Editing Gnosticism (section)

==Characteristics==
===Cosmology===
The Syrian–Egyptian traditions postulate a remote, supreme Godhead, the [[monad (Gnosticism)|Monad]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Apocryphon of John – Frederik Wisse – The Nag Hammadi Library|url=http://www.gnosis.org/naghamm/apocjn.html|access-date=2022-10-18|website=gnosis.org}}</ref> From this highest divinity [[emanationism|emanate]] lower divine beings, known as [[Aeon (Gnosticism)|Aeons]]. The [[Demiurge]] arises among the Aeons and creates the physical world. Divine elements "fall" into the material realm, and are latent in human beings. Redemption from the fall occurs when the humans obtain Gnosis, [[wikt: esoteric|esoteric]] or [[Intuition (psychology)|intuitive knowledge]] of the divine.{{sfn|Markschies|2003|p=16–17}}

===Dualism and monism===
{{See also|Nontrinitarianism}}
Gnostic systems postulate a [[Dualistic cosmology|dualism]] between God and the world,{{sfn|Jonas|1963|p=42}} varying from the "radical dualist" systems of [[Manichaeism]] to the "mitigated dualism" of classic Gnostic movements. Radical dualism, or absolute dualism, posits two co-equal divine forces, while in ''mitigated dualism'' one of the two principles is in some way inferior to the other. In ''qualified monism'' the second entity may be divine or semi-divine. Valentinian Gnosticism is a form of [[monism]], expressed in terms previously used in a dualistic manner.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Edwards|first=M. J.|title=Gnostics and Valentinians in the Church Fathers|date=1989|url=https://academic.oup.com/jts/article-lookup/doi/10.1093/jts/40.1.26|journal=The Journal of Theological Studies|language=en|volume=40|issue=1|pages=41|doi=10.1093/jts/40.1.26|issn=0022-5185}}</ref>

===Moral and ritual practice===
Gnostics tended toward [[asceticism]], especially in their sexual and dietary practice.{{sfn|Layton|1987|loc=Introduction to "Against Heresies" by St. Irenaeus}} In other areas of morality, Gnostics were less rigorously ascetic, and took a more moderate approach to correct behavior. In normative early Christianity, the Church administered and prescribed the correct behavior for Christians, while in Gnosticism it was the internalized motivation which was important. [[Ptolemy (gnostic)|Ptolemy]]'s ''[[Letter to Flora|Epistle to Flora]]'' described limited fasting, but maintained that true "spiritual" fasting would be to refrain from everything bad.{{refn|group=note|[[Ptolemy (gnostic)|Ptolemy]], in ''Letter to Flora'': "External physical fasting is observed even among our followers, for it can be of some benefit to the soul if it is engaged in with reason (''[[logos]]''), whenever it is done neither by way of imitating others, nor out of habit, nor because of the day, as if it had been specially appointed for that purpose."<ref>See [http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/books/panariog.htm φυλάσσεται μέντοι γε καὶ παρὰ τοῖς ἡμετέροις ἡ κατὰ τὸ φαινόμενον νηστεία..]</ref>}} For example, ritualistic behavior was not seen to possess as much importance as other practice, unless it was based on a personal, internal motivation.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=van Gaans|first=Gijs Martijn|date=2012|title=David Brakke, The Gnostics. Myth, Ritual, and Diversity in Early Christianity, Cambridge, Massachusetts & London: Harvard University Press 2010; xii + 164 pp.; ISBN 978-0-674-04684-9; US$ 29.95 (hardback with jacket).|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/157007212x613483|journal=Vigiliae Christianae|volume=66|issue=2|pages=217–220|doi=10.1163/157007212x613483|issn=0042-6032}}</ref>

=== Female representation ===
The role women played in Gnosticism is still being explored. The very few women in most Gnostic literature are portrayed as chaotic, disobedient, and enigmatic.<ref name=":02">{{cite book|last=Lewis|first=Nicola Denzey|chapter=Women in Gnosticism|date=2021-02-18|chapter-url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198867067.003.0007|title=Patterns of Women's Leadership in Early Christianity|pages=109–129|access-date=2023-05-05|publisher=Oxford University Press|doi=10.1093/oso/9780198867067.003.0007|isbn=978-0-19-886706-7}}</ref> However, the Nag Hammadi texts place women in roles of leadership and heroism.<ref name=":02"/>{{sfn|King|2003|p={{page needed|date=January 2024}}}}<ref name="Oxford University Press">{{Cite book|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1123192570|title=The Oxford handbook of New Testament, gender, and sexuality|date=2019|editor=Benjamin H. Dunning|isbn=978-0-19-021341-1|location=New York, New York|publisher=Oxford University Press|language=en-us|oclc=1123192570}}</ref>