Subject
Christian heresies -- History -- Early church, ca. 30-600 Books
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Antipope Hippolytus
Philosophumena; or, The refutation of all heresies, Volume I
"Philosophumena; or, The refutation of all heresies, Volume I" by Antipope Hippolytus is a Christian polemical work written in the early third century. This compendious text catalogs pagan beliefs and thirty-three gnostic Christian systems the author deemed heretical, making it a major source on early Christian opponents. The work surveys Greek philosophy, magical practices, and various heresies including those of Simon Magus, Valentinus, and Basilides, linking their teachings to ancient philosophical traditions and challenging their departures from Christian orthodoxy.
Unknown
Pistis Sophia
"Pistis Sophia" by G. Horner and Francis Legge is a Gnostic text possibly written between the 3rd and 4th centuries AD. The manuscript presents the transfigured Jesus teaching his disciples—including Mary Magdalene, his mother Mary, and Martha—the higher mysteries of the cosmos after his resurrection. Central to the work is the myth of Pistis Sophia, a figure who falls from grace and seeks redemption through prayers of repentance. Her story parallels biblical Psalms and reveals the complex cosmology and knowledge necessary for souls to reach the highest divine realms.
Antipope Hippolytus
Philosophumena; or, The refutation of all heresies, Volume II
"Philosophumena; or, The refutation of all heresies, Volume II" by Hippolytus is a Christian polemical work written in the early third century. This comprehensive catalog systematically examines and refutes 33 Gnostic Christian systems and pagan beliefs the author considered heretical. Drawing connections between ancient Greek philosophy, magical practices, and various early Christian movements, the work exposes controversial disputes within early Christianity—including accusations against canonized popes. Partially lost for centuries, it remains an invaluable source for understanding Pre-Socratic philosophy, Gnostic beliefs, and the boundaries of early Christian orthodoxy.
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