Gnosticism

[nos-tuh-siz-uhm]

noun

Christianity.

1. a group of ancient heresies, stressing escape from this world through the acquisition of esoteric knowledge.

Gnosticism

/ ˈnɒstɪˌsɪzəm /

noun

1. a religious movement characterized by a belief in gnosis, through which the spiritual element in man could be released from its bondage in matter: regarded as a heresy by the Christian Church

Word History and Origins

Origin of Gnosticism¹

First recorded in 1660–70; Gnostic + -ism

Example Sentences

The film’s philosophical questions are cryptically asserted, something about Gnosticism and the origins of evil.

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As the ultrawealthy have multiplied, some Americans have drifted toward a sort of billionaire Gnosticism, a sense that we live in a fallen world run by a demonic group of plutocrats.

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Through a bizarre philosophy that wove Kabbalah, Gnosticism and Sabbatai’s ideas with worship of the Divine Mother, Frank believed he was achieving tikkun olam, the Jewish ideal of repairing the world.

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I bought a house there from a chapter of the Order of the Oriental Templars once run by Aleister Crowley, who had his own take on Gnosticism.

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He was also deeply invested in Gnosticism, although there I cannot follow him, since my understanding of Gnosticism is as limited as my understanding of what it is that hedge fund managers do.

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