Ancient Gnosticism was a collection of various spiritual ideas that endorsed the existence of a supreme divinity prevailing in the form of an esoteric light. This mystical power is believed to have created the materialistic universe in which humans live.
On the contrary, agnosticism is the belief that there is no way to tell whether God exists. People who identify with the ideology believe that God’s existence is unknown since no scientific testimonies clear the doubt.
Key Takeaways
- Gnostic refers to the belief in having knowledge or a higher understanding of spiritual or philosophical concepts. In contrast, agnostic refers to the belief that knowing or being certain about such concepts is impossible.
- Gnostics claim a direct and personal connection to a divine or spiritual reality. At the same time, agnostics believe such a reality is unknown and perhaps unknowable.
- Gnosticism is associated with a more mystical and esoteric approach to spirituality, while agnosticism is associated with a more rational and sceptical approach.
Gnostic vs. Agnostic
The difference between gnostic and agnostic is that a gnostic person accepts the existence of a supreme ethereal power or God. In contrast, an agnostic person believes that the existence of God can neither be proved nor disproved.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Gnostic | Agnostic |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | ‘Gnostic’ is a term designated to people who identify with Gnosticism. | ‘Agnostic’ is a term designated to people who identify with agnosticism. |
| Belief | A Gnostic person believes that God or a supreme ethereal power beyond human reason exists; this power is believed to have created the materialistic universe, which is burdened with illusion and temptation. | An agnostic person believes that whether or not God exists is unknown or unknowable and that human reason is incapable of justifying either of the beliefs. |
| Approach | Gnosticism emphasizes an ‘inward feeling’ relating to the perception of God, which is created through personal experience. | Agnosticism emphasizes the principles of science, which demand a theory to be proved or disproved before it is considered factual. |
| Knowledge | Gnosticism asserts that humans can attain salvation from the materialistic universe by gaining knowledge of the supreme and divine God. | Agnostics believe that there is no such knowledge with scientific grounds, and thus, there is no way to conclude; they deny the existence of anything beyond material phenomena. |
| Origin | The place where Gnosticism originated is uncertain. However, some scholars believe it has Judaeo-Christian roots; the recent discovery of the Nag-Hammadi manuscripts suggests that Gnosticism existed in Ancient Egypt. | The term ‘agnostic’ was coined in 1869 by the biologist Thomas Henry Huxley. |
What is Gnostic?
‘Gnostic’ is a term attributed to a person who identifies with the ideology of Gnosticism. This ideology is believed to have developed alongside Judaism and Christianity over 2000 years ago.
The concept involved various religious beliefs and ideas around God at that time. However, the lost Coptic manuscripts discovered near Nag-Hammadi, Egypt, shed entirely new light on what was considered a gnostic belief in ancient times.
Instead of trusting in the Authority of the Church and Orthodox teachings, Gnosticism emphasized gaining spiritual knowledge in that period. ‘Gnostic’ was derived from the Greek word ‘gnosis,’ which translates to ‘knowing.’
Gnosticism revolved around the belief in knowing the existence of a supreme ethereal power beyond the physical realm. It meant believing in one’s perception of God that was created through personal experiences.
On the other hand, Modern Gnosticism has no specific features that can help identify or categorize the group. However, many groups have one or more features that relate to the ancient belief system.
What is Agnostic?
‘Agnostic’ is a term attributed to a person who identifies with the ideology of agnosticism. This ideology is confused with being a religion or creed. However, agnosticism means whether God exists is unknown and possibly unknowable.
The term ‘agnostic’ was coined in 1869 by the biologist Thomas Henry Huxley. He mentioned it in his speech at a meeting of the Metaphysical society while rejecting the idea of the existence of anything beyond material phenomena.
Agnosticism was laid out to be a method of scientific inquiry based on proof and evidence. It inspired many great thinkers and philosophers, including David Hume and Immanuel Kant.
Moreover, it has been observed that agnosticism has many similarities with Hindu Philosophy, such as in the Rig Veda, which cites an agnostic view regarding the creation of the universe.
Whether ancient or modern, agnosticism is believed to have the essence of science. The ideology means that since no scientific grounds prove or disprove God’s existence, one must not profess to know or believe in it.
Main Differences Between Gnostic and Agnostic
- A gnostic person identifies with Gnosticism, while an agnostic person identifies with agnosticism.
- Ancient Gnosticism was a set of spiritual beliefs emphasizing attaining salvation through knowledge of the supreme divine. In contrast, Agnosticism means that any such divine power is unknown and possibly unknowable.
- Gnosticism emphasizes an ‘inward feeling’ about one’s perception of God, while agnosticism emphasizes no knowledge of God based on scientific grounds.
- Gnosticism asserts that humans need to attain salvation from this material universe and return to the divine light from which humans flow (are born). On the other hand, agnosticism denies the existence of anything beyond material phenomena.
- Gnosticism is believed to have developed alongside Judaism and Christianity, while ‘agnostic’ was a term coined by Thomas Henry Huxley in 1869.
- https://www.jstor.org/stable/40982356
- https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=WlwYDAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=agnostic+meaning&ots=0nhmH2BeaO&sig=tRHt-vrlIBwLtvORO6A0SH6yud4
Last Updated : 13 July, 2023
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I expected a more critical examination of the ideological implications and impact of Gnosticism and Agnosticism from the article.
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