FORERUNNERS AND RIVALS OF CHRISTIANITY
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS
C. F. CLAY, MANAGER
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FORERUNNERS AND RIVALS OF CHRISTIANITY
BEING
STUDIES IN RELIGIOUS HISTORY
FROM 330 B.C. TO 330 A.D.
BY
F. LEGGE, F.S.A.
(Honorary) Foreign Secretary Society of Biblical Archaeology,
Member of Council Royal Asiatic Society,
Member of Committee Egypt Exploration Fund, &c.
“The ghosts of words and dusty dreams”
“Old memories, faiths infirm and dead”
SWINBURNE, _Félise_.
IN TWO VOLUMES
VOL. II
Cambridge:
at the University Press
1915
Cambridge:
PRINTED BY JOHN CLAY, M.A.
AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS
CONTENTS
CHAPTER VII
POST-CHRISTIAN GNOSTICS
Expectation of Parusia causes Gnosticism to be ignored by Apostolic
writers—Change in Christian teaching at end of Ist century—Destruction
of Temple of Jerusalem forces Christians to separate from Jews—Some
compromise with heathenism necessary—Coveted position of Christian
bishops—Founders of Gnostic sects—Only evidence of their teaching till
lately, Irenaeus and Epiphanius, both unsatisfactory—Discovery of
_Philosophumena_ of Hippolytus, and Salmon and Stähelin’s attacks on its
credibility—The _Pistis Sophia_ and _Bruce Papyrus_—General features of
Post-Christian Gnostics—Their belief in Divinity and Historicity of
Jesus—Difficulties arising from this and their various solutions—Secrecy
of doctrine common among Gnostics and consequent calumnies—Many Gnostic
doctrines still doubtful—Parallel between the Gnostic and Protestant
sects—Gnosticism bridge between heathenism and Christianity—Effect of
this on Catholic practice and doctrine 1-24