This is the conclusion to a series on Valentinus, the early Christian condemned by Irenaeus as a "heretic" by association with the Gnostikoi, a designation perpetuated by modern scholars of religious history. I have attempted to rehabilitate his biography and use Valentinus as an example of how the binary dichotomy of "orthodoxy vs. heresy" has... Continue Reading →
In the previous posts of this series, (Valentinus was a Christian, not a "Gnostic": Exploration of the history shaped by the "Orthodoxy vs Heresy" Dichotomy and A History of Orthodoxy vs. Heresy Part II: Valentinus Up Close) I looked at the way Valentinus has been characterized by modern scholars and argued that, with the scant... Continue Reading →
In the previous post, I provided an overview of how Valentinus was characterized by early Church Fathers (heresiologists) and how those reports continue to shape modern scholarship despite evidence to the contrary. In this post, I will look at these issues in more detail. I apologize as this post, with its survey of fragmentary evidence,... Continue Reading →
I'm about to graduate with a degree in Religious Studies. Thursday, I submitted the final paper of my graduate degree: this one an attempt to salvage the reputation of second century Alexandrian Christian (often called "gnostic") Valentinus from the heresiological reports of Church Fathers like Irenaeus and the resulting orthodox historical narrative that shapes... Continue Reading →
