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Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt

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. Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt.

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Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt

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  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)

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