What makes gnosticism a heresy?

GNOSTICISM: GNOSTICISM AS A CHRISTIAN HERESY. Their orthodox opponents sought to prove that such persons were not Christians on the grounds that Gnostic rites were occasions of immoral behavior, that their myths and doctrines were absurd, and that their intentions were destructive to true worship of God.

Is Gnosticism a religion or heresy?

Origins. The origins of Gnosticism are obscure and still disputed. The proto-orthodox Christian groups called Gnostics a heresy of Christianity, but according to the modern scholars the theology’s origin is closely related to Jewish sectarian milieus and early Christian sects.

What is the basis of Gnosticism?

Gnosticism is based on two false premises: It espouses a dualism regarding spirit & matter. Gnostics assert that matter is inherently evil and spirit is good. As a result of this presupposition, Gnostics believe anything done in the body, even the grossest sin, has no meaning because real life exists in the spirit realm only.

Who condemned Gnosticism as heretical?

Early Christian church fathers such as Origen, Tertullian, Justin Martyr and Eusebius of Caesarea condemned gnostic teachers and beliefs as heretical . The term Gnosticism is derived from the Greek word gnosis, meaning “to know” or “knowledge.”

Why do Gnostics believe sex is evil?

This is direct contradiction of the Christian belief that, as the Book of Genesis says, God saw that what he created was good. As a result of this foundational dualism, Gnostics believed the human body was evil, and sex was per se evil.

What is dualism in Gnosticism?

Dualism: Gnostics believed that the world was divided into the physical and spiritual realms. The created, material world (matter) is evil, and therefore in opposition to the world of the spirit, and that only the spirit is good.