Author: David Brakke File Type: pdf Who were the Gnostics? And how did the Gnostic movement influence the development of Christianity in antiquity? Is it true that the Church rejected Gnosticism? This book offers an illuminating discussion of recent scholarly debates over the concept of Gnosticism and the nature of early Christian diversity. Acknowledging that the category Gnosticism is flawed and must be reformed, David Brakke argues for a more careful approach to gathering evidence for the ancient Christian movement known as the Gnostic school of thought. He shows how Gnostic myth and ritual addressed basic human concerns about alienation and meaning, offered a message of salvation in Jesus, and provided a way for people to regain knowledge of God, the ultimate source of their being. Rather than depicting the Gnostics as heretics or as the losers in the fight to define Christianity, Brakke argues that the Gnostics participated in an ongoing reinvention of Christianity, in which other Christians not only rejected their ideas but also adapted and transformed them. This book will challenge scholars to think in news ways, but it also provides an accessible introduction to the Gnostics and their fellow early Christians. (20110701)ReviewNot since Elaine Pagelss ground-breaking and best-selling The Gnostic Gospels (1979) has there been a work that communicates so clearly the content and significance of the Gnostics for our understanding of early Christian history. The public and the academy need The Gnostics.--Denise Buell, Williams College (20110121)A model for how to engage in careful social historical reconstruction.--Stephen Davis, Yale UniversityBrakke has a growing reputation for his studies on the history and literature of ancient Christianity, and he moves easily among the sources, making good sense of the sometimes scanty evidence...The Gnostics is a book to be warmly commended to those who have an interest in the development of Christianity.--Nicholas King, SJ (Times Literary Supplement )Perhaps the finest aspect of this book is the way that Brakke successfully nuances the conflict models of early Christian history that remain current in most introductory texts. Rather than merely keying students to the varieties of early Christianity, Brakke introduces beginners to a more open narrative that has emerged recently. This model focuses on the agonistic production of orthodox and heterodox identities through processes of textual production, interpretation, ritual, and so forth. Brakke accomplishes this through a style that is lucid without falling into oversimplification.--J. Schott (Choice ) About the AuthorDavid Brakke is Joe R. Engle Chair in the History of Christianity and Professor of History, Ohio State University.

Author: Itzhak Bentov File Type: pdf A lighthearted yet profound guide to the realms of higher consciousness and the ultimate nature of reality. Explains some of the most difficult concepts of physics and heightened consciousness in ways that are easily understood. Presents a model for the interaction of the universe and human thought that has profound implications for our future. All aboard for the excursion of a lifetime as Itzhak Bentov, the celebrated engineer, inventor, and mystic, takes you on a tour of the universe, pure consciousness, and all that lies beyond. Using comical sketches, simple metaphors, and his famous wit and humor, Bentov explains the nature of reality, points out the sights in Nirvana and the Void, and eventually takes you to a meeting with your higher self. Along the way, Bentov illuminates the Kabbalistic principles of number and sound, the meaning of cosmic shapes and symbols, the consciousness of devas, and the nature of the absolute. Ultimately, he shows that the universe and thought are inseparable, and that the thoughts of all human beings affect each other and in turn the whole universe--an idea with obvious and far-reaching implications. Anyone interested in the inner reaches of the mind, the greater structure of the cosmos, and the spiritual evolution of humanity will find A Brief Tour of Higher Consciousness an informed and delightful traveling companion. ReviewA delightfully ingenious cosmic comedy on the nature and structure of ultimates. Here are travelers tales such as you rarely find metaphysical jaunts from one end of the universe to the other.(*Jean Houston, The Foundation for Mind Research* )A Brief Tour of Higher Consciousness is a user-friendly, comical approach to what can be impenetrable subject matter. Bentov keeps in touch with his audience by providing it with images and physical analogies. For those who crave a more objective view of the same philosophy, Bentovs work is complemented by a selection of essays by other authors dealing with same subject matter in a more traditionally scientific manner. Though not as easy to read as Bentovs humorous writing, it is refreshing to see something annotated and sustantiated. It reminds us that the insights gained from Bentovs intuition have their roots in fields ranging from Eastern philosophy to modern physics. A Brief Tour of Higher Consciousness is a light but satisfying foray into the cosmos. It will please both the layperson and the educated physicist, and will make anyone chuckle. (*Patrick Brennan, Fate, February 2001* )He is another author who has successfully shown the parallels between science and spirituality. I most recommend his works, especially A Brief Tour of Higher Consciousness for it will inspire you in most unimaginable ways. (Jaye C. Beldo, *The Konformist )This is a book to puzzle you, delight you, and give you some Ahs in your search to meet yourself and the nature of reality! (*Arlene Goetze, Network for Womens Spirituality, MarchAprilMay 2002 ) *From the Back CoverCONSCIOUSNESS A delightfully ingenious cosmic comedy on the nature and structure of ultimates. Here are travelers tales such as you rarely find--metaphysical jaunts from one end of the universe to the other. --Jean Houston, Ph.D. The Foundation for Mind Research All aboard for the excursion of a lifetime as Itzhak Bentov, the celebrated engineer, inventor, and mystic, takes you on a tour of the universe, pure consciousness, and all that lies beyond. Using comical sketches, simple metaphors, and his famous wit and humor, Bentov explains the nature of reality, points out the sights in Nirvana and the Void, and eventually takes you to a meeting with your higher self. Along the way, Bentov illuminates the Kabbalistic principles of number and sound, the meaning of cosmic shapes and symbols, the consciousness of devas, and the nature of the absolute. Ultimately, he shows that the universe and thought are inseparable, and that the thoughts of all human beings affect each other and in turn the whole universe--an idea with obvious and far-reaching implications.Anyone interested in the inner reaches of the mind, the greater structure of the cosmos, and the spiritual evolution of humanity will find A Brief Tour of Higher Consciousness an informed and delightful traveling companion. ITZHAK BENTOV was a mechanical engineer who combined a brilliant mind for mechanisms and structures with a lifelong interest in meditation to describe quantum physics and the advanced states of higher awareness in ways easily grasped by readers. He is also the author of Stalking the Wild Pendulum. *