Includes bibliographical references and index.

Preliminary Material -- Introduction -- The Valentinians of Irenaeus -- "Valentinus" in Iren. Haer. I 11:1 -- The doctrine of Theodotus -- The two "schools" -- The soteriology of The Tripartite Tractate -- The soteriology of Irenaeus' system -- The soteriology of Exc. 43:2-65 -- The soteriology of Iren. Haer. I 7:2 -- The soteriology of Hipp. Haer. VI 29-36 -- Provisional conclusions -- Eastern soteriologies: The Treatise on Resurrection -- Eastern soteriologies: The Interpretation of Knowledge -- Eastern soteriologies: The Gospel of Philip -- The soteriology of Heracleon -- The position of Ptolemy -- Salvation in history and ritual -- Salvation in history and protological myth -- Protology, salvation history, and ritual The Tripartite Tractate -- Conclusion to Part II -- The pleromatology -- The myth of separation and restoration -- Chronology of the protologies -- The meaning and origins of Valentinian protology -- The transformation of eschatology to protology -- The evidence for Valentinian initiation -- Initiation: Synopsis of the acts -- The ideology of the initiation ritual -- The historical position of Valentinian initiation -- A ritual for the dying -- Valentinus: biography and sources -- Valentinians: fragments of the history of Valentinianism -- Valentinians: fragments of the history of Valentinianism -- Bibliography -- Index of Ancient Sources -- Nag Hammadi and Manichaean Studies.

This book is a comprehensive study of "Valentinianism," the most important Gnostic Christian movement in Antiquity. It is the first attempt to make full use of the Valentinian documents from Nag Hammadi as well as the reports of the Church Fathers. The book discusses the difference between the Eastern and the Western branches of Valentinianism, and argues that individual sources must always be understood in the context of the historical development of Valentinian doctrines. It also analyses the ideas about the incarnation, protological theories, and initiation practice, as well as the dynamic relationship between these building-blocks of Valentinian doctrine. A final chapter studies anew the doctrine of Valentinus himself and outlines the history of the movement. The book's usefulness lies in its attempt to bring together for the first time all the sources so as to construct a coherent picture of Valentinian Christianity. This volume is also available as paperback .

Description based on print version record.