Grace in Valentinian soteriology
Grace in Valentinian soteriology
Grace in Valentinian soteriology
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THE<br />
Claremont<br />
Graduate<br />
PAPERS<br />
1'I'ulJILj,,50<br />
A CENTER FOR BASIC RESEARCH<br />
INTHE ORIGINS AND MEANING<br />
OF OUR CULTURAL HERITAGE:<br />
THE ANCIENT NEAR EAST<br />
THE CLASSICAL CULTURE OF<br />
GREECE AND ROME<br />
THE BIBLICAL WORLDS OF<br />
AND CHRISTIANITY<br />
Valent<strong>in</strong>ian Soteriology<br />
Matyas Havrda
OCCASIONAL PAPERS<br />
of<br />
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FOREWORD<br />
The follow<strong>in</strong>g paper is a partial outcome of a wider project of the Center for Patristic,<br />
Medieval and Renaissance Texts <strong>in</strong> the Czech Republic, called "The doctr<strong>in</strong>e of grace<br />
<strong>in</strong> the Bible and Patristic literature.',1 In 2003, the then director of the Center, Lenka<br />
Karfikova, asked me to elaborate the question of grace <strong>in</strong> the so-called gnostic<br />
literature, especially from the po<strong>in</strong>t of view of the heresiological polemic. After a<br />
prelim<strong>in</strong>ary research <strong>in</strong> the Nag Hammadi and heresiological sources, I focused my<br />
attention on the Valent<strong>in</strong>ians who (along with the Marcionites) were among the most<br />
prom<strong>in</strong>ent negative contributors to the formation of Christian orthodoxies <strong>in</strong> the<br />
second and third centuries. My task, as I understood it, was to f<strong>in</strong>d out what role, if<br />
any, the concept ofgrace played <strong>in</strong> this process.<br />
The question, of course, is loaded with presuppositions. It was natural for<br />
historians of Christian thought to see the problem of grace <strong>in</strong> Valent<strong>in</strong>ianism through<br />
the prism of "the model of competition" between grace and free will, as it was<br />
developed <strong>in</strong> the Pelagian controversy. But neither the attempt of F. Mitzka to<br />
<strong>in</strong>terpret the "gnostic" idea of spiritual nature as a precursor of the Pelagian teach<strong>in</strong>g,2<br />
nor G. Quispel's view, accord<strong>in</strong>g to which Valent<strong>in</strong>ianism is "a mysticism<br />
emphasiz<strong>in</strong>g grace and election" <strong>in</strong> which "there is no place for the catholic concept<br />
of free will,,,3 are entirely fair to the sources. It is true that the heresiologists<br />
emphasized that faith and salvation are a matter of choice and responsibility <strong>in</strong><br />
contrast to what they perceived as determ<strong>in</strong>istic <strong>soteriology</strong> of their opponents. But it<br />
is also true that the Valent<strong>in</strong>ian idea of election <strong>in</strong>cludes the demand for the formation<br />
of the spiritual seed which (<strong>in</strong> some versions at least) presupposes the moral<br />
perfection of the soul.<br />
To be sure, it was not possible to abandon the anachronistic view completely, s<strong>in</strong>ce<br />
the question itself is posited from the perspective of the later development. But for the<br />
answer to be adequate, it was necessary to formulate it <strong>in</strong> terms of conceptual<br />
oppositions justified by the sources. I started by trac<strong>in</strong>g the mean<strong>in</strong>g of the word<br />
charis (or its equivalents) <strong>in</strong> various contexts of the Valent<strong>in</strong>ian literature. This<br />
analysis helped me to unearth conceptual connections of 'an implicit doctr<strong>in</strong>e. One<br />
result of my research was that <strong>in</strong> the Valent<strong>in</strong>ian <strong>soteriology</strong> grace is not def<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>in</strong><br />
opposition to the idea of salvation by merits, but rather describes different<br />
possibilities of salvation from the "earthly" (generic and perish<strong>in</strong>g) element of the<br />
soul <strong>in</strong>herited from Adam by all his progeny. At least some Valent<strong>in</strong>ians tried to<br />
I For the project, see www.centrum-texty.upol.czienlprojects.htm.<br />
, F. Mitzka, "Gnostizismus und Gnadenlehre," ZKTh 51, 1927,60-64, esp. 62-63.<br />
J G. Quispel, "La conception de I'homme dans la Gnosevalent<strong>in</strong>ienne," <strong>in</strong>: Gnostic Studies, I, Istanbul 1974,42-3.
elaborate these <strong>in</strong> a way that would do both to the Paul<strong>in</strong>e idea of<br />
predest<strong>in</strong>ation and to the notion of It was especially <strong>in</strong> the latter<br />
that the heresiologists regarded the Valent<strong>in</strong>ian solution as a failure.<br />
Despite the orig<strong>in</strong>al plan to analyze all Valent<strong>in</strong>ian texts, I f<strong>in</strong>ally limited my focus<br />
to the heresiological sources, while to the Coptic documents only <strong>in</strong> the<br />
footnotes. This reduction is due to the restricted format of the Occasional<br />
Papers and partly to the fact that the Valent<strong>in</strong>ian texts from the Hammadi<br />
collection are less directly relevant to my purpose.<br />
In the light of the recent publication of E<strong>in</strong>ar Thomassen's important monograph<br />
on Vaient<strong>in</strong>ianism,4 I should like to note that even though <strong>in</strong> my source analysis I<br />
tfied to between various versions of Valent<strong>in</strong>i an soterioiogy, I did not l<strong>in</strong>k<br />
these variants to the heresioiogical dist<strong>in</strong>ction between the "eastern" and "western"<br />
branches of Valent<strong>in</strong>ian thought. Despite Thomassen's admirable I have not<br />
been conv<strong>in</strong>ced that the fragmentary and questionable evidence about christological<br />
differences between the two schools provides us with a reliable and generally<br />
applicable criterion of classification of the sources. I have been especially reluctant to<br />
follow Thomassen's assessment of the implications of these<br />
differences. 5<br />
This essay was written <strong>in</strong> the academic year 200312004 when I had the privilege to<br />
enjoy the hospitality of the Institute for Antiquity and Christ<strong>in</strong>ity <strong>in</strong> Claremont as a<br />
or",ntf'" of the visit<strong>in</strong>g research program. An Czech version was<br />
published <strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong> 2006 it was revised and for the publication at the<br />
lAC. I wish to thank Lenka Karfikova, Dennis MacDonald and Pearson for<br />
useful comments.<br />
I am <strong>in</strong>deed grateful to the foundation for their support. I would also like<br />
to thank Petr Pokorny, the of the gnostic studies <strong>in</strong> the Czech RepUblic, who<br />
drew my attention to Claremont and mediated first contacts; Dennis R. MacDonald,<br />
the director of the who <strong>in</strong>vited me to the Institute and, with my wife, to<br />
his <strong>in</strong>credible hut, shar<strong>in</strong>g his expertise and enthusiasm with me; and Marv<strong>in</strong> W.<br />
Meyer, who <strong>in</strong>vited me to his Coptic sem<strong>in</strong>ar at Chapman and patiently bore with my<br />
snap ideas and bad skills. Last but not least, I would like to warm thanks<br />
to Leslie Hayes, the adm<strong>in</strong>istrative assistant of the lAC at that without whose<br />
V-"IUC;U help noth<strong>in</strong>g would be as it was. I dedicate this essay to my friend<br />
Gianluigi Gugiiermetto, with whom I have often discussed the problem of the<br />
formation of desire.<br />
4 cr E. Thomassen. The Spiritual Seed.' The Church ofIhe" Valemir/ions. " Leiden-Boston 2006.<br />
'See !ext, note 121. For the difference between the two schools. see text, 4.2.2.<br />
6 M. Havrda, "Valem<strong>in</strong>ovske pojeti milosli," <strong>in</strong>: L Karfikova-J. Mrazek (ed.). Miiosl pod./e Pisma a starocirkevnich<br />
autonl, Jihlava 2004. 110-135.
<strong>Grace</strong> <strong>in</strong> Valent<strong>in</strong>ian Soteriology<br />
Matyas Havrda<br />
1. Introduction<br />
1.1 The project<br />
The follow<strong>in</strong>g essay is an to reexam<strong>in</strong>e the sources relevant to the doctr<strong>in</strong>e of<br />
grace <strong>in</strong> Valent<strong>in</strong>ian <strong>soteriology</strong> and to as consistent an exposition of the<br />
as the material allows. the Valent<strong>in</strong>ian doctr<strong>in</strong>e might be of<br />
philosophical or theological <strong>in</strong>terest <strong>in</strong> its own my objective is to reconstruct<br />
the Valent<strong>in</strong>ian position as the background of the thereof. The<br />
aim of this paper is to collect and arrange the sources <strong>in</strong> a way that would provide a<br />
reliable basis for the <strong>in</strong>terpretation of the heresiological arguments perta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g to the<br />
doctr<strong>in</strong>e<br />
I will elaborate the topic from three different that correspond to three<br />
<strong>in</strong>terrelated of the Valent<strong>in</strong>ian thought, viz. the "mythico-ontological," the<br />
"anthropological" and the " The Valent<strong>in</strong>ian narrative about the<br />
and structure of the div<strong>in</strong>e realm can be <strong>in</strong>terpreted as a partial "mythicization" of the<br />
metaphysical of the which despite its<br />
narrative plot reta<strong>in</strong>s at least a trace of the ontological scheme. I will exam<strong>in</strong>e the role<br />
of grace with<strong>in</strong> this narrative framework. The "anthropological" aspect relates to the<br />
question how grace determ<strong>in</strong>es and transforms the human condition. I will ask about<br />
the conditions under which grace enters human experience, the goals it envisages <strong>in</strong><br />
human life and the part human action <strong>in</strong> the realization of these The<br />
"theological" <strong>in</strong>volves the question whether the activity of grace is an<br />
expression of a div<strong>in</strong>e <strong>in</strong>tention, how the <strong>in</strong>tention is mediated <strong>in</strong> the world and what<br />
are its goals.<br />
1.2 sources<br />
exposition of the Valent<strong>in</strong>ian thought is h<strong>in</strong>dered by the variety and<br />
nature of sources. These <strong>in</strong>clude:<br />
a) Fragments and testimonies related to specific teachers whom the<br />
describe as the followers of Valent<strong>in</strong>us,1 and the of<br />
the writ<strong>in</strong>gs of himself. 2<br />
! Such as Herncleon, Marcus, PIolemaeus and Theodotus. About other Valent<strong>in</strong>ians of the second century mentioned <strong>in</strong><br />
our sources, viz. Alexander, Axionicus, Colarbasus (?), FJor<strong>in</strong>us, Secundus and Theotimus, we know very l<strong>in</strong>le. See the<br />
survey of evidence <strong>in</strong> E. Thomassen, The Spiritual Seed, Leiden Boston 2006, 49 J -508. For the cont<strong>in</strong>uity with<strong>in</strong> the<br />
Valent<strong>in</strong>ian school, cf. Ch. Maruchies, "Valent<strong>in</strong>ian Gnosticism: Toward the Anatomy of a School," <strong>in</strong>: J. D. Turner, A.<br />
McQuire (eds.), The Nag Hammadi Libraty Ajler Fifty Years, Brill 1997, esp. 426· 432. For the later Valenl<strong>in</strong>ianism cf. K.<br />
Koschorke, "Patristische Materialen mr spatgeschichte der valent<strong>in</strong>ianischen Gnosis," <strong>in</strong>: M. Krause (ed.), Gnosis and
18 Havrda<br />
Adam. 122 The "material" created<br />
not refer to bodily but to irrationality and sexual<br />
created "accord<strong>in</strong>g to the likeness" of the is the<br />
and " faith, <strong>in</strong>corruptibility and freedom from the fJ"'"''''''''<br />
of the "material" nature. 124 The spiritual element, created "separately" tOLay),<br />
is the offspr<strong>in</strong>g of Wisdom, 126 born from her desire for the fulness of the div<strong>in</strong>e life. It<br />
is also called the offspr<strong>in</strong>g of Seth, the third son of Adam, who symbolizes the<br />
"spiritual nature" implanted by Wisdom.127<br />
Before their conversion, the of grace are enslaved by the "material"<br />
<strong>in</strong>heritance and their condition is described as and "s<strong>in</strong>fulness." In the<br />
case of the "psychic" conversion, the encounter with the Saviour heals the "sick"<br />
soul, the soul enslaved passions,128 and opens the opportunity for faith and<br />
<strong>in</strong>corruptibility of the soul. Some Valent<strong>in</strong>ians understood this opportunity as a<br />
"loan" that can be used for the salvation of the soul by means of good "works.,,130 On<br />
the spiritual level, the encounter with the Saviour fulfils the "disposition" (ou:lBwu;)<br />
of the soul to receive the eternal life and understand the power from the<br />
Saviour.131 This opens the process of the "formation" of the spiritual element. This<br />
process is not to the "righteousness" of the soul, but presupposes it, and<br />
transcends it. 132<br />
Theological context of<br />
4.1 Father<br />
Accord<strong>in</strong>g to the the formation of the spirit <strong>in</strong> the human is the last<br />
phase of the formative process which started <strong>in</strong> the pleromatic realm after the fall of<br />
Sophia. In order to prevent a similar rupture <strong>in</strong> the future, the aeons were perfected<br />
Exc. Til 55,2.<br />
Exc. Th. 54,1; 55,3. In the version reported by Hippolytus, ReI VI,34,4·6, the hylic element is identified with the<br />
perceptible body, whereas the irrational movements of the soul are depicted as "demons." For this concept cf. esp.<br />
Barnabas. Epis/, 16,7, and Ch. Markschies, Va/en/iltlls Gllos/iells;', 70-72. Cf. also the analysis of M. A. Williams,<br />
Relh<strong>in</strong>kiltg 'Gnoslicism', 135 and 291, n. 50, Interest<strong>in</strong>gly. accord<strong>in</strong>g to Hippolyrus, Ref Vl,34,5, the visible body has<br />
been fashioned from the "diabolic substance" (lilaj30t..Udl oooia;), If Hippolytus refers correctly, this is a rare testimony<br />
that some Valent<strong>in</strong>ians understood the visible body as substantially evil.<br />
IN Exc, Th. 54.1; 56,3; 57.<br />
Exc. Th. 54,2.<br />
In Exc, Til. 2, I, the seed is described as the "angelic emuence." C[ lrenaeus, Adv. haer, l,13,3. In the GN the seed was<br />
conceived by Sophia as she contemplated the angels (Adv, haer, 1,4,5). In Hippolyrus, ReI VI,34,3, Ihe seed is produced<br />
by Sophia and the Saviour.<br />
"7 £Xc. Tit 53,5.54,2-3; Tenullian, Adv, Val. 29. In £Xc, Tit 2,1 the seed is implanted by Logos; cr. Heracleon <strong>in</strong> Origen,<br />
Comm, )0, XIIl,49,322·324; TripTr (NHC 1,5) 105,10·35,<br />
'" Cf. also Hippolyrus, Ref VI,36,3:" .. the Saviour came 10 set right [otOp6
24 Havrda<br />
form of the fulness, and his <strong>in</strong> order to correct the consequences of the<br />
orig<strong>in</strong>al split <strong>in</strong> the realm of the eternal a caused by their <strong>in</strong>sufficient<br />
knowledge concern<strong>in</strong>g the nature of the absolute beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
In it be useful to sketch, <strong>in</strong> a manner, some<br />
implications of the Valent<strong>in</strong>ian of grace that seem to have played a <strong>in</strong> the<br />
way the Valent<strong>in</strong>ian doctr<strong>in</strong>e was evaluated by its critics and contributed to the<br />
specific accents of their thc\Hfi!ht<br />
the cont<strong>in</strong>uity between the "righteousness" of the soul and the "formation" of<br />
the spirit does not seem to be safeguarded sufficiently. To be sure, if my<br />
correct, the spiritual seed is <strong>in</strong> a soul whose is<br />
grace, the righteousness be<strong>in</strong>g the condition for the formation of the seed. The moral<br />
world of the demiurge world of "works") does an important part, but the<br />
highest value of this is merely a means to a goal, viz.<br />
formation (= knowledge). In light of this higher goal the demands of the moral world<br />
seem to be too trivial to deserve much attention, so that it may appear that they have<br />
no at aiL This impression is re<strong>in</strong>forced by the remarkable fact that <strong>in</strong> the<br />
Valent<strong>in</strong>ian <strong>soteriology</strong> the spiritual gift cannot be wasted or taken away, which can<br />
lead to the conclusion that some have a licence to wantonness .<br />
...,..,'MU'U. although the idea of the psychic and the spiritual elements does seem to<br />
<strong>in</strong>clude the demand for responsible conduct, the theory that these possibilities of<br />
perfection are not<br />
<strong>in</strong>tellectual <strong>in</strong>dolence.<br />
to everybody could be used as a pretext for moral and<br />
Third, determ<strong>in</strong>ation to overcome the <strong>in</strong>heritance of the earthly Adam might be<br />
further underm<strong>in</strong>ed by the context of the idea of grace.<br />
Everyth<strong>in</strong>g that happens <strong>in</strong> the world from the moment of creation, through the<br />
""'TImiD' of the up to the eschatological return of the is described as a<br />
which the center of its plot elsewhere.