Although the Valentinians publicly professed their faith in one God, "in their own private meetings they insisted on discriminating between the popular image of God – as master, king, lord, creator, and judge – and what that image represented: God understood as the ultimate source of all being." Aside from the Church .
Although the Valentinians publicly professed their faith in one God, "in their own private meetings they insisted on discriminating between the popular image of God – as master, king, lord, creator, and judge – and what that image represented: God understood as the ultimate source of all being.".
According to the Gnostics, this world, the material cosmos, is the result of a primordial error on the part of a supra-cosmic, supremely divine being, usually called Sophia (Wisdom) or simply the Logos..
Valentinus, (flourished 2nd century ce), Egyptian religious philosopher, founder of Roman and Alexandrian schools of gnosticism, a system of religious dualism (belief in rival deities of good and evil) with a doctrine of salvation by gnōsis, or esoteric knowledge..
Circa 153 AD, Valentinius developed a complex cosmology outside the Sethian tradition.
At one point he was close to being appointed the Bishop of Rome of what is now the Roman Catholic Church.
Works attributed to his school are listed below, and fragmentary pieces directly linked to him are noted with an asterisk:.
"Valentinus and Valentinians".
Catholic Encyclopedia.
New York:
Notable Valentinians included Heracleon, Ptolemy, Florinus, Marcus and Axionicus.
Valentinus professed to have derived his ideas from Theodas or Theudas, a disciple of Paul.
Valentinus drew freely on some books of the New Testament.
Valentinian works are named in reference to the bishop and teacher Valentinius.
Circa 153 AD, Valentinius developed a complex cosmology outside the Sethian tradition.
At one point he was close to being appointed the Bishop of Rome of what is now the Roman Catholic Church.
