The Gnostic World

"As a new wave of critical scholarship into Gnosticism, ancient and modern, begins, The Gnostic World is the ideal place to get caught up. Impressively combining concise entries on Gnosticisms familiar and unfamiliar, from the early Christianity to medieval Islam, fin de siècle occultists and 21st century cinema, with digestible summaries of the definitional and theoretical controversies, this will be the standard reference work for many years to come." David G. Robertson, The Open University, UK

"The Gnostic World is a comprehensive, ground-breaking presentation of the diverse beliefs, practices, and social formations related to the movements previously known as "Gnostic." In over forty chapters ranging from the ancient world to contemporary culture, international experts address recent controversy regarding the historical reconstruction of such groups while also breaking new ground in following diverse but interconnected literary and intellectual traditions. The result is a major achievement in the comparative study of religions." Paul Dilley, The University of Iowa, USA

"This broad and comprehensive volume not only includes chapters on Gnostic movements in late antiquity, but also covers more recent religions that are structurally similar to ancient Gnosticism, as well as such topics as anti-cult groups and Gnosticism in fiction and music. It will be an invaluable resource for scholars and other interested readers." Olav Hammer, University of Southern, Denmark.

"The Gnostic World is an impressive collection of interdisciplinary studies of Gnosticism, a phenomenon that has intrigued (and often confused) many people from antiquity through today. Written by leading international experts, the volume explores all dimensions of the topic, often with new insights and fascinating cross-references to other cultural phenomena and theoretical discussions. The Gnostic World is an indispen