What Was Gnosticism?
Gnosticism was a Christian sect, which was one of many heresies during the second century A.D. Gnosticism held to an eclectic mix of beliefs, combining Christian doctrines, with pre-Christian, Pagan beliefs. Among the most prolific of Gnostics was a man named Marcion, who started his own sect in which he taught that there existed, the “lesser” God of the Hebrew Scriptures and the “greater” God of the New Testament. According to Marcion’s beliefs, the “greater” God was one of forgiveness and love, and it was through him that people could attain salvation and eternal life. Moreover, Marcion argued that the New Testament effectively cancelled out the laws of the Hebrew Scriptures. Marcion’s most important contribution during the early days of the Church, was that he collected the sacred books and writings that supported his religious views. Historians believe that this encouraged leaders of the Christian church to better define and unify their beliefs, to begin collecting the books that w
