Setians

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

As Sethians , Hippolytus first referred to a group of Gnostics who, in addition to Valentinianism , should make up a mainstream of non-Christian Gnosis . They related to Seth , the third son of Adam . The mythological personal inventory of the Setians includes Set, who plays a more detailed role than in the Tanach (or Old Testament ), above all Noreia , Noah's wife , who is also important to Mandaeans and Manichaeans .

Setians as a religious community

For the Sethians as a group of people, there are only two church fathers who deal with them in a polemical way as an ancient source. According to Hippolytus (Philos. V), the system of the Setians is based on a trinity of darkness , light and pure spirit . The blending of these three creates heaven and earth . In contrast to other Gnostic systems, the darkness is not inactive matter, but smart and active, and is equated with the water and the snake. The darkness creates a son, the nous (understanding), who is not of its essence, but a detached particle of light and spirit, which however cannot redeem itself. In order to set him free, the Logos of Light make itself equal to the Nous.

A group of this name is also described by Epiphanius of Salamis , who says, however, that they are not widespread and that he cannot remember exactly in which city in Egypt he found them.

Setian writings

Some Nag Hammadi scriptures , especially

were initially summarized as Setian . However, what Hippolytus refers to as a system of this group has little to do with the content of these writings. Therefore Hans-Martin Schenke suggested in the research discussion not to start from the ancient statements, but from the writings in which the Gnostics see themselves as the descendants of Seth and at the same time understand the knowledge of this descent as redemption. As a Sethians, therefore, the circle of carriers of a group of writings is considered, which was only summarized by modern research as "Sethian writings".

Other research positions

However, the mythological system is also inconsistent within this group of writings; So in some scriptures Seth functions as a revelation mediator, in others only as the ancestor of the sex predestined for salvation. Hence, in recent research, the existence of the Setians as a group or system of Setian Gnosis is often denied. In addition, it cannot be clarified whether the writings available today are only superficially Christianized or largely de- Christianized . Porphyrius (Vita Plotini 16) proves that two of the Setian writings ( Zostrianus, Allogenes ) were in use by an intra-Christian group. The idea of ​​a pre-Christian origin in Egypt and the classification of the Manichaean-Mandaean ideas as an impact history is therefore highly doubtful.

Web links