Marcion of Sinope (Marcionism)

[Hermeneutic]

Using Marcion of Sinope (Marcionism) to touch upon Church History. As well as Biblical Studies and Interpretation. By examining a historical example wherein the New Testament replaces the Old Testament rather than being the fulfillment.

In 144 Marcion of Sinope originated the teaching of Marcionism giving rise to the codices of Marcion. A 11 book amalgamation containing an edited, shortened version of early Christian scripture. (also referred to as The Gospel of Marcion)

The Marcionite church network is likely to have been wealthy and established throughout much of the Roman empire. Forming a parallel ecclesiastical presence alongside early Christian activity. Each land surrounded with many Marcionite churches, clergymen and congregations.

Widespread, Organizational Marcionite movements are made evident in extant polemic works of the early theologians. Such as Irenaeus of Lyons and Tertullian of Carthage. Both Devoted writings refuting Marcionism. Both present in the rising Marcionite heresy, defending the unity of the Old and New Testaments amidst emerging heretical doctrine.

Marcionism canonically rejects the Old Testament and followers believed Christ was not a Jewish prophet nor a prophetic fulfillment of Jewish scriptures, But a holy entity that was sent by the supreme being to reveal a higher form. Who ultimately serves to allow humanity escape from the unholy.

The Agathos Daimon (Greek) who is only love and mercy, responsible for sending Christ into the world as the messiah, who is the true supreme being, alien to the created order and opposed to the wrathful God Dikaios (Greek) identified in the Old Testament.

Marcion believed that an inferior deity is responsible for the creation and therefore the world created was defective. That the God identified in the Old Testament is the inferior deity responsible for creating the fallen reality we live in. Marcionism teaches that the God of the Old Testament is inconsistent with the God revealed in the Gospel. Teaching that Christ only appeared in human form and was not incarnate, nor assumed the limitations of human nature. This view that Christ could not truly be united within human nature or material existence and that liberation from order supersedes the redemption of it reminds me of what i see being urged by A.C.

Not that the order be abolished, uprooted, or even hoping for such. That the order be upheld by the most high and restored.

I must admit I'm not above wanting to see the system collapse.

This writing will serve as an open floor.

For the students of the most high.

In the name of The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit, Amen.

[mwtichen]

Gnosticism seems to be making a come back.

I'm not a believer for a few reasons.

Believing the world is fallen gives no reason to explore or understand the natural world. There would be no point to science and I would wonder why a fallen world works as precisely as it does (e.g. why are physical constants constant?).

Also, the Old Testament foretells Jesus. I get that it's popular to dislike the Jews these days, but it doesn't make sense that a devil would have prophets predicting God making an appearance in the flesh.

At first glance, the Demi-Urge does explain evil... but then you may wonder why God would allow a god to exist. I don't think God could be anything but all-knowing, all-powerful, all-good etc., and I have yet to here a good explanation as to why this Demi-Urge exists.

Lastly, I'm not quite sure that the soul is trapped in a body. St. Acquinas (and possibly St. Augustine) held the view that the soul was the form of the human body. I'm not quite sure what to believe about the soul, but the opinion of a intellectual and theological heavy weight puts me on the fence on this.

[Hermeneutic]

Bluntly
Gnostic's are precisely the group that "say they know" in the Torahic aphorism "those that say they know and those that know don't say".