hermetic teachings argued go back old egyptian kingdom c bc jewish christian origins contemporary scholarship largely agrees gnosticism jewish christian origins originating late first century ad nonrabbinical jewish sects early christian sects many heads gnostic schools identified jewish christians church fathers hebrew words names god applied gnostic systems ref name je g jewish encyclopedia http wwwjewishencyclopediacom viewjspartid letter g search gnosticism ixzz l waxy gnosticism ref cosmogonic speculations among christian gnostics partial origins maaseh bereshit ''maaseh merkabah'' thesis notably put forward gershom scholem
Humanities Theology Gnosticism