Gnosticism: From Nag Hammadi to the Gospel of Judas

The key tenets of the religious movements of ancient Gnosticism, centered in the concept of gnosis; the 1945 discovery of the Nag Hammadi codices, a large cache of ancient manuscripts representing four diverse Gnostic traditions.

The writings of Irenaeus constitute one of the early sources on Gnosticism; investigating whether Irenaeus's claim that the Gnostics deviated from an original Christian truth is accurate; identifying key Gnostic texts.

The importance of the Secret Book as the most important surviving Gnostic text; the Gnostic conception of God as a complex intellect consisting of numerous aspects; the origin of the God of Genesis as an imperfect divinity.

Studying the Secret Book's retelling of the Genesis story and its perspectives on the creation of humanity and the biblical Flood as the work of the false god Ialdaboath; salvation as envisioned in the Secret Book.

The difference between the portrayal of the Gnostic Gospel of Judas and in the New Testament; the prediction regarding the role of Judas in the coming kingdom of God while criticizing the other disciples.

The Revelation of Adam and The Reality of the Rulers rewrite the early chapters of Genesis; how the tests reformulate the story of the Creation, Noah and the Flood, and the question of who will be saved.