According to ancient authors, Carpocrates and his son Epiphanes were considered to represent a little-known Gnostic doctrine characterised by strong links with Platonic philosophy and libertine morality. Carpocrates became famous as the author of an specific interpretation of the theory of metempsychosis, while Epiphanes – as the exponent of collectivity of goods and women. In spite of their significant differences, both doctrines share a lot of similarities, as they are concerned with the same issues – mainly those discussed by Plato in his “Republic”. The article shows tight connections between Carpocrates and Epiphanes and Christianity, apparent in their usage of Jesus’ logia and of radical expressions derived from the letters by Paul of Tarsus.
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S. Pétrement, Le Dieu séparé, 477. La même opinion est exprimée par W. Schultz, Dokumente der Gnosis (Jena, 1910) 68. En outre, Pétrement doute de l’existence d’une gnose « libertine », comme K. Rudolph, Die Gnosis : Wesen und Geschichte einer späntantiken Religion (Göttingen, 21980) 276-277.
Cf. A. Pourkier, L’hérésiologie chez Epiphane, 257-289. Le projet d’Epiphane est très symbolique. A partir du verset Cant 6, 8-9 qui parle de « soixante reines et quatre-vingt concubines » il cherche à établir le nombre correspondant des sectes : vingt avant le Christ et soixante après lui ; cf. The Panarion of Epiphanius of Salamis. Book I (Sects 1-46), transl. by F. Williams (Leiden / Boston, 2009) xx-xxiv.
Tertullien, De anima 23. Tertullien se borne à évoquer les grandes lignes de la doctrine platonicienne, tout en regrettant que Platon a donne inspiration aux doctrines condamnables.
Tertullien, De anima 34-35 ; cf. J.H. Waszink, Quinti Septimi Florentis Tertulliani “De anima”, (Leiden – Boston, Mass., 2010).
Tertullien, De anima 35, 1 ; cf. cf. J.H. Waszink, Quinti Septimi Florentis Tertulliani “De anima”, 410-412.
S. Pétrement, Le Dieu séparé, 476-477. Quand H. Liboron parle de « das platonische Moment im karpokratianischen System », il évoque les mêmes dialogues ; cf. Die karpokratianische Gnosis, 34-43.
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According to ancient authors, Carpocrates and his son Epiphanes were considered to represent a little-known Gnostic doctrine characterised by strong links with Platonic philosophy and libertine morality. Carpocrates became famous as the author of an specific interpretation of the theory of metempsychosis, while Epiphanes – as the exponent of collectivity of goods and women. In spite of their significant differences, both doctrines share a lot of similarities, as they are concerned with the same issues – mainly those discussed by Plato in his “Republic”. The article shows tight connections between Carpocrates and Epiphanes and Christianity, apparent in their usage of Jesus’ logia and of radical expressions derived from the letters by Paul of Tarsus.
All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
---|---|---|---|
Abstract Views | 501 | 53 | 5 |
Full Text Views | 210 | 1 | 0 |
PDF Views & Downloads | 88 | 8 | 0 |