The book, numbering solely under 250 pages, is finalize in scope, establishment with round about all of the Gnostic groups of note down from its initiation two millenia ago to its new start in modern days in also an occult and ecclesiastical form. Finish chapters are constant to the Sethians and Valentinians, the Manichaens, the Cathars, and the Mandaens, with quick pointer of other less important groups (which we glumly lack information on) in involving. Afar chapters proposition with Gnostic mythology, psychology, praxis, and, of course, that erroneous impression of "Gnosis" itself. Smith includes a preferably huge time on the modern Gnostic new start which "brings it home", as it were, in a way that nation can know to; works from Blake, Philip Pullman, Philip K. Dick, and other modern works are mentioned, allowing the reader to see how the dissemination of Gnosis never exactingly died out. References, a good bibliography, and an touch are to boot accommodating, which general feeling contents self looking at this from an assiduous perspective.
It is shimmering that Smith is not barely a scholar in this background, but heftily intriguing in the traditions and texts which he studies. His energy is fair in round about every page of the book, and his refinement for Gnosticism is a appetizing disturb for Gnostics indistinguishable individually, who all too evenly footing to maintain with the require eye of heresiological bias. Immobile, in stating this, Smith never abandons former daintiness or lay down learned practice in presenting his views. His arguments are as a rule biting and extensively accepted approximately the assiduous world. One such noise is "Gnosticism is dualist", which consistently raises the ire of modern Gnostics who zealously dispute with the behold. Basic a Gnostic reader vigor relish their lip at any time reading this self-same noise coming from Smith, but it at the appointed time becomes fair that he has found a measure up to involving the lay down view and the modern Gnostic one: "...fashion Gnostic dualism was a dualism within unity." Smith to boot takes cooperation not to bump every Gnostic group concerning the self-same "dualistic" heading: "Nearby is a decisive reworking involving suitable or ahead of its time dualism [...] and mitigated or amend dualism, which posits a good God or good intimidation at the beginning and end, at the greatest close of the concept, but which acknowledges that an unprejudiced evil intimidation or low-grade God has as a lot, or done, nature on our now world. The Sethians and Valentinians were mitigated dualists, the Manichaens suitable dualists." Like a mixture of modern (Valentinian) Gnostics vigor motionless crunch their teeth at the word "dualist" existence recycled surrounding at all, this explict reworking involving suitable and mitigated forms, so well described by Smith, goes a want way to ammending the reasonably pejorative waste of the word.
"The Gnostics" is one of the few foundation texts that covers not far off from the absolute scope of Gnosticism, supply a true and characteristic picture of the trade name and innovation that comes with Gnosis lay aside the ages. In these days at any time nation are questioning the benchmark Christian abide, thirsting now for a tradition that utilises the mythology they are recycled to in a ominously out of the usual run of things and assured way, it is deadly that they augment themselves on these deputy traditions that footing remained a secret for too want in this world. In light of this, this book is one of the few I would present to those who know quiet or secret message about Gnosticism, and yet even for those who unreservedly have an effect in the Gnostic path, for, as Smith puts it, "the opportunities for Gnosis are huge now than they may footing been for poles apart centuries."
"The Gnostics", by Andrew Phillip Smith; Watkins Publishing (2008)
