From: DSG20001@aol.com
Date: Thu, 10 Oct 2002 19:57:28 EDT
Subject: (urth) Gnostic Wolfe


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In a message dated 10/10/2002 9:43:11 AM Pacific Daylight Time,=20
straight@email.unc.edu writes:

If Whorl=3DGarden and Pas=3DGod, then Outsider=3D???

The view that religion and politics aren't subjects for polite conversation=20
doesn't appear to be a view Gene Wolfe fans can casually adopt. (Which may=20
account for a great deal of his appeal.)

I don't know nearly enough about the various Gnostic doctrines, but the more=
=20
I do learn about them, the more affinities I notice between certain of those=
=20
doctrines and the BotLS.=20

I suppose readers must take Wolfe at his word when he confesses that he's an=
=20
orthodox Catholic--while keeping in mind that at least some elements of his=20
theology are decidedly nonorthodox. For example, his belief in the (prior?)=20
existence of pagan gods and goddesses.=20

I'll leave to the theologians on this remarkable list the question of whethe=
r=20
Wolfe's additions lean toward the heretical or merely the eccentric. But in=20
appraising his works, particularly the BotLS, it might be useful to pursue i=
n=20
a little more depth what appear--at first blush, anyway--to be striking=20
similarities between Wolfe and Gnostic thought.=20

The online Gnostic Library (http://www.webcom.com/~gnosis/library.html)=20
includes an introductory page written by a Gnostic Bishop. The above=20
speculation, "Whorl=3DGarden and Pas=3DGod, then the Outsider=3D???" is addr=
essed=20
there in a remarkable fashion: Whorl=3DGarden and Pas=3Dthe God of all Creat=
ion,=20
the God of the material world, the God outlined in the Old Testament, then=20
the Outsider=3Dthe Unknown God who is the true focus of Gnostic revelation.

From the introduction:

"The blame for the world=E2=80=99s failings lies not with humans, but with t=
he=20
creator. Since -- especially in the monotheistic religions -- the creator is=
=20
God, this Gnostic position appears blasphemous, and is often viewed with=20
dismay even by non-believers."

A fairly lengthy excerpt from the intro page is particularly tantalizing in=20
light of Patera Silk's "enlightenment" by the Outsider--and in light of=20
Wolfe's own attitude toward "true myths" in his work:=20

"GNOSTICISM IS THE TEACHING based on Gnosis, the knowledge of transcendence=20
arrived at by way of interior, intuitive means. Although Gnosticism thus=20
rests on personal religious experience, it is a mistake to assume all such=20
experience results in Gnostic recognitions.=20

"It is nearer the truth to say that Gnosticism expresses a specific religiou=
s=20
experience, an experience that does not lend itself to the language of=20
theology or philosophy, but which is instead closely affinitized to, and=20
expresses itself through, the medium of myth. Indeed, one finds that most=20
Gnostic scriptures take the forms of myths. The term 'myth' should not here=20
be taken to mean 'stories that are not true,' but rather, that the truths=20
embodied in these myths are of a different order from the dogmas of theology=
=20
or the statements of philosophy...The True God of transcendence is unknown i=
n=20
this world, in fact He is often called the Unknown Father. It is thus obviou=
s=20
that revelation from on High is needed to bring about salvation.=20

"The indwelling spark must be awakened from its terrestrial slumber by the=20
saving knowledge that comes 'from without'...in the Gnostic Gospel of Thomas=
,=20
Jesus answered that human beings must come by Gnosis to know the ineffable,=20
divine reality from whence they have originated, and whither they will=20
return. This transcendental knowledge must come to them while they are still=
=20
embodied on earth."=20

As to the myriad "intermediate deific beings" that inhabit Wolfe's universe:=
=20

"The basic Gnostic myth has many variations, but all of these refer to Aeons=
,=20
intermediate deific beings who exist between the ultimate, True God and=20
ourselves. They, together with the True God, comprise the realm of Fullness=20
(Pleroma) wherein the potency of divinity operates fully."

I'll be puzzling over these affinities for some time and would certainly=20
appreciate "enlightenment" from those more familiar with Gnosticism than=20
myself.

Dan


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In a message dated 10/10/=
2002 9:43:11 AM Pacific Daylight Time, straight@email.unc.edu writes:



If Whorl=3DGarden and Pas=3DGod, then Outsider=3D???



The view that religion and politics aren't subjects for polite conversation=20=
doesn't appear to be a view Gene Wolfe fans can casually adopt. (Which may a=
ccount for a great deal of his appeal.)



I don't know nearly enough about the various Gnostic doctrines, but the more=
 I do learn about them, the more affinities I notice between certain of thos=
e doctrines and the BotLS. 



I suppose readers must take Wolfe at his word when he confesses that he's an=
 orthodox Catholic--while keeping in mind that at least some elements of his=
 theology are decidedly nonorthodox. For example, his belief in the (prior?)=
 existence of pagan gods and goddesses. 



I'll leave to the theologians on this remarkable list the question of whethe=
r Wolfe's additions lean toward the heretical or merely the eccentric. But i=
n appraising his works, particularly the BotLS, it might be useful to pursue=
 in a little more depth what appear--at first blush, anyway--to be striking=20=
similarities between Wolfe and Gnostic thought. 



The online Gnostic Library (http://www.webcom.com/~gnosis/library.html) incl=
udes an introductory page written by a Gnostic Bishop. The above speculation=
, "Whorl=3DGarden and Pas=3DGod, then the Outsider=3D???" is addressed there=
 in a remarkable fashion: Whorl=3DGarden and Pas=3Dthe God of all Creation,=20=
the God of the material world, the God outlined in the Old Testament, then t=
he Outsider=3Dthe Unknown God who is the true focus of Gnostic revelation.


From the introduction:



"The blame for the world=E2=80=99s failings lies not with humans, but with t=
he creator. Since -- especially in the monotheistic religions -- the creator=
 is God, this Gnostic position appears blasphemous, and is often viewed with=
 dismay even by non-believers."



A fairly lengthy excerpt from the intro page is particularly tantalizing in=20=
light of Patera Silk's "enlightenment" by the Outsider--and in light of Wolf=
e's own attitude toward "true myths" in his work: 



"GNOSTICISM IS THE TEACHING based on Gnosis, the knowledge of transcendence=20=
arrived at by way of interior, intuitive means. Although Gnosticism thus res=
ts on personal religious experience, it is a mistake to assume all such expe=
rience results in Gnostic recognitions. 



"It is nearer the truth to say that Gnosticism expresses a specific religiou=
s experience, an experience that does not lend itself to the language of the=
ology or philosophy, but which is instead closely affinitized to, and expres=
ses itself through, the medium of myth. Indeed, one finds that most Gnostic=20=
scriptures take the forms of myths. The term 'myth' should not here be taken=
 to mean 'stories that are not true,' but rather, that the truths embodied i=
n these myths are of a different order from the dogmas of theology or the st=
atements of philosophy...The True God of transcendence is unknown in this wo=
rld, in fact He is often called the Unknown Father. It is thus obvious that=20=
revelation from on High is needed to bring about salvation. 



"The indwelling spark must be awakened from its terrestrial slumber by the s=
aving knowledge that comes 'from without'...in the Gnostic Gospel of Thomas,=
 Jesus answered that human beings must come by Gnosis to know the ineffable,=
 divine reality from whence they have originated, and whither they will retu=
rn. This transcendental knowledge must come to them while they are still emb=
odied on earth." 



As to the myriad "intermediate deific beings" that inhabit Wolfe's universe:=
 



"The basic Gnostic myth has many variations, but all of these refer to Aeons=
, intermediate deific beings who exist between the ultimate, True God and ou=
rselves. They, together with the True God, comprise the realm of Fullness (P=
leroma) wherein the potency of divinity operates fully."



I'll be puzzling over these affinities for some time and would certainly app=
reciate "enlightenment" from those more familiar with Gnosticism than myself=
.



Dan

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