is Sophia related to Christ?
She is His close
associate (Sister Aeon or Twin Aeon) in the
Fullness (PLEROMA).
97.
Is Sophia "the Goddess" as some modern opinions
imply?
No. Sophia is not
a female counterpart to God, but rather She is a
great and holy emanated aspect (HYPOSTASIS) of
God.
98.
Is Sophia then a goddess?
If by "a goddess"
is meant a deity, or one among numerous deific
beings then She may be called one.
99.
Has Sophia ever been incarnate in human form?
None of the
scriptures have intimated that She has.
100. Is there a narrative concerning the events in
the story of Sophia after the fashion of the gospel
narratives concerning Christ?
Yes. It is the
book "Faithful Sophia" (PISTIS SOPHIA), although
elements of Her story appear in other scriptures
also.
101. What is the beginning of the story of Sophia?
Sophia's tale
begins with Her going forth from Her Aeonial
habitat in search of the Light. This going forth
results in Her catastrophic fall from on high
and into the torment of the lower Chaos.
102. How does the story of Sophia continue?
In Her state of
anguish and affliction, Sophia gives birth to a
hybrid being who becomes the Demiurge. She also
exudes the elements from which the Demiurge
subsequently fashions the world.
103. What does Sophia do after that?
She continues to
call out to the Light for help in Her
affliction. The Light hears Her and sends forth
the Aeon Christ to console Her and to rescue
Her. After many efforts, the work of rescue is
accomplished and Sophia is restored to Her
original dwelling place.
104. Has Sophia then totally departed from the
manifest realm?
No. Her
involvement in creation, especially of humans,
and Her other deeds, indicate Her continuing
care for Her children who are trapped in the
world and in the bodies created by the Demiurge.
105. What are some of Her actions which indicate Her
involvement with creation and with humanity?
There are many.
One is Her rebuking of the Demiurge when he
declares that he is the only God and there are
no other gods before him. Another is Her gift of
the spirit of the higher life to Adam, who was
created as a witless cripple by the Demiurge.
She also inspired Eve and the serpent in order
to facilitate the exit of the first human pair
from the fool's paradise where they were
confined.
106. Has Sophia continued to aid humanity?
Yes. Scripture
declares that She "enters holy souls and makes
them friends of God". There is much evidence of
Her helpful presence among us to this very day.
107. Is Sophia identical with the Virgin Mary?
No. Mary "the
mother of the Lord according to matter" is an
honored figure of the Gnosis, but she is a human
woman, while Sophia is celestial.
108. Has Sophia overshadowed any human beings?
There are
indications that such may have been the case.
One example may be Helen in the story of Simon
Magus, and another, Mary Magdalene, the chief
disciple of Jesus.
109. Does Sophia appear to and communicate with
humans?
Yes. She has done
so to the Russian philosopher Solovyev (late 19th
Century) and Her manifestations are not unknown
today.
110. Do the contemporary teachings about the Virgin
Mary (Mariology) have a relation to Sophia?
Yes. Such
teachings as those about Mary's Assumption, and
her role as joint redeemer (CO-REDEMPTRIX) and
mediator between God and humans (MEDIATRIX) can
easily be applied to Sophia.
111. Why are the actions and roles of Sophia
seemingly confounded with those of the Virgin Mary?
Because the
Western exoteric church has suppressed and
forgotten the figure of Sophia and was left thus
with the lone figure of Mary to whom all
feminine holiness and mysteries are now
ascribed.
112. What is the duty of Gnostics toward Sophia
today?
To render Her due
reverence in prayer, liturgy, meditation, study,
thought and action, and also to guard Her true
identity in the confusion of tongues wherein She
is confused with goddesses, earth mothers,
Madonnas black and otherwise, and the
politically motivated mythologizing of our era.
OF
THE HOLY SPIRIT AND GRACE
113. What is the Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit is
God and the third aspect (Person) of the
threefold Godhead, or the Holy Trinity.
114. By what other names is the Holy Spirit called?
The Holy Spirit is
also called the Comforter (PARACLETE), the
Advocate, the Spirit of Truth, the Spirit of
God, the Creator Spirit, the Holy Mother Spirit,
also by the Greek name PNEUMA HAGION, and the
older English name Holy Ghost.
115. What polarity or spiritual gender is ascribed
to the Holy Spirit?
In Gnostic usage
the Holy Spirit is referred to as feminine.
116. What does the Holy Spirit do for creation and
for humanity?
The Holy Spirit
permeates and beneficently alters the archonic
structures of the universe. (For this reason it
is said that the Holy Spirit "renews the face of
the earth".) The Holy Spirit also dwells in the
Church as the source of her spiritual life and
sanctifies souls through the gift of grace.
117. What are some of the special signs of the
sanctification of souls by the gift of the grace of
the Holy Spirit?
Some of these are:
The fortifying of the soul, and the bringing of
insight, wisdom and prophecy by way of Gnosis.
118. Does prophecy consist of foreseeing the future?
No. Prophecy is a
special disclosure of Divine things to a human
by way of Gnosis and only incidentally and
occasionally involves glimpses of the future.
119. Is there an expected Age (AEON) of the Holy
Spirit in human history?
Very probably. The
medieval prophet Joaquin of Flora declared that
the Age of the Father is past, the Age of the
Son is passing and the Age of the Holy Spirit is
approaching. The detailed interpretation of this
teaching is a matter of opinion.
120. What is grace?
Grace is the
effective manifestation of the supernal Life of
God, appearing to us as a supernatural gift of
God bestowed on us through Gnosis and also other
means.
121. Is grace necessary for salvation?
Yes. Human beings
cannot attain the eternal life and freedom of
the Fullness (PLEROMA) by powers that are purely
natural. Were this possible all humans would
already be redeemed and have returned to their
home. Therefore we need to be elevated to a
transcendental plane through grace and we
constantly need spiritual stimuli which come to
us by grace.
122. How many kinds of grace are there?
Two kinds of grace
are distinguished by tradition. They are:
sanctifying grace and actual grace. There is
also special grace which is a variety of actual
grace.
123. What is sanctifying grace?
Sanctifying grace
(also called habitual grace) is the grace that
flows from the spark of God within our own
spiritual natures. It is a permanent quality
that is stimulated by God through His gifts and
can be lost only through a lasting turning away
of the soul from the spirit.
124. What is actual grace?
Actual grace is
transcendental (supernatural) help coming from
God that enables us to experience states of
consciousness and perform acts that are beyond
our natural powers. Souls in a state of relative
separation from their spirits need the help of
actual grace to gain access to sanctifying
grace.
125. In what manner does actual grace come to us?
Primarily by way
of the Messengers of Light and the liberating
teachings and salvific mysteries they bring to
us.
126. Can we resist the grace of God?
Because of the
weaknesses implanted into our souls by the
Archons we often resist the grace of God. We can
do this because grace does not impose itself
upon us by force but descends upon us gently in
response to our free cooperation.
127. What are the principal ways of obtaining grace?
The principal ways
of obtaining grace are three: (1) by the
diligent study of the teachings of the
Messengers of Light and of their agents; (2) by
prayer, and (3) by the sacraments, particularly
the Holy Eucharist.
OF
THE CHURCH AND THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS
128. What is the Church?
The Church is the
assembly of persons who follow the same
tradition, and practice the same sacraments; in
short, of those who follow the same religion.
129. What is the meaning of "religion"?
The word
"religion" is derived from the Latin RE-LIGERE,
meaning to re-join or to join-back. Religion is
the effort to effectively join the human soul to
the human spirit and to join both of these to
God.
130. Of what religion is the Gnostic Church?
The Gnostic Church
is of the Christian religion (although it is
also true that she is of the eternal religion of
Gnosis that was always in the world).
131. Is this not a sign of limitation or of
sectarian exclusiveness?
No. One can
respect and study many religions, but one can
effectively practice only one.
132. Is the Gnostic Church Christian in the same
sense in which other churches call themselves
Christian?
No. The Gnostic
Church is Christian by her own definition, based
on Gnosis.
133. Does this place the Gnostic Church outside of
the fellowship (EKUMENE) of Universal Christendom?
No, because the
criteria of what constitutes a Christian vary
greatly among Christian people. The variations
introduced by Gnostics are one set among many.
134. Who founded the Church?
The Lord Jesus
Christ founded the Church. He did this when just
before His ascension, He commissioned His
apostles to make disciples of all nations.
Earlier in His public ministry He instituted
sacraments, chose the twelve apostles, and
conferred sacred powers on them.
135. Why did Jesus Christ found the Church?
Jesus Christ
founded the Church as a vehicle to bring human
beings to redemption from the shackles that
confine them to the realm of the Archons and to
open to them the freedom and the glory of the
Fullness (PLEROMA).
136. Have there been or are there other such
vehicles besides the Church founded by Christ?
Since Messengers,
Saints and Prophets have been sent by God from
age to age to instruct and to assist human
beings regarding salvation, it is understandable
that there should be other vehicles of a kindred
nature.
137. Why do Gnostics then belong to the Church
founded by Christ in preference to any other such
vehicle?
Because Christ is
the latest of the supernal Messengers Whom in
our age and place we recognize as our Redeemer (SOTER).
138. How is the Church enabled to lead souls to
salvation?
The Church is
enabled to lead souls to salvation by the
indwelling of the Holy Spirit who gives the
Church life. This was first visibly manifested
at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended in
the form of tongues of fire.
139. Does the Holy Spirit still indwell in the
Church as a whole?
Yes, but only in a
general sense. The degree to which the Holy
Spirit is effectively present in the various
branches of the Church varies considerably.
140. What determines the degree to which various
branches of the Church are enlivened and guided by
the Holy Spirit?
There are two
determinants: (1) the amount of Gnosis present,
and (2) the purity and holiness of the leaders
and members.
141. How does this pertain to the existence of the
Gnostic Church?
Ever since the
leaders of the exoteric (or mainstream) church
cast out the Gnostics from their midst, they
progressively excluded the guidance of the Holy
Spirit from their assemblies. The need for a
Gnostic Church thus became ever greater.
142. How did the Gnostic Church function throughout
history?
At times in
secrecy as a covert effort concealed within the
body of the exoteric church, at other times as a
fully separate and distinct body such as the
Manichaean and the Cathar churches, and many
others.
143. What traditionally are the chief marks of the
Church?
There are four
such chief marks of the Church: (1) that the
Church is one; (2) that she is holy; (3) that
she is universal (catholic); and (4) that she is
apostolic.
144. How are these marks present in the Gnostic
Church?
The Gnostic Church
is one because all her members aspire to the
same Gnosis and have the same sacraments; the
Gnostic Church is holy because her members
aspire to a wholeness and integrity of life; she
is also universal, or catholic, because she
teaches and practices the faith of Gnosis which
is not bound to time or to place; finally, she
is apostolic because her authority proceeds from
the apostles and their successors.
145. Is the visible Church connected with other
invisible assemblies?
Yes. The earthly
Church is the Church Militant, because she
struggles against the evil of the Archons in the
world; joined to her we find the Church
Triumphant consisting of the liberated spirits
in the Fullness (PLEROMA) and the Church
Suffering, which consists of the souls and
spirits of those who are neither in earthly
embodiment, nor in the freedom of the Fullness (PLEROMA)
but in the purgatorial immaterial realms. This
is also known as the Communion of Saints.
146. What are the results of the Communion of
Saints?
The results of the
Communion of Saints are that the members of the
one visible and the two invisible Churches are
able to actively help each other.
147. How do the members of the Communion of Saints
help each other?
The liberated
spirits in the Fullness (PLEROMA) pray for and
assist both their incarnate and discarnate
brothers and sisters, while the incarnate
faithful can also by their prayers and good
thoughts relieve the suffering and assist the
purgatorial journey of those who have laid aside
their vestures of flesh.
148. Where do the members of the three Churches
dwell?
The members of the
Church Triumphant dwell in eternal life in the
blissful Land of Light (the PLEROMA) with God,
His Aeons and Angels and happy souls. We of the
Church Militant experience the suffering and
conflict attendant upon earthly life, while the
discarnate souls are torn between their desire
for the Land of Light and their attraction to
the realm of darkness.
149. Does the Gnosis hold to the teaching of
reincarnation?
Many Gnostic
scriptures are silent on the subject. Others
state that reincarnation exists as a hell, or as
a purgatorial suffering involved in being
attached to the fleshly body and to the
turbulent mind or soul.
150. Does reincarnation merit the enthusiasm often
lavished on it?
By no means. This
teaching was long unknown to Western cultures
and when rediscovered from Eastern sources, its
value came to be exaggerated. Gnostic teachings
have always regarded reincarnation as a calamity
to be overcome by liberation.
151. What is death?
Death can be one
of two things: (1) It can be the temporary
release of the spirit from its material-psychic
prison to be followed by return to some form of
embodied wretchedness; (2) If the Light spark is
purified and resurrected by Gnosis, death will
be its entry into eternal bliss and glory in
God's Kingdom of Light, there to join the
highest order of the Communion of Saints.
OF
THE SACRAMENTS OR MYSTERIES
152. What is a sacrament?
A sacrament is a
sacred rite; the visible and outward sign of an
invisible, inward grace of God. Anciently, a
sacrament was called a mystery.
153. Is a sacrament always effective?
Yes, a sacrament
is always effective and produces the result
which it is designed to accomplish. The
effectiveness of a sacrament can be reduced,
however, when its recipient puts obstacles in
the path of the workings of the sacrament, or
when its ministering agents are insincere.
154. Are there preparations necessary for the
reception of the sacraments?
Yes. Preparations
are always necessary. To receive a sacrament in
an unprepared state is a sacrilege, a
profanation of a sacred thing.
155. Does the efficacy of the sacraments depend on
the character or merit of the person who administers
them?
No. The person
administering a sacrament is only an instrument,
or ministering agent. It is certainly desirable
that such an agent should be in a holy state of
consciousness but the effectiveness of the
sacrament is not taken away by such matters,
although it might be diminished.
156. What is necessary for the administration of a
sacrament?
A sacrament first
requires an outward sign, that is some external
thing or action (such as the sign of the cross,
or the anointing with oil). This is called the
matter of the sacrament. Second, it requires a
set formula or words, which is known as the form
of the sacrament. To these is added the
intention of the ministering agent which must be
that of doing what the Church intends. These
three are required for the workings of grace.
157. How many sacraments are there?
There are five
initiatory sacraments to which are added two
sustaining sacraments, thus adding up to seven.
There are also two secondary or substitutional
sacraments.
158. Which are the five initiatory sacraments?
The five
initiatory sacraments (as explicitly stated in
the Gospel of Philip) are: Baptism, Chrism
(Confirmation), Holy Eucharist, Redemption and
Bride-Chamber.
159. Which are the two sustaining sacraments?
They are the
sacrament of Holy Orders and the sacrament of
Extreme Unction and Healing.
160. Are there any other sacraments?
There are two
other sacraments which may be called secondary
or substitutional. These are the sacrament of
Penance and the sacrament of Matrimony.
161. Why are these sacraments called secondary or
substitutional?
Because Penance
has been substituted for the sacrament of the
Redemption, while Matrimony has been substituted
for the sacrament of the Bride-Chamber.
162. How many sacraments do the exoteric churches
administer?
The Roman
Catholic, Orthodox and Anglican exoteric
churches administer seven sacraments, to wit:
Baptism, Confirmation (Chrismation), Holy
Eucharist, Penance, Extreme Unction, Holy Orders
and Matrimony. Many Protestant bodies have
reduced the number of sacraments further. All of
the exoteric churches have suppressed and
forgotten the two greater sacraments of the
Redemption and the Bride-Chamber.
163. Who has instituted the sacraments?
In a general sense
the Lord Jesus Christ instituted the sacraments.
The institution of only some can be found in
sacred scripture; however, in some form most of
them existed since the beginning of creation.
164. Do the sacraments confer grace?
Yes. They confer
sanctifying grace and a special grace called
sacramental grace.
165. From whom do the sacraments receive their power
to give grace?
The sacraments
receive their power to confer grace from God
through the agency of the LOGOS of God, who is
Jesus Christ.
166. Why are Baptism and Penance often called
sacraments of the dead?
Because they are
administered to souls who either have not come
to life by way of the spirit (Baptism) or have
become spiritually dead through grave sin which
needs to be absolved (Penance).
167. Why are all the other sacraments often called
sacraments of the living?
Because their
chief purpose is to give more grace to souls and
spirits already spiritually alive through
sanctifying grace.
168. Which are the sacraments that usually can be
received only once?
They are Baptism,
Chrism (Confirmation) and Holy Orders because
they imprint upon the soul an indelible
spiritual mark, called a character. (Exceptions
to this rule are when there is reason to believe
that any of these sacraments have been
administered in a deficient manner, such as
Baptism or Confirmation without the sacred oils,
or ordinations performed in an incomplete
manner.)
169. What is the general effect of all sacraments?
The grace of God
is the life of God. Christ said that He came so
that we may have life and have it more
abundantly. He also said that He loved us and
longed to give us life. The means whereby He
gives us this divine life are the sacraments. It
has also been said that just as an artist, using
his brush as an instrument, paints a beautiful
picture, so God through the sacraments draws His
own image on the soul of man. Such is the
sublime effect of the sacraments.
OF
THE SACRAMENTS, CONSIDERED SINGLY:
PART I
170. Which is the first initiatory sacrament?
It is the
sacrament of Baptism, also known as the Baptism
of Water because it employs water.
171. At what age should one receive the sacrament of
Baptism?
Preferably when
one has reached the age of reason, but infant
Baptisms, using a simpler formula, are
permissible.
172. What are the effects of the sacrament of
Baptism?
Baptism liberates
the body (SOMA) and soul (PSYCHE) from the
dominion of the Archons, under which they fell
at physical birth. (This perilous condition is
called "original sin" by the exoteric church.)
Baptism also washes away actual faults which the
person may have committed prior to baptism.
Baptism also joins an angel to the baptized
soul, and facilitates the entry and exit of the
soul from the body. It is this sacrament that
affords us entry into the stream of Gnosis.
173. Who can administer Baptism?
A priest or deacon
is the usual minister of Baptism, but in an
emergency anyone may and should baptize.
174. What is a person to do after receiving the
sacrament of Baptism?
A baptized person
should participate diligently in sacred
practices, particularly the Holy Eucharist. Such
a person should also continue to study the
sacred literature of the Gnosis.
175. What is the sacrament of Chrism or
Confirmation?
Chrism or
Confirmation is the sacrament through which the
Holy Spirit comes to us and strengthens us in
our determination to persist in the Gnostic
life.
176. At what age should one receive the sacrament of
Chrism or Confirmation?
Not before the
time of adolescence.
177. Who is the usual minister at Confirmation?
It is the bishop.
178. What does the bishop do when he gives
Confirmation?
He lays his hand
on the head of each person and anoints his
forehead with holy chrism.
179. What is holy chrism?
Holy chrism is a
mixture of olive oil and balm, blessed by the
bishop on Maundy Thursday. Unlike the element of
baptism which is water, the chrism is
combustible and thus symbolizes the fire of the
Holy Spirit. Therefore this sacrament is
sometimes called the Baptism of Fire.
180. What is the Holy Eucharist?
In the sacrament
of the Holy Eucharist the bread and wine are
changed into the body and blood of Christ and
are then received into the human organism. This
sacrament unites us in a very special way with
Christ the Savior and through Him with the
Fullness (PLEROMA).
181. Is it the physical body and blood of Christ
that we partake of in the Holy Eucharist?
No. It is His
spiritual (PNEUMATIC) body and blood that we
partake of under the appearance of the bread and
wine.
182. How can the spiritual (PNEUMATIC) body and
blood of Christ take on the appearance of the bread
and wine?
Through the sacred
phenomenon of Transubstantiation or
Transelementation , which is brought about by
the Holy Spirit.
183. Who instituted the Holy Eucharist?
Christ instituted
the Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper, the night
of Maundy Thursday. When He said, "This is My
Body", the entire substance of the bread changed
into His spiritual (PNEUMATIC) body, and when He
said "This is My Blood", the entire substance of
the wine was changed into His spiritual
(PNEUMATIC) blood.
184. How is the Holy Eucharist of Christ
perpetuated?
Christ said: "Do
this in remembrance of me" and therefore His
representative, the duly ordained priest,
repeats Christ's Eucharistic sacrifice within
the context
of the ritual of
the Mass.
185. Is the Mass called the Holy Eucharist?
Yes, both the
ritual of the Mass and the sacred substance of
the consecrated bread and wine are usually
referred to as the Holy Eucharist.
186. What did the Gnostic Church at times call the
Holy Eucharist?
It was called the
Ineffable Mystery.
187. Should we be frequent participants in the
Ineffable Mystery of the Holy Eucharist?
Yes, for not to
take advantage of this great gift would be to
scorn the words of Christ the Savior (SOTER):
"If you do not eat of my flesh and if you do not
drink of my blood, you will have no true life in
you".
188. How is one to prepare oneself for the reception
of the Holy Eucharist?
By prayer and
sincere contrition that purifies one of the
stain of faults and unworthiness. Otherwise, in
the words of St. Paul, we eat and drink our own
judgment and condemnation.
189. What is the sacrament of the Redemption?
The sacrament of
the Redemption is one of the two greater or
esoteric sacraments practiced by Gnostics and
mentioned in the Gospel of Philip. It has been
repressed by the exoteric church. It is the
first of the greater or esoteric sacraments.
190. What other names are used to describe the
sacrament of the Redemption?
APOLYTROSIS, the
CONSOLAMENTUM, the Renunciation, the Baptism of
Air.
191. What is the effect of the sacrament of the
Redemption?
The intention of
the sacrament of the Redemption is to deliver a
person from the shackles of the Demiurge and the
Archons. The effects traditionally held are: (1)
It remits all of one's faults and gives one the
strength not to commit grave offenses; (2) It
perfects in one the change produced by the
Baptism of Water; (3) It makes one the temple of
the Holy Spirit; (4) By its effects we become
complete Christians (PERFECTI); (5) It renews
the link between one's soul and the Twin Angel
or Deific Double from whom one has been
separated at one's descent into the Archonic
realm;
(6) Finally, it assures one of one's liberation
from the cycle of birth and death and thus frees
one of the necessity of future embodiments on
earth.
192. Who is eligible for the sacrament of the
Redemption?
Adults over twenty
years of age who have been baptized and
confirmed and who are diligent practitioners of
the Gnosis. (However, it is generally preferable
to confer the sacrament on persons at or past
mid-life.) Candidates should also demonstrate an
unalterable conviction of not wishing to be
re-embodied in the world.
193. What is the sacrament of the Bride-Chamber?
It is the second
of the greater or esoteric sacraments, and is
the final and the greatest of the initiatory
sacraments. Like the Redemption, it also has
been repressed by the exoteric church.
194. By what other names is the sacrament of the
Bride-Chamber known?
The Bridal
Chamber, the Sacred Wedding (HIEROS GAMOS) and
the Mystery of the Syzygies.
195. What is the effect of the sacrament of the
Bride-Chamber?
It completes all
the effects of the sacrament of the Redemption
and seals them for all eternity. Particularly it
unites the soul in a final union with the Twin
Angel or Deific Double and similarly also unites
the soul with God in the Fullness (PLEROMA).
196. Who is eligible for the sacrament of the
Bride-Chamber?
One who has
received the sacrament of the Redemption
(CONSOLAMENTUM).
197. How is the sacrament of the Bride-Chamber
conferred?
At this time in
history, the sacrament of the Bride-Chamber is
not conferred in earthly form, but is received
by the soul in its own realm, usually after
bodily death. It is not impossible, however,
that the Bride-Chamber may return in earthly
manifestation when God so decrees.
OF
THE SACRAMENTS, CONSIDERED SINGLY:
PART II
198. Why are the sacraments of Holy Orders and
Extreme Unction and Healing called sustaining
sacraments?
Because by Holy
Orders the administering of grace in the Church
is sustained, while Unction sustains the dying
and the sick.
199. What is Holy Orders?
Holy Orders is the
sacrament through which human beings receive the
power and grace to perform the sacred duties of
the clergy of the Church.
200. By what other term has the Gnostic Church
sometimes referred to Holy Orders?
As the Mystery of
the Great Name.
201. How many grades or offices of Holy Orders are
there?
Nine, to wit:
cleric, doorkeeper, reader, exorcist, acolyte,
subdeacon, deacon, priest and bishop.
202. Which among the grades is qualified to
celebrate the Holy Eucharist, and thus change bread
and wine into the body and blood of Christ?
The grades of
priest and bishop.
203. What duties is a deacon qualified to perform?
A deacon may
perform many duties, such as read the gospel,
preach, and serve Holy Communion with the
reserved
sacrament, but may
not celebrate the Holy Eucharist.
204. What are the duties of the lesser grades or
orders?
They assist the
bishop, the priests and deacons in various ways.
205. What are the effects of the sacrament of Holy
Orders?
The effects of
ordination to the holy orders are: (1) an
increase in sanctifying grace; (2) the gift of
sacramental grace, through which one in holy
orders receives divine help in the performance
of the ministry; (3) an indelible imprint that
impresses itself forever on the soul; (4) the
authority to perform certain sacred actions
appropriate to the office concerned.
206. What are some of the requirements, that a
person may receive Holy Orders worthily?
To receive holy
orders worthily it is necessary: (1) that one be
of good character and in a state of grace; (2)
that one be informed in the Mythos of the
Gnosis; (3) that one have the intention of
devoting one's life to the sacred ministry; (4)
that one be determined to teach and serve the
Gnosis according to the teachings and practice
of the Gnostic Church; and (5) that one should
have the inward call from one's spirit and the
outward call from one's bishop.
207. Who confers the sacrament of Holy Orders?
The bishop in his
capacity as successor of the apostles, is the
one who confers the sacrament of Holy Orders.
208. What is the apostolic succession?
The apostolic
succession is the mechanism whereby the Holy
Orders instituted and administered by Christ are
transmitted to His sacramental servants
throughout the ages. The Gospel of Philip says:
"The Son anointed the apostles and the apostles
anointed us".
209. What is the sacrament of Extreme Unction and
Healing?
This sacrament is
one, where, through the anointing with blessed
oil by the minister and through certain special
prayers, strength of soul and body are increased
in ill or dying persons.
210. What has the sacrament of Extreme Unction and
Healing been also sometimes called in the Gnostic
Church?
It has been called
the Mystery of the Pneumatic Unctions.
211. What are the effects of the sacrament of
Extreme Unction and Healing?
The effects are:
(1) an increase in sanctifying grace; (2) the
gift of comfort and serenity in sickness; (3)
preparation for entry into the higher worlds,
and (4) healing of the body when expedient for
the soul and spirit.
212. Who can administer the sacrament of Extreme
Unction and Healing?
Only those in
major orders (deacons, priests and bishops) can
administer this sacrament.
213. What is a public healing service?
A public healing
service consists of the administering of the
unction and prayers to persons not necessarily
in danger of death.
214. Should sacramental healing be used so as to
take the place of medical help?
No. Spiritual
means of healing exist to work along with and
not to replace physical medicine.
215. What are the substitutional or secondary
sacraments?
They are Penance
and Matrimony.
216. Why are they called substitutional?
Because Penance
came to substitute for Redemption and Matrimony
for the Bride-Chamber, and also because their
forms of administration underwent many
vicissitudes and were subject to doubt and
argument.
217. Have the two substitutional sacraments always
been considered true sacraments?
No. But there
always existed formulae of absolution (Penance),
and nuptial blessings for couples.
218. Why do we consider them sacraments today?
Because the higher
esoteric sacraments are not generally available,
and these two sacraments symbolically represent
and foreshadow them.
219. What is the sacrament of Penance?
Penance
(absolution) is the sacrament whereby one is
cleansed of faults which bind one to the realm
of the Archons. (This is known popularly as the
remission of sins.)
220. What is the effect of the sacrament of Penance?
Its effect is the
experience of divine forgiveness.
221. What must one do to receive this sacrament
fully and worthily?
One must: (1)
examine one's conscience; (2) be contrite
(sorry) for one's offenses; (3) have the firm
purpose of not committing offenses again.
(Verbal confession is not necessary, although it
is sometimes desirable.)
222. What does the Gnostic regard as an offense
(sin)?
Gnostics are
concerned chiefly with offenses against the
supreme commandment given to us by Christ
Himself, namely to love God with the totality of
our being and to love our neighbor as ourselves.
This is the commandment that has replaced all
others, therefore to offend against it is the
only true sin.
223. What is guilt?
Guilt is the
condition of the mind of the unforgiven. Gnostic
Christians have no need of guilt, only of
contrition whereby they gain forgiveness.
224. What is the outward sign of divine forgiveness?
It is the
sacrament of Penance, or more correctly of
absolution.
225. What is the sacrament of Matrimony?
Matrimony is the
sacrament whereby two persons enter into a
condition of marriage and thereby foreshadow
under an earthly semblance the mystery of the
Bride-Chamber.
226. What are the effects of the sacrament of
Matrimony?
The effects of
this sacrament are the presence of sanctifying
grace and divine help for the married state.
227. Who administers the sacrament of Matrimony?
The two marital
partners administer the sacrament to each other,
with the priest acting as a solemnizing agent.
PRAYER
a.)
What is prayer?
Prayer is the
lifting up of our minds and hearts to God.
b.)
How many forms of prayer are there?
There are two
forms of prayer: vocal prayer and mental prayer.
c.)
How many categories of prayer are there?
There are three
principal kinds of prayer: (1) prayers of
petition and intercession; (2) prayers of
adoration and praise; (3) prayers of
contemplation. The former two are vocal, the
latter one is mental. Prayers of intercession
are addressed to Aeonial beings, saints and
angels; all other prayers are addressed to God.
d.)
What do we need to keep in mind when uttering
prayers of petition?
We have to keep in
mind that God alone knows what is truly useful
to the welfare of our spirits and that thus our
petitions are contingent upon the will and
wisdom of God. (Witness the prayer of Jesus in
the garden: "however, not my will, but Thine be
done.")
e.)
What is mental prayer?
Mental prayer is
that prayer wherein we inwardly unite our hearts
with God. Sometimes it is called meditation.
f.)
Are vocal and mental prayer both necessary?
Both are necessary
facilitators of grace and Gnosis.
THE
GNOSTIC IN THE WORLD
g.)
Do Gnostics strive to improve the world?
Yes, by improving
themselves through Gnosis.
h.)
Why is this so?
The world is in
large part the domain of the Archons. As such it
is not perfectible. Still it can be somewhat
improved and its inherent deficiency diminishes
every time a human spirit attains to liberating
Gnosis.
i.)
Are Gnostics inclined to any particular system of
worldly government?
Individual
Gnostics may support any worldly cause or none.
The Gnostic world view, however, advises caution
concerning all such involvements.
j.)
Does the Gnostic world view uphold or rebel against
worldly "establishments"?
It does neither,
for its attitude is well stated in one of its
scriptures: "Do not put your trust in the
potentates, rulers, and the rebels of this
world, for their authority passes away and comes
to an end and their works are as naught."
k.)
What is the chief requirement of the Gnostic in
worldly society?
The chief
requirement of the Gnostic in worldly society is
an optimum degree of freedom, for without
freedom the pursuit of Gnosis becomes very
difficult. Since the freedom of Gnostics cannot
be separated from the freedoms of all others,
the freer all human beings are, the better this
is for Gnosis and for Gnostics.
In addition to the
Sacred Scriptures of the Gnostic Tradition, the
following works have been consulted when
preparing the Gnostic Catechism (listed in order
of their importance for this work):
The Catechism of
Bishop Jean Bricaud
(a l'usage de L' Eglise Gnostique Catholique,
par S. G. + Johannes). Also translated as The
Esoteric Christian Doctrine. Lyon. Edition
de "Reveil Gnostique", 1907.
The Revised
Baltimore Catechism
by Rev. Francis J. Connell, New York, Boston,
Benziger Brothers, Inc. 1949.
The Greek Orthodox
Catechismby
the Rev. Constantine N. Callinicos, B. D., New
York, Greek Archdiocese of No. and So. America,
1953.
"A Brief Manichean
Catechism" in The Gospel of the Prophet Mani
by Duncan Greenlees, M.A. (Oxon.) Adyar, Madras,
India. T.P.H., 1956.
"A Brief Hermetic
Catechism" in The Gospel of Hermes by
Duncan Greenlees, M.A. (Oxon.) Adyar, Madras,
India. T.P.H., 1949.
A Catechesis for
Independent Catholics,
Burlington, WA. USA, 1982.
Copyright © Stephan A. Hoeller, 1998
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