Christian Gnosis

Ferdinand Christian Baur (1792-1860) was Professor of Theology at the University of Tübingen and is considered by some to be the greatest historical theologian of the nineteenth century, writing seminal studies in the history of religions, New Testament, church history, and history of doctrine.Peter C. Hodgson is Charles G. Finney Professor of Theology Emeritus at the Divinity School of Vanderbilt University. He has specialized in works by Baur and Hegel, as well as in contemporary issues of constructive theology.Robert F. Brown is Professor of Philosophy Emeritus at the University of Delaware. He has specialized in the history of philosophy and the philosophy of religion, with a focus on German idealism.

• Editor's ForewordBaur's PrefaceBaur's Introduction: The Topic of This Investigation and How it Has Been Treated: Massuet, Mosheim, NeanderAbbreviationsPart One: The Concept and Origin of Gnosis, the Division of Gnosis as to Its Various Principal Forms, and Their General Determination1. The Concept of Gnosis2. The Origins of Gnosis3. Classification of the Gnostic SystemsPart Two: The Various Principal Forms of Gnosis1. The Form of Gnosis Linking Christianity Closely to Judaism and Paganism2. The Form of Gnosis Separating Christianity from Judaism and Paganism: The System of Marcion3. The Form of Gnosis Identifying Christianity and Judaism, and Setting Forth Both of Them in Opposition to Paganism: The Pseudo-Clementine SystemPart Three: The Conflict of Gnosis with Neoplatonism and with the Teaching of the Church; the Further Development of Gnosis in Virtue of This ConflictIntroduction: The Pagan and Christian Polemic against Gnosis1. The Polemic of the Neoplatonists against the Gnostics2. The Polemic against Gnosis by the Church Fathers: Irenaeus, Tertullian, and Clement of AlexandriaPart Four: Ancient Gnosis and More Recent Religious Philosophy1. The Transition from Ancient Gnosis to the More Recent Religious Philosophy2. The More Recent Religious PhilosophyIndex of PersonsIndex of Subjects

That Baur's speculative masterpiece, Die christliche Gnosis (1835), has not been translated into English before now has always struck me as a scandal. The translation by Brown of this difficult and sometimes meandering text is impeccable. But what is even more impressive is that in his translation we capture the excitement of Baur's critical retrieval of ancient forms of thought that has shaped a form of modern Protestantism that moves decisively beyond sola scriptura.