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Marcionism
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A Father of Christian Gnosticism, Marcion of Sinope founded this early Gnostic group circa 144 CE. This dualist belief system notably rejected the idea that Christianity had Jewish roots, and instead claimed that Christianity was actually distinct from and opposite to the Jewish faith. The Marcion Gnostics felt that all books associated with the Old Testament were actually opposite tales of truth. The Marcionists held maltheistic views of the Hebrew God.
These views led to teachings from the Marcion Gnostics that claimed that the Old Testament God was inconsistent, jealous, wrathful and genocidal. These Gnostics also claimed that the world created by such a God was defective, thus any God that would create such an environment had to be malicious.
The Marcionists also believed that Jesus was not a Jewish Messiah, rather, he was a spiritual entity sent by the True God to reveal the truth about humanity’s existence. Thus, humanity could escape from vengeful trap of the demiurge’s powers.
Finally, the Marcion Gnostic God was referred to as the stranger God or the Alien God. Marcion Gnostics believed that this deity had no previous relationship with the world.
The Marcion Gnostic sect began with its founder’s excommunication from the Catholic Church in 144 CE. Marcion (the founder) used his personal wealth to establish a new religious organization after his displacement from the Orthodox Church.
The Marcion organization spread to both the East and the West. The Western organizations continued for around 300 years, but Marcion Gnosticism’s ideas were prevalent for many years longer. The Eastern schools enjoyed their establishment for a few centuries longer, but eventually crumbled to Manichaeism. This is understandable as Manichaeism has roots in the Mandaean faith. Mandaeism and Marcionism share similar tenets.
The Mystic Christ
by Ethan Walker III
The light of non-duality and the path of love according to the life and teachings of Jesus. The Gnostic path is the inner path to God-realization. Buddha, Krishna, Jesus and the other great Masters are all one and in essence taught the same thing.
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