Sophia in Gnosticism
Kathleen Damiani

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Basic Concepts

Sophia is a prominent figure in Gnosticism. The Gnostic movement was made up of diverse sects and movements within early Christianity. The Greek word "gnosis" is usually translated as "insight." As a religion Gnosticism means "religion of knowledge." It was declared a heresy in the second century C.E. and was followed by a fierce campaign by the church fathers to seek out and burn every trace of Gnostic teaching.

Gnostics believed that Jesus was Sophia: i.e., the "Word" or logos that would come to birth within the person. They rejected organized religion and claimed priests were unnecessary. The individual could actualize the inner reality, independent of a leader or organized hierarchy. In "orthodox" Christianity represented by Peter, God the father passed his authority and keys to the kingdom of heaven to Jesus his son, and Jesus passed them on to Peter and his successors. To be saved, a person had to seek admission through Peter's chosen men (i.e., male bishops).

There are two Sophias in Gnosticism, the heavenly Sophia or wisdom of God, and her daughter, Sophia Achamoth. Valentinus, leader of a major Gnostic sect, described the heavenly Sophia as "Mother of the All" who is Grace, Silence, and Womb.

The original Dyad, Sophia and the Primal Father, bring forth a couple, Nous and Truth. The divine Pleroma consists of a series of male-female aeons. The last aeon, Sophia Achamoth, plays the role of Cosmic Eve.

The Gnostic system, although there are many differing versions, give Sophia a high profile role in both the creation myth and redemption motif. In Gnostic groups, women were of equal status with men. In Neoplatonism, whose interpreters were contemporaries of the Gnostics, Sophia was equated with the Intellectual-Principle (Nous) of the individual soul (which in the system of Plotinus was the point of contact between the soul and the Intellectual-Principle). This redeems itself by renouncing error. Sophia must turn away from the beliefs and assumptions that bind her to darkness, and by so doing she recovers the light, her twin, the Soter Christ. Unless the two are united, knowledge remains without guidance.

The Gnostics identified Jesus with Sophia. The Gnostic churches downplayed the humanity of Jesus and the crucifixion. Many did not believe that Jesus was human and died. They saw Jesus as the divine redeemer who therefore could not die. The churches represented by the New Testament, however, established as one of the primary tenets of faith that Jesus was human as well as the Son of God; and that he actually died. The entire hierarchy of the early Church rested on these beliefs and especially the Resurrection. The historical, literal fact of the Resurrection and the witnesses to it determined the structure and organization of the Church. (E. Pagels, The Gnostic Gospels, 49) To the Gnostics, Sophia was the feminine aspect of the Divine who came down from God with a special message. Since "being saved" was a function of knowing Jesus' message rather than the crucifixion-resurrection event, the message-carrying Sophia was an especially appealing image of Jesus for them.

Sophia As Ogdoad--Boundary And Gateway To The Stars

Both Gnosticism and alchemy speak of ascent through the planetary spheres. One of Sophia's designations is the "Ogdoad." The world view in antiquity placed the earth as the center of the universe which was made up of spheres arranged concentrically around the earth and named after the planets. In Gnosticism the outermost planetary sphere or archon was Saturn. Outside this is the realm of the fixed stars, corresponding to the ogdoad, domain of Sophia Achamoth (C.G. Jung, CW 13, 578).

Sophia rules the eighth clime, the archetypal world of images, "the world in which the forms of our thoughts and desires, of our presentiments and of our behavior and of all works accomplished on earth subsist." (C.G. Jung, CW 14, 10)

Kathleen Damiani, Ph.D.
copyright © 2005
kathleendamiani@yahoo.com