The author, a noted philosopher, applies existentialist thought to the gnostic teachings in an attempt to understand core religious experience. Original.

"Using the few sources available to him with penetrating insight, Jonas reconstructed the Gnostic worldview ... The Gnostic Religion remains, even today, the classic introduction" - Elaine Pagels, author of The Origin of Satan

"A fascinating exposition with copious quotations, of what is known of Gnosticism ... Dr. Jonas writes with authority, passion, and precision about this long-forgotten religion" - The New Yorker

Hans Jonas (1903-1993) was a distinguished philosopher specializing in political science, theology, and bioethics. His published works include The Gnostic Religion: The Message of the Alien God & the Beginning of Christianity; The Phenomenon of Life: Toward a Philosophical Biology; and The Imperative of Responsibility: In Search of Ethics for the Technological Age.