Knowledge of the Heart: Gnostic Movements and Secret Traditions (The Canonbury Papers volume 5)

This fifth volume of The Canonbury Papers contains the twelve papers delivered at the Eighth International Conference, held at the Canonbury Academy in November 2006, on Gnosticism and related movements Gnosticism, in its essence, is a heterodox form of Christianity that developed in the Second Century out of dualist schools of thought within the Church. These schools drew upon older and parallel religions of their day, and relied on revealed knowledge (gnosis) rather than on grace as the means of salvation. Although they did not survive the collapse of the Roman Empire, the Gnostics and their teaching became an integral part of the Western Hermetic Tradition. The Gnostic tradition has thus provided a continuing philosophical and religious influence on later spiritual and esoteric movements, including Freemasonry, and most notably during the last two centuries. In recognition of this influence the conference sought to bring together such distinguished speakers as Professor James Robinson – the world’s foremost authority on Gnosticism, Colin Wilson and Tobias Churton, together with prominent scholars from a variety of disciplines, creating a forum for new insights into the meaning and value of Gnosticism in both its classical and modern forms.