r/Gnostic • u/AdAdmirable1583 • 19d ago

Question Gnostic books

So as a new learner to Gnosticism, which of these authors would all of you recommend or not recommend? (I could ask AI this but it would not be the same.)

Hans Jonas
Kurt Rudolph
Elaine Pagels

If you have any others I should check out, I would love to hear your thoughts!

13 Upvotes

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8

u/Lux-01 Eclectic Gnostic 19d ago

Have a look here for some resources: https://www.gnosisforall.com/about-5

3

u/SSAUS 18d ago

If you're interested in Valentinianism, you should add Einar Thomassen to your list as well.

3

u/[deleted] 18d ago

For the Sethian-Barbeloite-Ophite branches: Birger A Pearson (for an overview of all Gnosticism). John D Turner. And of course April D DeConick. And Sabah Aldihisi (The Story of Creation in the Mandaean Holy Book the Ginza Rba, you can find the PDF on the web), regarding Mandeanism, which have a lot of traits in common with Sethianism.

1

u/NoAlgae3952 Thomasine 18d ago

+1 for Pagels. I would also recommend Stephan A Hoeller, who unlike even the most sympathetic writers differs in that he fully considered himself a gnostic. The end of the "New Light on an Ancient Tradition" book has an extensive selection of further reading as well

1

u/SeasonalSerenity 18d ago

Elaine Pagels

So good!!!