Carpocrates

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Part of a series on Gnosticism

History of Gnosticism Early Gnosticism Syrian-Egyptic Gnosticism Gnosticism in modern times

Proto-Gnostics Philo Paul the Apostle Valentinius Cerinthus Basilides

Gnostic texts Gnostic Gospels Nag Hammadi library Codex Tchacos Bruce Codex Gnosticism and the New Testament

Related articles Gnosis Pythagoreanism Neoplatonism and Gnosticism Manichaeism Bosnian Church Esoteric Christianity Theosophy This box: view • talk • edit

Carpocrates of Alexandria was the founder of an early Gnostic sect from the first half of the second century. As with many Gnostic sects we know of the Carpocratians only through the writings of the Church Fathers, in the case of Carpocrates, principally Irenaeus of Lyons and Clement of Alexandria. As these writers strongly opposed Gnostic doctrine there is a considerable question of negative bias when using these sources. However, whilst the various references to the Carpocratians differ in some details, there is un