An early Christian sect that believed they must indulge in every sinful act in order to liberate themselves from the cycle of rebirth
Religion: Christianity
Denomination: Early Church
Founder: Carpocrates
Founded: 2nd century CE
Location: Alexandria, Egypt (originally)
Other Names: Carpocratians, Carpocratian Gnostics
The Carpocratians were a Gnostic sect founded in the 2nd century by Carpocrates of Alexandria, with beliefs and practices that extended into the 6th century. This group, named after its founder and significantly shaped by his son Epiphanes, was known for its unique blend of early Christian Gnosticism, Platonism, and radical social practices, distinguishing itself from the proto-orthodox Christian communities of its time.
At the core of Carpocratian belief was a dualistic view of the universe, positing a stark contrast between the evil material world and the good spiritual realm. They pursued gnosis, or esoteric knowledge, which they believed was essential for salvation. This knowledge was seen as a means to transcend the physical world and return to Monas, the Supreme Principle or Primal Being. The Carpocratians held that human souls were trapped in material bodies by inferior angels, far removed from the divine source. Liberation from this cycle of reincarnation and material imprisonment could be achieved only by living through every form of life and committing every possible act, thus fulfilling all earthly desires and obligations.
Carpocratians revered Jesus not as the son of God but as an exemplary Gnostic who had remembered his divine origins and had thus obtained divine power. They believed that anyone could attain or even surpass Jesus’s level of enlightenment through sufficient effort and disdain for the material world. This sect was also marked by its rejection of the Old Testament, believing instead that Jesus had derived the mysteries of his teachings from his studies in Egypt, specifically from the Temple of Isis.
One of the most controversial aspects of their belief system was their stance on morality and social practices. Carpocratians advocated for the complete rejection of the material world, which they considered evil. They were accused of engaging in debauchery and libertine practices, including the sharing of spouses, as they rejected private property. These practices were justified by their interpretation of biblical laws as impositions by the evil angels who ruled the material world, aiming to transcend these constraints through experiencing everything life had to offer, even if it meant engaging in what was conventionally considered sinful behavior.
Their religious practices included the use of icons, making them among the first Christian sects to depict Jesus and other figures such as Plato, Pythagoras, and Aristotle in art. They also engaged in theurgic practices, including incantations and the creation of love potions, asserting their superiority over the material world and its demonic spirits.
Despite the fascination their beliefs and practices inspire in modern times, the Carpocratians were largely marginalized and vilified by mainstream Christian writers of their time. Much of what is known about them comes from the critical accounts of these writers, which likely contain biases and exaggerations aimed at discrediting the sect. The Carpocratians’ radical departure from the norms of their contemporary society and their embrace of Gnostic spirituality highlight the diversity and complexity of early Christian thought and the wide array of interpretations and practices that existed within it.
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