The Gnostic Valentinians and The Nature of Reality and Existence

The Valentinians were a Gnostic sect with some particularly intriguing ideas about the nature of reality and existence. They saw a distinct division between the flawed, corrupt material world we live in and a pure, perfect spiritual realm. So today, we’re going to talk about this belief system and how these ideas influenced their way of life and how they still echo in modern spiritual and philosophical thoughts. The Valentinians emerged in the early centuries of Christianity, named after their founding teacher, Valentinus. These early Christians had their own distinct worldview, which set them apart from orthodox Christian beliefs. They were especially known for their unique and intriguing perspectives on the nature of reality. To the Valentinians, reality was divided into two main realms: the material and the spiritual. This dichotomy formed the foundation of their entire belief system and influenced how they perceived the world around them. According to their teachings, the material world – the o