Editing Gnosticism (section)

===Demiurge===
{{Main|Demiurge}}
[[File:Lion-faced deity.jpg|thumb|right|upright|A lion-faced deity found on a Gnostic gem in [[Bernard de Montfaucon]]'s {{Lang|fr|L'antiquité expliquée et représentée en figures}} may be a depiction of [[Demiurge#Yaldabaoth|Yaldabaoth]], the Demiurge; however, see [[Mithraism#Lion headed figure|Mithraic Zervan Akarana]].{{sfn|Campbell|1991|p=262}}]]

The term ''demiurge'' derives from the [[Latin]]ized form of the Greek term ''dēmiourgos'', δημιουργός, literally "public or skilled worker".{{refn|group=note|The term ''dēmiourgos'' occurs in a number of other religious and philosophical systems, most notably Platonism. The Gnostic demiurge bears a resemblance to figures in Plato's ''[[Timaeus (dialogue)|Timaeus]]'' and ''[[The Republic (Plato)|Republic]]''. In ''Timaeus'', the ''demiourgós'' is a central figure, a benevolent creator of the universe who works to make the universe as benevolent as the limitations of matter will allow. In ''The Republic'' the description of the leontomorphic "desire" in [[Socrates]]' model of the [[Psyche (psychology)|psyche]] bears a resemblance to descriptions of the demiurge as being in the shape of the lion.{{refn|group=note|The relevant passage of ''The Republic'' was found within the [[Nag Hammadi library]],<ref name="nhlrepublic">{{cite web|url=http://www.gnosis.org/naghamm/plato.html|title=Plato, Republic 588A–589B|publisher="The Gnostic Society Library|access-date=2009-02-12}}</ref> wherein a text existed describing the demiurge as a "lion-faced serpent".<ref name="apocryphon">{{cite web|url=http://www.gnosis.org/naghamm/nhl_sbj.htm|title=The Apocryphon of John|publisher=The Gnostic Society Library|access-date=2009-02-12}}</ref>}}}} This figure is also called "Yaldabaoth",<ref name="apocryphon" /> [[Samael]] ([[Aramaic]]: ''sæmʻa-ʼel'', "blind god"), or "Saklas" ([[Syriac language|Syriac]]: ''sækla'', "the foolish one"), who is sometimes ignorant of the superior god, and sometimes opposed to it; thus in the latter case he is correspondingly malevolent. Other names or identifications are [[Ahriman]], [[El (deity)|El]], [[Satan]], and [[Yahweh]].

The demiurge creates the [[physical universe]] and the physical aspect of [[human nature]].<ref name="na_demiurge">{{cite web | title=Demiurge | publisher=Catholic Encyclopedia | url=http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04707b.htm | access-date=2009-02-12}}</ref> The demiurge typically creates a group of co-actors named [[archon (Gnosticism)|archons]] who preside over the material realm and, in some cases, present obstacles to the soul seeking ascent from it.<ref name="apocryphon" /> The inferiority of the demiurge's creation may be compared to the technical inferiority of a work of art, painting, sculpture, etc. to the thing the art [[mimesis|represents]]. In other cases, it takes on a more [[ascetic]] tendency to view material existence negatively, which then becomes more extreme when materiality, including the human body, is perceived as evil and constrictive, a deliberate prison for its inhabitants.

Moral judgments of the demiurge vary from group to group within the broad category of Gnosticism, viewing materiality as inherently evil or as merely flawed and as good as its passive constituent matter allows.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/philosophy-and-religion/philosophy/philosophy-terms-and-concepts/demiurge|title=Demiurge &#124; Encyclopedia.com|website=encyclopedia.com}}</ref>