Christianity and the Gnostic Way

At the time of Constantine (around 315CE) the Christian Church established its place in the world as the religion of Rome. Constantine wanted the church to speak with one voice. That voice did not include the vibrant gnostic church that existed at that time. In short, gnosticism was eliminated from the church, including its churches, monasteries, and gospels. However, it never went away. This is a compelling story and no one tells it better than Richard Smoley in his book, Inner Christianity. For all of you who wish to retain some connection to the Christian Church, but who find that it does not satisfy your soul in the way you desire, this is the place to go. Despite his academic background and the intricate nature of his subject, Smoley has managed to create a highly readable book that will answer your questions about gnostic christianity and motivate you to explore it at the same time. Unlike so many tomes on this subject, you do not have to slog your way through it as if traversing a swamp. Smoley puts you on a road that is fully paved and easy to traverse while educating you in a major way about the gnostic gospel. If his book does not completely satisfy you, he has a bibliography in the back that will take you as far as you want to go. Even if you are not convinced that gnostic thought is the wave of the future in the Christian Church, read the book anyway. At the least it will open doors for you to go through. Who among us does not require exposure to the greater world? The world that so many people have worked so hard to keep us from exploring. To the gnostic this road leads to only one location; the Kingdom of God.