GNOSTICISM, JUDAISM, AND EGYPTIAN CHRISTIANITY by BIRGER PEARSON (PDF)

Description

In this important contribution to the scholarly study of Egyptian Gnosticism, Pearson situates Gnosticism in its historical context and describes its manifold relationships to Judaism, early Christianity, and ancient Platonism. Birger Pearson gives special attention to the controversial issue of the impact of Gnosticism on early Egyptian Christianity up to the Muslim conquest of the seventh century.

User’s Reviews

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐This book seems to me to be mainly about how to make the most basic classifications of Gnostics, comparing what we can see now, with what we knew in the long ago past written about them by what he calls the Patristic writers (meaning the “Church Fathers” to those who revere them).He is doing a scholarly type of book which is going down a list of subjects in the Gnostic writings and looking at everything currently known about a particular name or whatever, and trying to see how these ideas are borrowed and modified between one source and another.The impression I am getting from his book, Gnosticism, Judaism, and Egyptian Christianity, is that the pre-Christian Gnostics of Egypt were not really distinguishable from what would have been main-stream Judaism for that area. The reason it caught notice was that a lot of the adherents crossed over into Christianity when that ability to do so presented itself, and came under the ire of those who had decided they were the appointed arbiters of orthodoxy in the newly established “official” Church.

⭐Having to MA’s in early christianity and early comparative religion, one often wonders, is christianity an unique offshoot of Judaism. this book though written for the professional, answers some of these question. The author strives to make connections between ancient christianity and some of the religions which christianity drew there concepts from.As a historian, I do not dish christianity, yet to the reader it forces them to ask, why did christianity borrow from other religions? the author has never addressed the question. As an ungraded primer, it will force one to ask questions of where does the truth lie, or is all truth universal.the author failed to address the invaluable contributions of Mythras and Zoroastrianism. He also failed to address the contributions and some say the kernel of Christianity, (The Essene). Still as a technical primer, it is a start and produces a slid foundation for early christianity.For those who are serious about early Christianity, I would also consider Zoroastrianism, Essene, and the Mythra.I also recommend for a grasp of modern Pentecostalism, or the charismatic movement, Magic in the New Testament, Ancient Christian magic Jesus the magician, Jesus the Sorcerer

⭐Pearson’s book serves as a fantastic contribution to the ever evolving study of Gnosticism. The religion appeared to arise from Alexandrian Jews who, for whatever reason (perhaps either finding Hellenic thought and life more fulfilling or getting tired of the empty promises of the Scriptures- or both!) found YHWH as a sadistic and blind lesser deity and the Torah as a means of keeping Israel enslaved to it. But this is only the first few chapters. I highly recommend this book.

⭐This book is an amazing contribution to the consideration of the origins of gnosticism.It makes clear that Gnosticism was NO mysticism, it was not Buddhism in Hellenistic guise, it was a religious theology that came out of circumstantial historical events.If you study Gnosticism…this book is a must have for your personal library…

⭐none

⭐Excellent book for specialists in the field; I probably would have been better served by a more general introduction. Still, it was a helpful study of the origins of Gnosticism.

⭐Written by a brilliant scholar. A must have for specialists in the field.

⭐Excellent book with first class work on the subject.

⭐Birger Pearson is undeniably a great specialist, and the picture he draws of the links between these three subjects are made very clear by his immense knowledge and his easy writing.

Keywords

Free Download GNOSTICISM, JUDAISM, AND EGYPTIAN CHRISTIANITY in PDF format
GNOSTICISM, JUDAISM, AND EGYPTIAN CHRISTIANITY PDF Free Download
Download GNOSTICISM, JUDAISM, AND EGYPTIAN CHRISTIANITY 1990 PDF Free
GNOSTICISM, JUDAISM, AND EGYPTIAN CHRISTIANITY 1990 PDF Free Download
Download GNOSTICISM, JUDAISM, AND EGYPTIAN CHRISTIANITY PDF
Free Download Ebook GNOSTICISM, JUDAISM, AND EGYPTIAN CHRISTIANITY