Editing Gnosticism (section)

===Sophia===
{{Main|Sophia (Gnosticism)}}
In Gnostic tradition, the name [[Sophia (Gnosticism)|'''Sophia''']] (Σοφία, Greek for "wisdom") refers to the final emanation of God, and is identified with the ''[[anima mundi]]'' or world-soul. She is occasionally referred to by the [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]] equivalent of ''Achamoth'' {{dubious|talk=Talk:Topic#https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Gnosticism#Sophia_in_Jewish_Gnosticism?|date=May 2023}} (this is a feature of Ptolemy's version of the Valentinian Gnostic myth). Jewish Gnosticism with a focus on Sophia was active by 90&nbsp;AD.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Sumney|first=Jerry L.|date=1989|title=The Letter of Eugnostos and the Origins of Gnosticism|url=https://brill.com/view/journals/nt/31/2/article-p172_6.xml|journal=Novum Testamentum|volume=31|issue=2|pages=172–181|doi=10.1163/156853689X00063|issn=0048-1009}}</ref> In most, if not all, versions of the Gnostic myth, Sophia births the demiurge, who in turn brings about the creation of materiality. The positive and negative depictions of materiality depend on the myth's depictions of Sophia's actions. Sophia, in this highly patriarchal narrative, is described as unruly and disobedient, which is due to her bringing a creation of chaos into the world.<ref name="Oxford University Press"/> The creation of the Demiurge was an act done without her counterpart's consent. Because of the predefined hierarchy between them, this action contributed to the narrative that she was unruly and disobedient.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Buckley|first=Jorunn Jacobsen|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/13009837|title=Female fault and fulfilment in Gnosticism|date=1986|publisher=University of North Carolina Press|isbn=0-8078-1696-5|location=Chapel Hill|oclc=13009837}}</ref>

''Sophia'', emanating without her partner, resulted in the production of the ''Demiurge'' (Greek: lit. "public builder"),<ref name="newad_demi">{{cite web|title=Demiurge|publisher=Catholic encyclopedia|url=http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04707b.htm|access-date=2009-02-13}}</ref> who is also referred to as ''[[Yaldabaoth]]'' and variations thereof in some Gnostic texts.<ref name="apocryphon" /> This creature is concealed outside the pleroma;<ref name="apocryphon" /> in isolation, and thinking itself alone, it creates materiality and a host of co-actors, referred to as archons. The demiurge is responsible for the creation of humankind, trapping elements of the pleroma stolen from Sophia inside human bodies.<ref name="apocryphon" /><ref name=hypostasis>{{cite web|title=The Hypostasis of the Archons|publisher=The Gnostic Society Library|url=http://www.gnosis.org/naghamm/hypostas.html|access-date=2009-02-12}}</ref> In response, the Godhead emanates two savior aeons, ''Christ'' and ''the Holy Spirit''; Christ then takes on material form in the figure of Jesus, in an act of [[divine embodiment]], in order to teach humans how to achieve gnosis, by which they may return to the pleroma.<ref name="nhlintro"/>