Gnosticism, Existentialism, and
Other Non-Christian Movements
As a Christian living in a particular sociological and political context in a given time-period, we are all exposed to, and raised up in, a plethora of ideas and images which constitute what we consider normal, common, and even, at times, good. Though we strive to be Bible-based first and foremost, we are often subject, consciously or unconsciously, to the hegemonic ideology of the society that we are born within.
In the 1st and 2nd century A.D. (Ad Dominum = "In the Year of Our Lord"), the newly created Church was battling against the heresy of Gnosticism. Gnosticism was not an idea that originated with a perversion of Christianity. Rather, there was a greater Gnostic Movement in that time that affected the ideologies of Judiasm, Christianity, and Middle-Platonic thought. It was an idea and concept which everyone began to talk about, an idea that mixed aspects of Ancient Near East mythology with some of the teachings of Judiasm and Christianity. The Church did not become Gnostic so much as the secular world, which under the "good" Roman emperors who showed more tolerance and less tendency to torture people, began to experiment with Christianity. In doing so, the ideas of the Gnostic movement began to interact with the teachings of the apostles of Jesus Christ. Regardless of whether you are talking about Simon Magus (a.k.a. Simon the Sorcerer in Acts 8:9-24), or Cerenthus, or Saturnilus, or Basilides, or Valentinus, Gnosticism, along with its spurious and pseudepigraphal writings, was completely incompatible with Christian teaching. It took the concerted effort of Irenaeus, in his work "Against Heresies," to put a stop to the in-roads of such ideology within the Church.
In the 20th century, the Church again encountered ideological movements which affected both athiest and Christian communities. On one hand was Darwin's theory of evolution, which originally was a God-guided evolution in contrast to an initial creation of all kinds by God. Interacting with this theory, both scientifically and theologically, has had an impact and continues to guide dialogue and debate in the Church. On the other hand was the ideology of Existentialism. Existentialism can be said to have begun in the 19th century with Soren Kierkegaard who chose to believe that Christianity was true (in a leap of faith) even though it made absolutely no logical sense to him. It was in the 20th century where Existentialism began to get mainstream popularity and people began to forsake God's will for their lives and simply embrace "making your own meaning". The late Ravi Zecharias poignantly observed that, for many people, Existentialism often leads to Nihilism. We can see this blending of Existentialism and Christianity and Eastern-Mysticism in popular movies like "Soul", where the "narrow road" or "staircase to heaven" simply zaps a person out of reality when they reach the top, where the idea of a purpose of life is considered "such a basic idea", where the ultimate goal of a person is simply considered being happy where we are. Or, as Joel Osteen might say, it's "living your best life now". Or as Robert Schuler or Norman Vincent Peale might say, "it's the power of positive thinking."
As Christians, we need to be aware of the messages that society tells us that we might consciously interact with them and to truly live a God-honoring life and to hold true to the Bible's teaching.
"To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter."
2nd Thessalonians 2:14-15 (ESV)
