1st Edition
The Valentinian Temple Visions, Revelations, and the Nag Hammadi Apocalypse of Paul
Is the Nag Hammadi Apocalypse of Paul a Valentinian text? Many would say no, few would say yes. The Valentinian Temple brings together all the available evidence to produce a systematic argument in favour of the Apocalypse of Paul’s Valentinian origins.
From Valentinus himself to the Gospel of Truth and the Gospel of Philip, this book traces one of the most neglected trajectories in Valentinian Christianity, namely the pursuit of mystical experiences oriented around a heavenly temple. Starting with the divine Name in the fragments of Valentinus, the development of a high-priestly Christology is uncovered across a range of primary sources, culminating in the Gospel of Philip’s temple-based rituals of initiation. The Valentinian Temple argues that it is against this intellectual background that the Apocalypse of Paul ought to be understood.
This book will be of interest to experts and students in Gnosticism, Valentinianism, early Christianity, Coptic and biblical literature, and Pauline studies.
Introduction
Part I: A new temple in heaven
1. The fragments of Valentinus: the divine Name and theophany
2. The Gospel of Truth: knowing, naming, saving
3. The Excerpts from Theodotus: beyond the demiurge’s temple
4. The Gospel of Philip: becoming a high-priestly Christ
Conclusion to Part I
Part II: The Valentinian apocalypse
5. Introducing the Apocalypse of Paul: or, "Valentinians did not write apocalypses"
6. The Valentinianism of the Apocalypse of Paul
7. Paul as the ideal Valentinian
Conclusion
References
Index
Biography
Matthew Twigg received his Ph.D. from the University of Oxford (2016). His research has appeared in various journals, including Vigiliae Christianae, Aries: Journal for the Study of Western Esotericism, and Correspondences: Journal for the Study of Esotericism.
