诺斯底派(Gnosticism)

西元2～3世纪盛行於罗马世界的宗教与哲学运动。诺斯底派一词以希腊文gnosis（意为「知识」）为基础，到17世纪才造出字来，当时自由应用於古代基督教异端派别，特别是被正统教徒描述为激进二元论和拒绝世界的派别，他们从神秘启示和神秘灵性中寻求救赎。19世纪晚期和20世纪早期的研究以几种归类取代了诺斯底派的观点。较少为人知的古基督教变异出现於〈雅各福音〉和〈玛利亚福音〉（把抹大拉的圣玛利亚描绘成主要的使徒）。他们强调救赎的关键是耶稣的教化，而不是祂的死亡和复活。华伦泰诺斯底派是另一个团体。其他原先被视为诺斯底派的文献如今被指为属於独特的宗教传统，尤其是赫尔墨斯派（参阅Hermetic writings）、曼达派、摩尼教。塞特教的文献一直是属於诺斯底派的最佳证明，其中描述一位至高无上的善良上帝，和次要天神（苏菲亚）创造出一个自称上帝的傲慢怪物。这个怪物收回人类的永生和道德知识，但苏菲亚在人身中植入圣灵以拯救他们。男性及女性救世主（包括耶稣）从天国被派来教导人类关於真神的知识和人类自身的神性。

English version：

Gnosticism

Religious and philosophical movement popular in the Roman world in the 2nd-3rd century AD. The term, based on the Greek gnosis (“knowledge”), was not coined until the 17th century, when it was applied liberally to ancient Christian heretical sects, especially those described by their orthodox contemporaries as radically dualistic and world-denying, and who sought salvation through esoteric revelation and mystical spirituality. Late-19th- and early-20th-century research replaced that view of Gnosticism with several groupings. Lesser-known varieties of ancient Christianity are represented in the Gospel of Thomas and the Gospel of Mary (which portrays Mary Magdalene as a leading apostle). They emphasized the teachings of Jesus, rather than his death and resurrection, as the key to salvation. The Valentian Gnostics were another group. Other texts previously considered Gnostic are now assigned to distinct religious traditions, especially Hermeticism (see Hermetic writings), Mandaeanism, and Manichaeism. The texts of the Sethians have the best claim to the designation “Gnostic”; they describe one supreme, good God and the creation, by a junior heavenly being (Sophia), of an arrogant creature who then claims to be God. That creature withholds from humanity moral knowledge and eternal life, but Sophia plants the divine spirit within people to save them. Male and female saviors (including Jesus) were sent from the world above to instruct humanity in the knowledge of the true God and humanity's own divine nature.