The Occult Book Review

                                         “One mind there is, but under it two principles contend.”                               Philip K. Dick Tractates Cryptica Scriptura     The process of deciding what constitutes Christian doctrine and what are the remnants of previous traditions was summed up well by Elaine Pagels when she writes in Beyond Belief: The Secret Gospel of Thomas, “ What survived as orthodox Christianity did so by suppressing and forcibly eliminating a lot of other material .” This can often be revelatory for those who believe that Christianity today exists in the same form as in its first centuries.   This position is also expounded upon by Earl Doherty in his book The Jesus Puzzle and in...

Trying to navigate both the intricacies and pitfalls of Gnostic history is no small task. In the past year alone even more new texts have been both discovered and released, resulting in various interpretations of their context and ultimate meaning. In his book, The Secret History of the Gnostics, Andrew Phillip Smith gives the reader a broad and thorough overview of Gnostic history. Smith reveals little known facts as well as explaining the main beliefs and practices of various Gnostic ideologies. Interspersed with dry wit and bringing us up to date with analysis of contemporary Gnostic books, films and themes, this is the perfect introduction to Gnosticism as well as being a valuable addition for the knowledgeable reader. Video Review: Amazon Link:  https://www.amazon.com/Secret-History-Gnostics-Scriptures-Traditions/dp/1780288212