Understanding Ancient Gnosticism: Hans Jonas' Insights

1. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt Slides for private use only! Ancient Gnosticism: Hans Jonas‘ Perspective Lecture at Sapienza Universitá Rome Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt May 2015 Freie Universität Berlin Michael.Bongardt@fu-berlin.de

2. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • What was andisGnosticism? • Who was Hans Jonas? • Howdid Hans Jonas interpret „Gnostic Religion“? • Hans Jonas revisited

3. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • What was andisGnosticism? • Sources • Gnosticschoolsandsystems • Characteristicideasandcontents • Gnosticismwithin / againstChristianity? • Gnostic Religion?

4. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • What was andisGnosticism? • Sources

5. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • What was andisGnosticism? 1. Sources • a. Writingsofthe Church Fathers • „Gnosis“ – The aimof a Christian life • New Testament: Mark 6,1-3; 1 Cor 4 • Jesus Christ asteacheroftruth • Christian theologyas „veryphilosophia“ • Clement of Alexandria

6. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • What was andisGnosticism? 1. Sources • Writingsofthe Church Fathers • - true Gnosis againstheresy • - searchingfortruthunderconditionsof a „christologicallaboratory“ (Markschies)

7. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • What was andisGnosticism? 1. Sources • Writingsofthe Church Fathers • Fathersquotinggnosticwritings • Irenaeusof Lyons (135-appr. 200) • Clement of Alexandria (150-215) • Origen (184-254) • et al.

8. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • What was andisGnosticism? 1. Sources • Writingsofthe Church Fathers • Antignosticpolemics • Justin martyr(100-165) • Tertullian (150-after 200) • et al.

9. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • What was andisGnosticism? 1. Sources • b. „Original“ gnosticwritings • CodicesAskewianusandBrucianus(disc. 19th cent.) • Nag Hammadi Library (disc. 1945/1946) • Manichaean Texts fromTurfan(disc. 1902 ff.)

10. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • What was andisGnosticism? 1. Sources • b. „Original“ gnosticwritings • Most ofthem: • Translationsfrom lost GreekdocumentsintoCoptic • Resultofmanyrevisions • Different genres: Gospels, Apocalypses (Revelations), Letters, Prayers, Biographies • Very different mythicideas • Pseudonymous Christian Authors

11. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • What was andisGnosticism? • Sources • Gnosticschoolsandsystems

12. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • What was andisGnosticism? 2.Schools • Marcion (2nd. cent.) • ca. 140 memberof Roman christiancommunity, someyearslaterexcluded • „twogods“: thealienGod vs. theevilDemiourgos (craftsman/creator) • revelationofthealienGodby Jesus Christ • divisionoftheBible • antijudaism

13. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • What was andisGnosticism? 2.Schools • Valentinus (2nd. cent.) • Human beingsweremadeimperfectlybyangels • theyaresavedbyGod / Jesus Christ • importanceof an asceticwayoflife • FollowingValentianism • mythsaboutthehistoryofGodbeforecreation (emanations, different eternities) • antagonisticelementsfightingwithincreation

14. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • What was andisGnosticism? 2.Schools • Mani (216-277 CE) andManichaeism • strong dualism • twoantagonisticprinciplesfromtheverybeginning (beforecreation!) • worldcreatedby an „evil“ god, but itis a mixtureofgoodandevilelements • salvationasliberationofthegoodelementswithin human beings • Manichaeismas a syncretisticreligionuntilthe 15th. century

15. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • What was andisGnosticism? • Sources • Gnosticschoolsandsystems • Characteristicideasandcontents

16. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • What was andisGnosticism? 3. Ideas • (Followingslidesarequotationsfrom Christoph Markschies, Gnosis, p. 16f.) • 1. The experienceof a completelyother-worldly, distant, supremeGod.

17. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • What was andisGnosticism? 3. Ideas • 2. The introduction, whichamongotherthingsisconditionedbythis, offurtherdivinefigures, orthesplittingupofexistingfiguresthatarecloserto human beingsthanthe remote supremeGod.

18. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • What was andisGnosticism? 3. Ideas • 3. The estimationoftheworldand matter asevilcreationand an experience, conditionedbythis, ofthealienationofthegnostic in theworld.

19. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • What was andisGnosticism? 3. Ideas • 4. The introductionof a distinctcreatorGodorassistant: withinthePlatonictradition he iscalled ‚craftsman‘ – Greekdemiurgos – andissometimesdescribedasmerely ignorant, but sometimes also asevil.

20. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • What was andisGnosticism? 3. Ideas • 5. The explanationofthisstateofaffairsby a mythologicaldrama in which a divineelementthat falls fromitssphereinto an evilworldslumbers in human beingsofoneclassas a divinesparkandcanbefreedfromthis.

21. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • What was andisGnosticism? 3. Ideas • 6. Knowledge (‚gnosis‘) aboutthisstate, which, howevercanbegainedonlythrough a redeemerfigurefromtheotherworldwhodescendsfrom a highersphereandascendstoitagain.

22. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • What was andisGnosticism? 3. Ideas • 7. The redemptionof human beingsthroughtheknowledgeof ‚thatGod (orthespark) is in them‘.

23. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • What was andisGnosticism? 3. Ideas • 8. Andfinally a tendencytowardsdualism in different typeswhichcan express itself in theconceptofGod, in theoppositionofspiritand matter, and in anthropology. • (End ofquote)

24. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • What was andisGnosticism? • Sources • Gnosticschoolsandsystems • Characteristicideasandcontents • Gnosticismwithin / againstChristianity?

25. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • What was andisGnosticism? 4. Christianity? • Indicatorsfor a „Christian Gnosticism“ • Manypseudonymousauthorsofgnosticwritings • ManyreferencestotheBible in gnosticwritings • The ideaof a divinesaviour, comingfromandgoing back toGod in heaven • Claims for an asceticwayoflife

26. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • What was andisGnosticism? 4. Christianity? • Impossibilityof a „Christian Gnosticism“ • Christians believe in Godasthegoodcreatorof a verygoodworld • Christians rejecttheideaby Mani andothersthatthereisevilprincipalfightingagainstGod on hisdivinelevel

27. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • What was andisGnosticism? 4. Christianity? • Common problems in ChristianityandGnosticism: • HowtothinkabouttherelationshipbetweentheabsolutelytranscendentGodandthe limited worldandthemortal human being? • Howtothinkabouttheoriginoftheevil? • Howtothinkaboutknowledgeandsalvation? • BothreferedtoPlatonismandNeoplatonismto find theiranswers.

28. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • What was andisGnosticism? • Sources • Gnosticschoolsandsystems • Characteristicideasandcontents • Gnosticismwithin / againstChristianity? • Gnostic Religion?

29. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • What was andisGnosticism? 5. Religion? • Therearegnosticwaysofthinking in severalreligions – but thereisnouniquegnostic Religion.

30. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • What was andisGnosticism? • Who was Hans Jonas?

31. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • II. Who was Hans Jonas? • Short biography • The „Marburg Triangle“ • Jonas‘ approachtoreligion

32. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • II. Who was Hans Jonas? 1.Short biography • 1903 Hans Jonas was born in Mönchengladbach • 1921-28 Studies in Freiburg, Berlin, Marburg • 1933 Emigration to London • 1934 Emigration to Jerusalem • 1940-45 Soldierofthe British Army • 1948-49 SoldieroftheArmyof Israel • 1949 Emigration to Canada (fellow at severaluniversities) • 1954 Emigration to USA • 1954-76 Professor at New School, New York • 1993 Hans Jonas passedaway in New York

33. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • II. Who was Hans Jonas? 1.Short biography • Areas of Research • ReligiousStudies, Theology • (Christianity, Gnosticism, Judaism) • PhilosophicalBiology • (an ontologicalinterpretationofevolution) • Ethics • (The Principleofresponsibility)

34. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • II. Who was Hans Jonas? • Short biography • The „Marburg Triangle“

35. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • II. Who was Hans Jonas? 2. Marburg Triangel • Martin Heidegger • (1889 – 1976) • in Marburg • 1924 – 1927

36. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • II. Who was Hans Jonas? 2. Marburg Triangel • Rudolf Bultmann • (1884 – 1976) • in Marburg • 1905 – 1916 • 1921 – 1976

37. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • II. Who was Hans Jonas? 2. Marburg Triangle • Hans Jonas • (1903 – 1993) • in Marburg • 1923 - 1933

38. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • II. Who was Hans Jonas? 2. Marburg Triangle • Keywords in the Marburg Triangle • „Sein und Dasein“ – the human being • Existentialism • Myth • Demythologization

39. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • II. Who was Hans Jonas? • Short biography • The „Marburg Triangle“ • Jonas‘ approachtoreligion

40. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • II. Who was Hans Jonas? 3.Approach toreligion • Human experienceofworld, man, andGodasstartingpointofselfinterpretation • Selfinterpretationasstartingpointofreligion • MythanddogmaascondensedandfixedSelfinterpretation

41. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • II. Who was Hans Jonas? 3.Approach toreligion • Demythologisationasinterpretationofreligioussystems • UncoveringtheselfinterpretationbehindtheMythsanddogmas • Contextualizingtheselfinterpretation • Understanding themeaningofmythsanddogmas • - Critical investigationofpastandpresence

42. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • What was andisGnosticism? • Who was Hans Jonas? • Howdid Hans Jonas interpret „Gnostic Religion“?

43. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • III. Jonas‘ interpretationofGnosticism • The backgroundofgnosticsystems • The consequencesofgnosticideas

44. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • III. Jonas‘ interpretationofGnosticism1. Background • Intensive historicalandphilologicalresearch on thesourcesaboutGnosticism • 2 publishedVolumes: Gnosticismandthespiritoflateantiquity • But mostimportant: • The existentialisticinterpretationofGnosticism: • „Demythologization“

45. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • III. Jonas‘ interpretationofGnosticism1. Background • Characteristicsofgnosticsystems: • a gappingabyssbetween • Godandtheworld • human beingsandtheworld • human beingsandGod • nochaos but order • - gnosticsystemsestablishorder • - System ofgods, angels, powers, matter etc. • - theorderoftheworldasorderof a prison • - theorderofsalvation

46. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • III. Jonas‘ interpretationofGnosticism1. Background • ContradictionsagainstBibleandancientphilosophy: • Bible • The transcendentGodcreatedtheworldwell • He gave a goodordertotheworld • The worldshouldbethehomeofmankindandtheobjectof ist responsibility

47. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • III. Jonas‘ interpretationofGnosticism1. Background • ContradictionsagainstBibleandancientphilosophy: • Ancientphilosophy, partcularlyStoicism • - „Logos“: the rational orderofthewholebeing • - human capacitytorecogniceandunderstandtheorder • - freedomasacceptingthe rational order

48. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • III. Jonas‘ interpretationofGnosticism1. Background • Feelings behindtheMyths • Alienation • Loneliness • Worthlessness • Desireforextramundansalvation

49. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • III. Jonas‘ interpretationofGnosticism1. Background • Feelings behindtheMyths • „Greekthoughthadbeen a grandexpressionof man‘s belongingtotheworld (if not unreservedlytomereterrestriallife) […]: gnosticthoughtisinspiredbytheanguisheddiscoveryof man‘s cosmicsolitude, oftheutterothernessofhisbeingtothatoftheuniverse at large.“ • (Jonas, Gnostic Religion, p. 251)

50. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt • III. Jonas‘ interpretationofGnosticism1. Background • Socialcontext: From „polis“ to „Imperium Romanum“: • „But thenewatomizedmassesofthe Empire, whohadnevershared in that noble traditionofareté, mightreactverydifferentlyto a situation in whichtheyfoundthemselvespassivelyinvolved: a situation in whichthepart was insignificanttothewhole, andthewholealientotheparts.“ • (Jonas, Gnostic Religion, p. 249)