In part one, we explored what Gnosticism is. Now, we will consider some ways this ancient heresy overlaps greatly with the modern Western worldview.
A False Enlightenment
Today, the Western worldview defines personhood and identity almost exclusively by a person’s inner being and psychology. Our bodies are thought of as mere “meat suits” for the true inner self. This is why today, an increasing number of people refer to language as being potentially violent. After all, if one’s psychology is their true self, then language that offends or contradicts someone’s self-perception can easily be seen as an act of violence against their true self. The entire outer world is expected to submit itself to one’s individual psychology.
In the service of being “true to yourself,” any authority outside of oneself is met with suspicion, as it is likely designed to prevent one from listening to their inner self. Any designation that is given to someone from outside of themselves that does not match their psychology, no matter how natural or seemingly accurate it may be, can be escaped from by rejecting or ignoring it.
The outside world and those who buy into its lies are unsophisticated and ignorant in comparison to those who are true to their inner being. Therefore, the rules and regulations from the outside world have no power over one who is enlightened with an understanding of their true inner self.
The Inner Self vs. the Outer World
In light of what we’ve already explored, I hope the connection between Gnosticism and the modern Western worldview is evident. Both believe that the inner self is trustworthy and of primary significance, and the outside world is untrustworthy and of lesser significance.
For the Gnostics, this was because the inner self carried the divine spark, but today, in a Western world which largely ignores God’s existence, people rather believe that they are divine, period. We are all seen as our own gods, therefore, we must follow our infallible and inerrant inner selves, wherever it leads, to reach our chief end of full self-actualization. This leads to the same escapism and elitism seen in Gnosticism, as the Western worldview simply rejects authorities that disagree with them and thumbs its nose at those who submit themselves to the authorities.
Areas of life that are impacted by this divide between the inner self and the outer world are vast today. This divide is fundamental to how the contemporary West understands sexual expression and identity. If the outer body and the inward mind are fundamentally disconnected, then room is left to believe that there is discontinuity between the two.
And if someone believes that it is their psychological and emotional sense that defines who they are, this means that their outer self and their body can be essentially ignored in conversations about sex and identity. This divide between the inner and outer world also contributes to the current sacred-secular divide, where religion is seen as a private/inner matter which should not bleed into public/outer life.
The Alternative Christian Worldview
What is an alternative Christian worldview to this modern Gnostic worldview? First and foremost, we profess that it is not our inner selves that define who we are, but rather it is God. If God is our creator (Gen. 1:27), then he is the one who has the right to define humanity’s purpose and being. Because God is our creator, this also means that the material reality of the world is meaningful, not arbitrary, and can be logically understood.
Secondly, as Christians, we profess that God intended for us to be embodied beings, which means that while we do differentiate between our inner and outer selves, we cannot totally divorce them because they are interconnected. God intended humanity to be physically embodied, and this embodiment is a good thing (1 Cor. 15:35-49).
Thirdly, as Christians, we profess that truth is not something that is found through looking internally, but rather it is found by looking externally to the One who describes himself as Truth (Jn. 14:6), Jesus Christ. He is trustworthy, because while our hearts often deceive us (Jer. 17:9) and leave us still wanting, Jesus never will (Jn. 4:13-14).
As Christians, we do not fear God’s authority because we have come to rest in the fact that God is the only One who can rightly and accurately define and lead humanity. In the words of St. Augustine, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.”
The Cultural Challenge
In conclusion, I must issue a warning: today, many Christians also have Gnostic tendencies, albeit in a different way than just explored. If we treat our religion as private and separate from our public presence, stressing only looking toward heaven and focusing solely on escaping the world, then we are also buying into the Gnostic narrative of a division between the inner/spiritual and the outer/physical.
Scripture challenges this tendency by teaching us to pray, saying, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10 KJV). Jesus has commanded us to teach all the nations to obey all that he commanded (Matt. 28:19-20). We must not hide or retreat from cultural engagement but rather engage culture creatively in an authentically Christian fashion.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published on the Institute for Faith & Culture website and has been shared with permission.
