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25-50 |
50-75 |
75-100 |
100-125 |
125-150 |
150-175 |
175-200 |
200-225 |
225-250 |
250-275 |
275-300 |
300-325 |
325-350 |
350-375 |
375-400 |
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Brief Overview of Gnosticism |
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Jesus early years |
Jesus Crucified and Risen (~30) |
Most of New Testament Written [e.g. 1&2 Thes
(51-52); 1&2 Corinthians (53-54); Gal., Col, Rom (56-57); Luk, Col, Phil.,
Eph (60-63); 1&2 Pet (65); 1&2 Tim, Titus, Heb (65-67); Matt, Mark. Luke
(64-66)] |
1, 2, and 3 John (80-85) |
John dies (100) |
Marcion uses personal wealth to advance gnostic
ideas (140-160) |
Valentinus (gnostic) dies (~153) |
Tertullian converted (197-198) (church leader
from Carthage. Strongly opposed gnosticism, teachings of Marcion) |
Irenaeus dies (202) |
Origen writes "First Principles" (first
"Systematic Theology") (230) |
Origen dies (254) |
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Constantine's vision (312) (Emperor of Rome from
306 to 337) |
Constantiine dies (336) |
Athanasius produces the first list we have of
all 27 books of the NT (367) |
Augustine Converted (386) |
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Yahweh (The primary name of God in Hebrew--occuring
over 6500 times in the O.T.) was a minor god who "messed up" when he created
the physical world. Yahweh was "created" by a goddess named "Sophia" (Greek
for "wisdom") who, in turn, was "created" by the ultimate spirit (sometimes
called "Bythos," [Greek for "profound depth"] who is hidden from us) |
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Paul's ministry begins (~32) |
Acts (66-68) (Record in Acts closes at about
63-64) |
John and Rev (90-95) |
Ignatius martyred (~110?) (3rd pastor of
Antioch, appointed by Peter) (discipled by Peter and John) (urged church to
worship on Sunday, not Saturday) |
Valentinus (gnostic) narrowly loses election as
Bishop of Rome (143) |
Polycarp Martyred (155) (stabbed, burned at the
stake) |
Irenaeus (disciple of Polycarp)-- wrote "Against
Heresies" [i.e., gnosticism] (185) (pastor of Lugdunum, Gaul (now Lyons,
France)) |
Origen begins writing (202) (brilliant
Alexandrian theologian, though he had some unorthodox views) |
Origen: Very Allegorical; wrote first NT
commentaries, Hexapla (6 cols: Heb., LXX, 4 Greek) |
"Gospel of Philip" (~250?) [Some date it 100
years earlier, believing it to have been collected and partially written by
the gnostic Valentinus] |
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Arius begins Arianism (319) (Belief that Jesus
was created by God and was a lesser "God") |
Coptic version of Gospel of Thomas (340) (Nag
Hammadi documents) |
Athanasius dies (373) |
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All physical things are "evil" by nature.
(Contrary to what God says about His "good" creation in Genesis!) |
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Nero persecution (64-67) |
Clement (4th pastor of Rome) writes letter to
Corinth. His writings are filled with NT references. |
Ignatius was unwilling to try to avoid the
bloody martyrdom of the arena, proclaiming that his faith in Christ had
delivered him from power and fear of death. |
Marcion excommunicated (144) |
Montanus introduces Montanism (156) (Montanism:
fresh revelations that supercede Scripture; prophecy; ecstastic experiences;
tongues) |
Irenaeus affirms 4 gospels as inspired (to
refute Gnosticism) |
Possible Greek fragments of Gospel of Thomas
(200) |
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Eusebius born (260) (church historian and
apologist) |
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Athanasius (Pastor of church at Alexandria)
fights Arianism |
Arius dies (336) |
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The gnostic Christ and the man Jesus are two
distinct beings. Christ (a spirit being) came upon Jesus at his baptism and
left before his crucifixion. Christ came to show us secret knowledge that
enables us to escape the evil material world. |
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Both Peter and Paul martyred (67-68) |
Polycarp discipled by John |
Marcion (gnostic) born (~110) |
Justin Martyr (Early Christian teacher and
apologist) fights Marcion [i.e., gnosticism] (~150) |
Tatian's Diatessaron (160-175) (Harmony of the 4
Gospels) |
Victor 1 (Bishop of Rome) (very intolerant of
other churches, excommunicating pastors who opposed his views of when to
celebrate Easter) |
Tertullian becomes a Montanist (207) |
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Church rejects Arianism at Council of Nicea
(325) (The council affirmed what New Testament Christianity had taught all
along and repudiated more recent unbiblical beliefs.) |
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Jesus' death has nothing to do with our
salvation. Salvation comes by understanding secret and hidden knowledge
(Greek: gnosis, hence "gnostics") |
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Temple destroyed (70) |
Persecution begins under Roman Emperors Domitian
and Trajan (95) |
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Gospel of Thomas written by gnostics (~150) (
some liberals date it during 1st century, on weak evidence). Teaches
salvation through knowledge. (e.g., Jesus is said to have said, 'If you
bring forth what is within you, what you have will save you") |
Marcion dies (~160) |
Many gnostic writings appear between 150 and 200
AD, including the now infamous so-called "Gospel of Judas." |
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Eusebius (died in 340) lists many gnostic
documents by name that had been rejected by the church, including the
"Gospel of Thomas" |
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Gnostics tended to be "syncretistic" (i.e., they
mixed together Christian, Jewish, Greek, and other beliefs). |
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Polycarp born (~70) |
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Polycarp pastors church at Smyrna (celebrated
crucifixion at Nisan 14, unlike church at Rome) |
Justin Martyr dies (165) |
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In their quest for "enlightenment" based on
hidden knowledge, gnostics show similarity to eastern religions, such as
Buddhism. |
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Soter (Bishop at Rome) makes Easter an Official
celebration |
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The early church quickly recognized the
unbiblical and heretical nature of gnosticism and began refuting it
immediately. |
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Gnostic writings began to appear and spread in
the second century--50 to 100 years after the New Testament gospels and
letters. |