Gnostics, The: The First Christian Heretics (Pocket Essentials (Paperback)) Paperback – 24 Jun. 2010

This book is a short summary of the history of Gnosticism, the idea that this world is an illusion created by a wicked God and something that must be transcended with the help of divine wisdom - a bit like the Matrix.Clear and to the point, it discusses the central tenets and leaves directions for further reading. If, like me, you know nothing about Gnosticism but need to get up to speed, this is a good place to start.

This is the second book I've read about gnosticism, and was much better than the one I'd read previously. A really nice, concise introduction to the basic principles, with a great selection of recommendations in the further reading section.

Sean Martin seems to specialise in short introductions to heretical aspects of the Christian church; I've previously read and enjoyed his book on the Knight's Templar, and picked this up as an introduction to a subject I know almost nothing about.This is a solid and very readable introduction to a complicated subject which I've enjoyed reading and got through in only three sittings. Unlike the Templar book, which is a straightforward history book, this one covers the actual historical situation only briefly, presumably because the two millennia between then and now shrouds a lot of the detail and because far fewer sources are available than for the Templars. Of the sources that are available, they're either the relatively recently re-discovered Gnostic texts themselves, or they're the writings of the early Church Fathers who were polemically opposed to the Gnostics by definition.This book instead concentrates on explaining the core tenets of Gnostic beliefs, including good explanations of both gnosis and dualism, briefly outlines what is known about the main Gnostic teachers and sects, and then describes some of the works that have been unearthed and identified as Gnostic texts and gospels. The book is therefore more theological than historical.The final chapter is on the legacy of the Gnostics, including a brief summary of the Great Heresy of the Bogomils and Cathars in the early 2nd millennium, a subject Martin has also written a 'pocket essential' book on, and on more recent Gnostic-influenced writers and thinkers such as William Blake and Carl Jung.However, in attempting to tell the Gnostic story 'through the ages', I think Martin has possibly stretched the premise too far; his section on medieval troubadors contains the line "there is no prima facie evidence that they were not Cathar sympathisers" rather than any actual evidence that they were, beyond some "interesting parallels". Similarly, the section on Existentialist philosophers has to admit that "no Existentialist ever cited the Gnostics as an influence'. If anything, these sections feel a lot like padding and what is already a very short book could have been a bit shorter.The book ends on a bit of a rant about organised religion and feels almost like an attempt at proselytism for the Gnostic belief; I preferred the discussion in the appendices that highlights possible Gnosticism in the Canonical Gospels, as well as making a reasonable case that rather than being the "First Christian Heretics", Gnosticism is at least as old as Christianity itself.All in all, it's a decent introduction to the subject and well worth reading.

no problems with opening.... this book was a milestone of world and history of gnosis for me . its very informative and keeps emotions well away from content.

A very interesting study of a term I had heard often but knew little about.The book is fascinating until the 'purple passage' at the end dismissing the whole of Christian doctrinal history in three paragraphs, which I felt was somewhat over dramatic, if arguably factual.

A very concise, superbly written introduction on the trail of Gnosticism through history and on those who believed and those who didn't.

Just what I wanted and excellent service provided by the supplier

Very interesting book, would recommend for anyone interested in Gnosticism.