Abortion is a tough subject to address, with a lot of disagreement. I believe that the Episcopal Church has taken the wisest position on the subject. I agree with them when they state the following: All human life is sacred from its inception until death. The Church takes seriously its obligation to help form the…
I find I have a malady of the mind. Call it regret or a desire for a do-over. Here are the symptoms. I realize that my choices have limited my options and I think, I should have done such and such. If I knew then what I know now, I would have done such and…
Gnosticism is not a single thing. It is not a belief system at all. Rather, it is an orientation towards religion. So in Gnostic Christianity, the orientation is Gnostic, but the belief system is Christian. In other words, it is based on the teachings of Jesus Christ as taught by Paul, John, Thomas, and Valentinus.…
As a Christian mystic and Gnostic sympathizer, how much of orthodox doctrine can I affirm? Here is what I agree with. I believe that the Holy Scriptures are inspired by God. I believe that God created all things through the Logos and the Holy Spirit. I believe in the Holy Trinity, that God is both…
Simon Peter said to them, "Mary should leave us, for females are not worthy of life." Jesus said, "Look, I shall guide her to make her male, so that she too may become a living spirit resembling you males. For every female who makes herself male will enter heaven's kingdom." (GThom 114). If you read…
“It is easier not to speak a word at all, than not to speak more words than we should.” – Thomas a Kempis I have found this true so often that I think it is something to be aware of. We can get so carried away talking that our talk turns frivolous and even harmful.…
A Gnostic Christian approaches Scripture as myths, interprets Scripture allegorically, has mystic secrets reserved for the initiated, aims for salvation through mystical insight (gnosis), is open to new revelations from God, and follow Jesus as the Messiah, God, and Savior. A Christian Mystic may or may not approach Scripture as myths and interprets Scripture allegorically.…
"First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone" (1 Tim 2:1). When you are asked to pray for someone, how often do you wonder what to say? If you are asked to lead in prayer, it can be stressful. The usual guidance is to just follow the…
The Congress of Messina, meeting in 1966, made a huge mistake by defining “gnosis” as “knowledge of the divine mysteries reserved for an elite.”[1] Following their lead, many have continued to repeat this mistake. Gnosis, writes Elaine Pagels, “is not primarily rational knowledge.” Rather, it is “an intuitive process of knowing.”[2] It is, in the…
Subject: Therapeutae and Therapeutrides Author: Philo Judaeus Date: 30 CE Editor's Introduction As is evident from the writings of Seneca, Epictetus and others, philosophy in the West ceased to be purely speculative, and dealt with moral and religious questions. This tendency toward the moral and religious was strengthened by the spread of Jewish and Christian…