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Cassianus, Julius: A Christian teacher in Egypt, around 170. In ”Stromateis (III.13.91-92), is Clement’s citation it is also to be noted that Julius Cassianus quotes from the apocryphal gospel so-called “According to the Egyptians” to support his understanding that intercourse is not from God–a
position which he understood, though dubiously, was taught by the Saviour (apud Grant 1946: 52-53; cf. Aland 1978: 336): <Jesus said to Salome> “When you conceal the garment of shame, and when the two become one, and the male with the female is neither male nor female.” He is said to have been associated with encratites, and doceticism.
http://www.dacb.org/stories/egypt/julius_cassianus.html

Catechise: Refers to spiritual or religious instruction given to an initiate. (See; Pantaenus, Clement of Alexandria.)

Cathars: (Also known as Albigensians) A Christian sect destroyed by the Catholic Crusaders during the Albigensian Crusade. They derived their teaching from the Bogomils an Eastern European group arising about 900 AD. The Cathars were a dualistic and gnostic sect in northern Italy and southern France in the late Middle Ages of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. “Cathar” comes from the Greek word katharos meaning pure. There was two classes of believers – the elite Perfect (Parfaits); and the believers (croyants, or in Latin, credentes). Cathar Writings More Cathar

Carpocrates: (100?-150 CE); Formed a sect in Alexandria known as Carpocrations. Possible successor to Samaritan Simon Magus. He taught reincarnation in his Gnostic philosophy. An individual had to live many lives and adsorb a full range of experiences before being able to return to God. They practiced free
sexuality. They believed that Jesus was the son of Joseph. They questioned the docetic aspects attributed to Jesus. (See; “Sromata,” Bk 3.) http://www.antinopolis.org/carpocrates.html

Cebes: (circa 350?-400? B.C.) Greek philosopher, thought to be a student of Socrates noted for his beliefs that the soul is worn like a garment. Also argued against Socrates immortality of the soul.

Celsus: A pagan writer who wrote against Christianity in, “True Discourse” (or, True Reason). This polemic against the Christians was composed in approximately 178 CE. Celsus criticized the Christians for believing in blind faith rather than reason.

Cerinthus: A first century leader of the Ebionites, who were a Jewish sect somewhat like early Christian Gnostics who argued various aspects of Christian theology. Cerinthus is noted in the early history of the Christian church as being a “heresiarch” or leader of a heretical sect. None of his writings
survives.

Chaldeans: The Chaldeans were a Semitic people of Arabian origin, who spoke Aramaic, who settled in southern Mesopotamia in the early part of the first millennium BC. The 11th dynasty of the Kings of Babylon (6th century B.C.) is conventionally known to historians as the Chaldean Dynasty. Chaldea, “the Chaldees” of the ”KJV Old Testament,” was a Hellenistic designation for a part of Babylonia. One early such reference is to the impending sack of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar II (Habakkuk 1:6). The Hebrew name for ancient Chaldeans was Kasdim. http://www.crystalinks.com/chaldea.html See; ”The Chaldean Oracles of Zoroaster,” See; Oracle, Monad, and ”The Chaldean Oracles,” by G.R.S. Mead, http://www.gnosis.org/library/grs-mead/grsm_chaldean.htm

Charaxio: The name of the Mountain where Seth (Sethius) placed his writings, a place where the sun does not rise. Place where Michar, Mnesinous, and Micheus, preside over the Spring of Life, for baptism.


Chastisements: Judgements or punishments for sinners. “Say unto them: Renounce the whole world and the whole matter therein and all its care and all its sins, in a word all its associations which are in it, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from all the chastisements which are in the judgments.” Chastisements result from litigiousness, evil conversation, and doctrines of error.”Say unto those who teach the doctrines of error and to every one who is instructed by them: Woe unto you, for, if ye do not repent and abandon your error, ye will go into the chastisements of the great dragon and of the outer darkness, which is exceedingly evil, and never will ye be cast [up] into the world, but will be non-existent until the end.” (”The Pistis Sophia”)


Cherubim: A winged celestial being. b. cherubim Christianity The second of the nine orders of angels in medieval angelology. cherubic (ch-rbk) , cherubically, pl. cherubim (chr-bm, -y-bm) (See; Seraphim) http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/cherub

Cherub guarding the entrance of the Garden of Eden by Giusto de Menabuoi ca. 1377.

Cherub guarding the entrance of the Garden of Eden by Giusto de' Menabuoi ca. 1377.

Choic: (choikus) “Earthly” similar to “hylic”.

Chrestois: Those considered good, (protected in the kingdom) according to Clement of Alexandria, (See; Bk. 2 “Stromata.”)

Chrism: The annointment with oil. (See; ”On the Anointing.” NHL) ”The chrism is superior to baptism, for it is from the word “Chrism” that we have been called “Christians,” certainly not because of the word “baptism”. And it is because of the chrism that “the Christ” has his name. For the Father anointed
the Son, and the Son anointed the apostles, and the apostles anointed us.” (”Gospel of Philip.”)

Christology: The study of Christ, and various aspects of Jesus’ existence.

Clement of Alexandria: (?-215 A.D.) Greek theologian, writer, and head of the Catechetical School of Alexandria. Clement succeeded his teacher Pantaenus about A.D. 190, and took over the direction of the school. Wrote “Stromata” in which he makes various assessments of others including Basilides, Plato,Valentinus, and Gnostic beliefs. Declared that the Gnostic seeks to become God. (See also;
Clement’s ”Instructor,” which is more of an Orthodox work, compared to ”Stromata.”) http://web.archive.org/web/20080110023852/www.earlychristianwritings.com/clement.html

http://www.ntcanon.org/Clement.shtml

Clement of Rome: (30-100 A.D.) According to Tertullian and Jerome, Clement of Rome was ordained by Peter and became the fourth Pope of Rome. He was the author of an “Epistle to the Corinthians,” the only known manuscript of which is appended to the Alexandrian Codex, now in the British Museum. (The work appears to be oriented to Orthodox epistemologies, like Clement of Alexandria’s
”Instructor.”)

Codex: Refers to a book like form of a writing collection, as opposed to a scroll. (Askew Codex, Bruce Codex, Berlin, etc.) The Nag Hammadi Library, is written in ‘codices.’

Colorbasus (Colarbasus): A second century Gnostic and student of Valentinus. Colarbasus, along with Marcus, another disciple of Valentinius, maintained the whole plenitude, and perfection of truth and religion, to be contained in the Greek alphabet; and that it was for this reason that Jesus was called the Alpha and Omega. ”Certain, adhering partly to these, as if having propounded great conclusions, and supposed things worthy of reason, have framed enormous and endless heresies; and one of these is Colarbasus, who attempts to explain religion by measures and numbers. And others there are (who act) in like manner, whose tenets we shall explain when we commence to speak of what concerns those who give heed to Pythagorean calculation as possible; and uttering vain prophecies, hastily assume as secure the philosophy by numbers and elements.” (Hippolytus) ”Those of them, however, who are deemed more skilful than the persons who have just been mentioned, say that the first Ogdoad was not produced gradually, so that one AEon was sent forth by another, but that all(7) the AEons were brought into existence at once by Propator and his Ennoea. He (Colorbasus) affirms this as confidently as if he had assisted at their birth. Accordingly, he and his followers maintain that Anthropos and Ecclesia were not produced,(8) as others hold, from Logos and Zoe; but, on the contrary, Logos and Zoe from Anthropos and Ecclesia.” (Irenaeus, ”Against Heresies,” Bk. 1.) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colarbasians.


Corporeal: Composed of flesh or being of matter in the animate, earthly or material way. There are various different beliefs in Christianity and Gnosticism of the non-corporeal, or docetic state.


Cosmogony: Study of the cosmos and cosmic order, or in Gnostic terms the Pleroma, in contrast with the earthly state.


Cosmology: Study of the physical universe and its governing laws.


Craftsman: A term used to connote Gnostic attainment. The term is also used in regard to creation. “All things were made through Him,” means that it was the Word who caused the Craftsman (Demiurge) to make the world, that is it was not the Word “from whom” or “by whom,” but the one “through whom (all things were made).”. . The term also refers to men, ”The official was the Craftsman, for he himself ruled like a king over those under him.” (Heracleon) ” Clement of Alexandria explains ”…..correct expounders of the truth, are Gnostics. Since also, in what pertains to life, Craftsmen are superior to ordinary people, and model what is beyond common notions; so, consequently, we also, giving acomplete exhibition of the Scriptures from the Scriptures themselves, from faith persuaded by demonstration.” (Clement. “Stromata” Bk. 7.)

Countenance: Appearance, especially the expression of the face, or a look or expression indicative of encouragement or of moral support. ”Then from the harmony, in a joyous willingness which had come into being, they brought forth the fruit, which was a begetting from the harmony, a unity, a possession of the Totalities, revealing the countenance of the Father, of whom the aeons thought as they gave glory and prayed for help for their brother with a wish in which the Father counted himself with them.” (”Tripartite Tractate.”) http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/countenance


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