THE EGYPTIAN FOUNDATIONS OF GNOSTIC THOUGHT

only 13 out of 31 of the main texts examined here – in any other field this sort of
methodology would be suspect. Layton is closely associated with the work done on
The Nag Hammadi Library in English and has made major contributions therein.
Yamauchi manifests an even narrower textual approach to an exceedingly
complex textual and socio-historical issue. In going after “pre-Christian Gnosticism”
one might expect at least a treatment of all the texts in Category 1; instead we have a
controversial thesis derived from an amazingly sparse selection of available texts. The
socio-historical picture which one would expect to be developed in a discussion as to
whether this group precedes that, is non-existent.
Pétrement’s work, like Yamauchi, is concerned with disproving the scholarly
consensus that Gnostic thought preceded Christian, although she does not settle for
his rather vague picture of simultaneity for the two religious developments, instead
opting for the unlikely thesis of complete Christian precedence In pursuing this idée
fixe Pétrement displays a more generous distribution of references than Layton or
Yamauchi, not, however, departing from the overall pattern of a propensity to use
Christian-Gnostic sources and a complete lack of interest in Egypt.
The three remaining works on Gnosticism and early Christianity, Gnostic
origins, and the study of the Feminine in Gnostic thought are far better than the first
three enterprises--undoubtedly a result of their multi-authorship--however all still
reinforce the tendency to use texts in Categories 3 and 4 over 1 and 2, and in
highlighting a perceived “Christian-Gnostic” canon over the bulk of Gnostic
manuscripts. The Messina conference is to be commended for presenting a more
balanced array of source material than is usually the case to this day, almost thirty
years later, and in supplying a detailed index of text citations, a rarity in the field. As
well, this work at least acknowledged the “problem” of Egypt in defining Gnostic
thought, devoting 2 articles, out of a total of 54, to the issue of Egyptian Gnosticism.
The other five representative works are entirely devoid of any analysis of an Egyptian
presence in Gnostic thought, nor do they advance a viable socio-historical model of
any kind for that matter.
The Letter of Peter to Philip (VIII,2)
The Testimony of Truth (IX,3)