Gnosticism - 3 Valentinian and Cathar Texts - Summer Harvest, Epistle to Flora & Medieval Dualism
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- Опубликовано: 28 апр 2022
- The discovery of hidden Gnostic texts like the Nag Hammadi Library has revolutionized our understanding of ancient Gnosticism and Christianity. But, other Gnostic texts have actually survived in the very polemical works meant to suppress them. This episode explore three such texts preserved in anti-gnostic texts: The Valentinian Hymn "Summer Harvest," the Epistle to Flora (a rare text of Gnostic ethics), and a medieval treatise which represents a fully developed metaphysical dualism attributed to 13th century Cathars. These texts are fascinating gnostic survivals, living on in the very works that sought the destruction of the movement as heresy.
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Recommended Readings:
Smith - Valentinian Christianity - 978-0520297463
Wakefield & Evans - Heresies of the High Middle Ages - 978-0231096324
Une somme anti-cathare - www.google.com/books/edition/...
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Sophia VPN marks a new height in this channel: we’ve entered a new era of Esoterica!!
Yeah, until the real sponsorships show up - looking at you brill !
I want it!
I like my parodies of creators’s sponsorships like this: where the .01% of RUclips viewers the only ones to get it. Just another gem from ole Dr J
I smiled ear to ear trying to picture where in Alexandria the store would be...
I was like: No way! Justin's got sponsored! That's awes... ah. Hahahahaha! Beautifully done xD
Thank you so much for bringing us these gems, Justin!!
Funny thing is that a VPN company reached out the day I finished this episode about sponsoring! Serendipity or something more sinister? ;)
@@TheEsotericaChannel bit o' this bit o' that 😆
@@TheEsotericaChannel The ad writes itself...
@@dcklein85 I'd so buy a Sophia VPN tshirt, let alone the service!
@@TheEsotericaChannel I'd also buy a Sophia VPN tshirt
Gnosticism surviving via anti gnostic texts , the cheapest of ironies . Demiurge sure has a sense of humor
Oh yeah, existence itself is the punchline
Awesome, that Sophia VPN sounds awesome. I just can't time travel just yet.
Yeah, that's the tricky part.
I’ve got a time machine you can borrow it from me
@@TheEsotericaChannel I just got back from Third Century Alexandria and the shop keep was out of sacrificial ingredients so I wasn’t able to get the vpn. Fortunately, just before my flux capacitor backfired and pulled me back to 2022 I managed to grab the one true and real Holy Prepuce but it slipped off my finger like the One Ring leaving Gollum leading to multiple copies being spread out over time and space. Basically, I’m writing this to confess to all you wonderful scholars that it’s my fault for all the many, many, god awfully many divine foreskins around the world. Thanks for this great font of joke material.
@DivineDefecation well I’m going at one second per second though at my job it feels like one year per second. Thanks for equating the divine with defecation as yeah that sums up Yahweh quite well.
What was the bit about the silver over the heart?
OMG the VPN thing had me absolutely cracking up.
Beautiful episode. Love it
Glad you enjoyed it! Hope you are well!
I remember you also mentioned in a previous video that the polemic writings of Irenaeus were used to fill in the holes in Gnostic texts discovered in Modern Times. And likewise, the discovery of the Gnostic texts gave us a way to evaluate the historical accuracy of the proto-orthodox polemic writings.
History is like a matchmaker with a weird sense of humor.
Totally agree, nothing is more insane than just actual history.
Sophia VPN is ironically the only legit RUclips VPN sponsorship right now. All hail the divine Syzygy.
i started reading Irenaeus (and Hippolytus) last week for my gnostic studies and I was blown away by his obsequious level of detail.
I too found it hilariously ironic that his attempt to discredit was actually providing valuable literature to future folk like ourselves. 👍
When you say “attempt to discredit”, are you suggesting that he does not “successfully” discredit it?
@@preyr631 Depends on how you want to react as the reader- so far (about 35 pages in), it's mostly a well-presented exposition of certain gnostic concepts (the Pleroma, Ogdoad, 30 Aeons, etc) with intermittent critique by Irenaeus.
If you were a 2nd century or modern Christian, you'd probably instantly agree with him about the silliness of it all, including their "kabbalistic" interpretation of the gospels & Paul - short of reading the texts and hearing explanations from the proponents themselves.
But now that we have the 52 texts of gnostic literature, and see where the pieces fit in, it just gives interested researchers more data. Whether to scorn it or make use of it is up to the reader
Just got my Sophia VPN. I’ve gotta say it works like a charm!
The comment about the Breadbasket being written in the Olive Garden had me going at first I was thinking about the Grove of Pomegranates text and I thought , sure The Olive Garden… and then it hit me.
I’m loving the channel keep up the great work!
When Valentinus speaks of one component of being clinging to another, I'm reminded of the concept of inheritance in programming where one program will inherit or "cling to" the attributes of the larger program to which it belongs, but will also add some attributes that are unique to its individual component. It almost sounds as if he is unpacking the nested layers of specificity that define a human being.
Cybergnosticism reference? ehhehe
@@vallewabbel9690 Cybergnosticism has been poorly represented outside the community that studies and practices it. However, I think that's more a matter of indifference on the part of practitioners than it is a matter of actual secrecy. If you're willing to dig deep into understanding computers, the people who already do will start to open up to you about their spiritual beliefs because they will start to feel like you can understand them. Otherwise, they are just going to ignore you and continue their work. They understand knowledge has dependency chains, and it takes time and effort to forge those chains. They won't do it for you, but they will recognize when you have done it.
I was delighted with the message from your VPN sponsor . Thanks for this presentation. It was helpfully informative!
This channel is my favorite place on the internet! Thank you, Justin!
The Waldensians “were”? The Waldensians are still alive and thriving, they have a whole town in the mountains of North Carolina called Valdese that they founded in the 1800s after the King of Sardinia let them immigrate to America. They’re wonderful, have a strong understanding of their history and are good to talk to, I went to seminary with one of their leaders
My dad was born and raised in Valdese! His side of my family has been in that area (Burke County) for around 200 years, in fact. They attended the Waldensian Presbyterian Church. The town has Weldensian annual festivals. Etc etc. So cool, glad you mentioned it!!
This is very cool, but I wouldn’t consider 1 tiny mountain town to be thriving. Similarly we talk about Manichaeans in the past tense even though there is a Manichaean-buddhist syncretic movement in a village in southern China with 1 temple
@@bobmcbob9856 there are also significant Waldensian communities in Brazil and still in the Alps of Italy and Austria
its weird how many semi-obscure christian sects there are in the north carolinian piedmont, like with all the moravians in winston-salem
@@caseykafka5009 we used to be known for religious freedom
There's nothing more fun and gratifying than seeing genuine academic love for a subject, and the purest way to show love for a subject is humor! This episode was as fascinating as it was hilarious! Thanks, as always!
Came for the esoteric knowledge stayed for the humor!
I throughly enjoy your work. Thank you 🙏🏻 for your time and attention.
Thank you for another wonderful and interesting video. You're simply the best!
loved this so much! one of the most neutral and non judgemental/emotional presentations on the subject
Hi Justin - I would be really interested to see a video comparing/contrasting Gnosticism & Neoplatonism, I feel like there’s interesting correlations. Anyway, this is a great video as always. Thanks again - James
I agree
Loved the sponsor message, can't believe the divine fullness reached out to you for this!
I absolutely love this episode, sponsor and all!!!!!!
Brilliant move
I am SO happy to have come across this channel. I adore valentinianism and seeing someone make videos about it, which are genuinely high-quality and funny, has absolutely made my week.
thank you for your sharing it with us !
You are a beautiful freak worthy of laudation. Much gratitude for the detail 🙏
Love your work. Thanks.
You, my friend, are an engaging teacher. I appreciate what I have learned after several months of being subscribed. Thank you.
Thank you for this. As my family comes from the southwest of France, the Cathars mean a great deal to me and my work.
Man I really thought you were doing a sponsor shout out for a minute! That was great dude
The word from our sponsor was great. Thanks for laugh today.
I love heretics! ❤️
I mean at least they're interesting!
That whole elaborate section on gnostic discount codes had me absolutely rolling 😂
Very interesting and enjoyable! Thank you !
I hope this man understands the appreciation myself and others have.
If not for you illuminating the mystery and wonder of are collective history so much could be lost.
I'm a very proud student and I am so fortunate I found esoterica.
Thanks Dr.
The segment on Sophia VPN is one of the high points of the internet.
I have tears of laughter in my eyes. I can't imagine how many times it must have taken you to do that entire segment without laughing. You legend
First take, no kidding ;)
@@TheEsotericaChannel SophiaVPN was protecting you from the archons of laughter.
Dr Sledge is just absolutely the world’s best at…well… this.
Your the besttttttt channel thanks for sharing your knowledge
Best ad read yet!
Great video, very interesting, thank you Sir!
Ok..I’m broke…but I won’t always be…I will circle back and bro you down some patronage….you crack me up a lot with your tongue and cheek humor, but I love this episode’s sponsor. I’m hanging on by a thread battling my own weird little battles in the midst of what seems like preliminary end of the world times. Hence, I’m boning up on my religious studies (why do we all want to get back to what seems to be the oldest?) And for as many videos of yours as I’ve watched, I still don’t know how you swing religiously…I assume kabbala, but you keep it in wraps. Thanks for the great vids. Loved the ad. Promise to donate soon.
I'm starting a new job tomorrow, had hard time to relax and watched the episode - I cracked up when it came to the ad, hahah, love you Dr. Sledge
Congratulations on the new job!
@@TheEsotericaChannel Thank you so much!!!
Another fantastic video!
Mulțumim!
Excellent as always! And, the Sophia VPN bit is superb! Thanks for these! ;)
That's the most brilliant add I've ever heard.
The 3rd Century Alexandrian Library is a must see, I stopped by as I was applying for the VPN discount. Thanks Dr. S.
excellent stuff!
Kinda up your alley, I think !
Very interesting. Thank you.
That ad read was great!
I loved the ad! With the dinares that I saved, I was able to go to Olive Garden and make notes on my esoteric opus.
Great discussion
Congrats on getting sponsored! :D
OK-- you got me to laugh out loud when you discussed your sponsor for this episode. Well played.
It kinda caught me off guard.
Funny
Wonderfully researched content as ever Dr Sledge! I love this subject, although most of my limited knowledge comes from the Nag Hamadi, I guess you could say the Books of Enoch and a little from books about the Cathars This Triple Bill is a real treat, especially the Gnostic song. 🌛🌝🌜🕸️
Excellent sponsor, congrats!
I finally found the right VPN for me. Thank you Sophia!
The “Thunder Perfect Mind” of “The Talented Mr. Ripely.”
Great sponsor message
Your ad read was legendary. I want to go see Shimon.
I literally can't with that ad read 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 you should clip and post that by itself!
Its great those texts managed to survive inside other texts. Things like that make me a little sad when I think about all the texts of various kinds that existed throughout history but are now lost forever. Sophia VPN caught me off guard. lol Great video!
I'm loving the Cathar text, but could you please make a short of the sponsorship segment?! You hit the LMAO mark.
I would but I have to be careful - my April fool's episode got a little out of hand so...
I clipped as much of it as I could:
ruclips.net/user/clipUgkxsSeVWJ8SnH2o6VATMaaHDTWyp-v0ZBrH
It's a glorious bit!
Thanks!
People find Gnosticism weird, but it's weird that it's ignored how close to Gnosticism Paul was. In various epistles he uses categorization of pneumatics, psychics (lol) and sarkics, he talks how heavenly spheres are ruled by archons (and powers and principalities), talks about a god of this age, he says flesh and blood cant inherit the kingdom but that people will have 'spiritual bodies' instead of physical ones, he even clearly says (in Galatians 3) that the Mosaic Law was not from God, but from angels, and from the context (that the Law is a curse, that God's covenant with and promise to Abraham had nothing to do with the Law) he seems to be referring to rebellious angels.
Most academic scholars appreciate this fact
Secular religious studies probably (which are not a thing in my country unfortunately). I went to a seminary and we never learned anything about it. After seminary when I went to another college to major in (analytic) philosophy we didn't go in that direction with theology, we did things like the cosmological argument, theodicy, etc.. The only theologian I came across to mention it was David Bentley Hart, who is famous for being a 'heretic' in theological circles, and I read such things on my own..
This is more of a testament to how nebulous and ill-defined Gnosticism really was, especially in the earliest centuries of Christianity. While not necessary the elaborate cosmology, many "Gnostic" ideas seemed to be be widely present among syncretic religious landscape of Rome in the first few centures C.E. Even Augustine in his Confessions, when praying for his dead mother, asks for protection for her soul from "the lion and the dragon," and other entities which were believed to exist in the spheres who could attack or otherwise accost the souls of deceased on their ascent into heaven.
Love your arid humor.
That's the best (hypothetical) sponsor transition i've ever seen 😆
That was awesome brother! The next time I'm hitting the æthers I'll pop back to that time in Alexandria and log on to the blessed Sophia VPN.
Please look into the legacy of Kane series 🙏🙏🙏 I would love to hear what you think about how it pairs with gnosticism and all things esoteric and occult.
😄 hehehe Haha!..👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 BEAUTIFUL 🌹 That's a awesome one! I Almost wish It was real..!👌🏾 Fantastic joke, work And Information!.. Great for a Friday!🌹💕
As someone who’s been binging years of content, I cannot describe the leap from the lows of abysmal hopelessness transforming into the heights of cleansing amusement from SophiaVPN. I’ll meet you all at the DeLorean!!
After listening to your VPN commercial, I realized that you would be wicked awesome to play D&D with.
Another ripper, thanks dr Sledge I love your channel.
I keep licking my lips.
You just gotta love Justin’s malleo contra deos! This guy’s a riot! 🤣
Just in time for my lunch break!
best VPN commercial I've ever seen
Did you watch Raised by Wolves, made in part by Riddley Scott? It has some cool fantasy inspired by esoteric stuff.
On the list for sure - Mithras stuff I believe
Sophia VPN - Brilliant! I would love it if you would do more sponsors like this.
I had this playing in the background and that VPN ad almost had me for a aec
Nice content! Can you make an episode on the 42 commandments of Ma'at that may have inspired the Mosaic laws?
Lol
The Sophia VPN bit was muah chef's kiss
Ok, the advertising bit got me. I literally lolz'd at "IIIIIIIIIAAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOO" lmaooo
Gnosticism content ❤️
"matter tattering off into non being..." Dude, doesn't get any better than that....
FYI- yt used to alert me when you publish one of your wonderful videos and even though I have checked it's still on 'alert me for ALL' - I'm not getting notifications. Ive deliberatly searched for you to find this one. Can't imagine why they seem to be suppressing me from hearing from you.
My Archon protective talisman is on its way! They said it will arrive in my front yard via Ki-rin. :)
I signed up! But the discount code didn't work. I think I left out an Omega or two lol - that was well-played, sir. Now where's my free stuff?! Harumph! Maybe you could get sponsored by Brill (cough cough)...
I got my ticket to alexandria thanks for the code word
Hmm I’d love to learn more from you about Enoch if you’ve made any vids on the book
Apparently the Sophia VPN discount code isn't working, might wanna check that. Btw I watched the film A Dark Song you mentioned in a stream, it was pretty good.
😂😂 The ad was just hilarious. Ever heard of the Ebionites?! They thought that parts of the law were indeed corrupted, especially the animals sacrifices, and said that Christ Messiah came to abolish those as Well.
Weird..... What I was looking at yesterday.
Always in a Lovecraftian mood!
Lol loved the "advertisement"
Gotta get in on that denaridollar crypto
I normally skip sponsor segments, but that offer sounds too good not to take it up right now!
I can really recommend Sophia VPN. Protects my soul from the Archons since 2022.
It was brilliantly added in.
I was like..... Wait, what !!!!!!
Can you guys do me a favor and share this episode with a friend? I want to see if we can get the views up, because this is one of my favorites.
the discount code doesnt work for sophia vpn...(love you channell and sence of humor).
As I mentioned in a reply to a comment, Manichaeism is technically not totally extinct. Revering Mani as a “Buddha of light” and bringing some of his teachings into a Buddhist context was fairly popular back in the day and there remains a temple in Fujian, China, called Cao’an revering Mani in a Buddhist fashion which has a decent amount of intact originally/purely Manichaean symbols and references in it
Love the VPN skit! Hey 28 Denari is worth a fantastic saving of approx $1.96 in today's money, I wonder if that is numerologically significant!
1 denarius in the early empire was a skilled days wages
@@TheEsotericaChannel I was only having some fun. A dollar was a lot of money too once. Great video btw, both educational and enjoyable )