Forbidden Faith: The Secret History of Gnosticism
Oct 2009 · Harper Collins
4.5star
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258
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About this ebook
Scholar Richard Smoley reveals the secret history of the religious doctrines of Gnosticism in Forbidden Faith.
The success of books such as Elaine Pagels's Gnostic Gospels and Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code proves beyond a doubt that there is a tremendous thirst today for finding the hidden truths of Christianity—truths that may have been lost or buried by institutional religion over the last two millennia.
In Forbidden Faith, Richard Smoley narrates a popular history of one such truth, the ancient esoteric religion of Gnosticism, which flourished between the first and fourth centuries A.D., but whose legacy remains even today, having survived secretly throughout the ages.
“Smoley elegantly tracks one of our wildest and most vital inner lineages, the one that comes down through Plotinus, the Gospel of Thomas, the Cathar Perfects, Pico, Blake, Madame Blavatsky, Jung, and the Matrix films.” —Coleman Barks, author of The Essential Rumi
“This clear, concise primer traces the Gnostic threads of philosophy, religion, science and popular culture from their biblical references through to their 21st-century appearances in novels and film. Moving easily from one century to the next while at the same time connecting them to each other, Smoley is at once thoughtful and thought-provoking . . . He paves a wide, clear path to understanding it, accessible even to the weekend seeker.” —Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
“Drawing on an impressive mastery of the subject matter, Smoley traces Gnosticism from the first century CE to the present. A compelling and accessible argument. A thoroughly enjoyable read; highly recommended.” —Library Journal
The success of books such as Elaine Pagels's Gnostic Gospels and Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code proves beyond a doubt that there is a tremendous thirst today for finding the hidden truths of Christianity—truths that may have been lost or buried by institutional religion over the last two millennia.
In Forbidden Faith, Richard Smoley narrates a popular history of one such truth, the ancient esoteric religion of Gnosticism, which flourished between the first and fourth centuries A.D., but whose legacy remains even today, having survived secretly throughout the ages.
“Smoley elegantly tracks one of our wildest and most vital inner lineages, the one that comes down through Plotinus, the Gospel of Thomas, the Cathar Perfects, Pico, Blake, Madame Blavatsky, Jung, and the Matrix films.” —Coleman Barks, author of The Essential Rumi
“This clear, concise primer traces the Gnostic threads of philosophy, religion, science and popular culture from their biblical references through to their 21st-century appearances in novels and film. Moving easily from one century to the next while at the same time connecting them to each other, Smoley is at once thoughtful and thought-provoking . . . He paves a wide, clear path to understanding it, accessible even to the weekend seeker.” —Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
“Drawing on an impressive mastery of the subject matter, Smoley traces Gnosticism from the first century CE to the present. A compelling and accessible argument. A thoroughly enjoyable read; highly recommended.” —Library Journal
Ratings and reviews
4.5
2 reviews
About the author
Richard Smoley was educated at Harvard and Oxford universities and was the editor of Gnosis, the award-winning journal of Western spiritual traditions. He is the co-author (with Jay Kinney) of Hidden Wisdom: A Guide to the Western Inner Traditions, and is the author of Inner Christianity: A Guide to the Esoteric Tradition and The Essential Nostradamus.
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