Editing Leviathan (section)

==Gnosticism==
[[File:Leviatan.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Hellmouth]] in the fresco ''[[Last Judgment]]'', by [[Giacomo Rossignolo]], c. 1555]]

The [[Church Father]] [[Origen]] accused a [[Gnosticism|Gnostic sect]] of venerating the [[Serpents in the Bible|biblical serpent]] of the [[Garden of Eden]]. Therefore, he calls them [[Ophites]], naming after the serpent they are supposed to worship.<ref name="ReferenceA">Tuomas Rasimus ''Paradise Reconsidered in Gnostic Mythmaking: Rethinking Sethianism in Light of the Ophite Evidence'' BRILL 2009 {{ISBN|9789047426707}} p. 68</ref> In this belief system, the Leviathan appears as an [[Ouroboros]], separating the [[Pleroma|divine realm]] from humanity by enveloping or permeating the material world.<ref>Kurt Rudolph ''Gnosis: The Nature and History of Gnosticism'' A&C Black 2001 {{ISBN|9780567086402}} p. 69</ref><ref name="ReferenceA"/><ref>April DeConick, Gregory Shaw, John D. Turner Practicing Gnosis: Ritual, Magic, Theurgy and Liturgy in Nag Hammadi, Manichaean and Other Ancient Literature. Essays in Honor of Birger A. Pearson BRILL 2013 {{ISBN|9789004248526}} p. 48</ref> It is unknown whether or not the Ophites actually identified the serpent of the Garden of Eden with Leviathan.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> However, since Leviathan is basically connoted negatively in this Gnostic cosmology, if they identified him with the serpent of the Book of Genesis, he was probably indeed considered evil and just its advice was good.<ref>Tuomas Rasimus ''Paradise Reconsidered in Gnostic Mythmaking: Rethinking Sethianism in Light of the Ophite Evidence'' BRILL 2009 {{ISBN|9789047426707}} p. 69</ref>

According to the cosmology of this Gnostic sect, the world is encapsulated by Leviathan, in form of a dragon-shaped archon, biting its own tail (''ouroboros''). Generating the [[Intrinsic and extrinsic properties (philosophy)|intrinsic]] [[evil]] in the entire universe, the Leviathan separates the [[Kenoma|lower world]], governed by the [[Archon (Gnosticism)|Archons]], from the realm of [[Monad (Gnosticism)|God]].<ref>Silviu Lupaşcu. "In the Ninth Heaven – the Gnostic Background of the Romanian Folklore tradition of the "Heaven's Custom Houses"". Danubius 1:309-325.</ref> After death, a soul must pass through the [[Celestial spheres|seven spheres]] of the [[seven heavens|heavens]]. If the soul does not succeed, it will be swallowed by the Leviathan, who holds the world captive and returns the soul into an animal body.<ref>{{cite book|author-first=Tuomas |author-last=Rasimus |title=Paradise Reconsidered in Gnostic Mythmaking: Rethinking Sethianism in Light of the Ophite Evidence |publisher=[[Brill Publishers]] |date=2009 |isbn=9789047426707 |pages=70}}</ref>

In [[Mandaeism]], Leviathan is regarded as being coessential with a demon called [[Ur (Mandaeism)|Ur]].<ref name="jonas-gnostic">{{cite book|author-first=Hans |author-last=Jonas |author-link=Hans Jonas |title=The Gnostic Religion |edition=3rd |location=Boston |date=2001 |pages=117}}</ref>

In [[Manichaeism]], an ancient religion influenced by Gnostic ideas, Leviathan is killed by the sons of the [[fallen angel]] [[Shemyaza]]. This act is not portrayed as heroic, but as foolish, symbolizing the greatest triumphs as transient, since both are killed by archangels in turn after boasting about their victory. This reflects Manichaean criticism on royal power and advocates [[asceticism]].<ref>{{cite book|author-first=Michel |author-last=Tardieu |title=Manichaeism |publisher=[[University of Illinois Press]] |date=2008 |isbn=9780252032783 |pages=46–48}}</ref>