(PUBDoubleday)'The most complete presentation of Gnostic writings in English; the translation is lucid and the introductions given throughout the book are excellent. This is a first-class piece of work on an important subject,'---ADRIS Newsletter.What is Gnosticism? a philosophy? a movement? a strange blend of Plato and Philo? a counter-church movement? The answers are as varied as the scholars studying the phenomenom. From progressive proponents of the 'secret sayings' of Jesus to charges of 'knowledge elitism' in our seminaries, the word Gnostic is bandied about by a thousand commentators.To sift the grain from the chaff requires a skilled interlocutor. Such is Bentley Layton, one of the world's foremost authorities on Gnosticism. He served as a member of the UNESCO project to publish the Nag Hammdi Library and has authored scholarly editions, commentaries, and articles on some of the most important finds.Now, in one volume, Layton has collected and translated 46 of the documents central to the Gnostic corpus. He finds five distinct schools: the Sethian scriptures, the writings of Valentinus, the elaborations of his followers, the northern Mesopotamian collection centering on St. Thomas, and the writings of Basilides as well as hermetic sources, Layton has added critiques by early church fathers.Layton's translation is a model of clarity, given the esoteric terminology and the obscure concepts involved. Introduction outlines, notes, and outstanding bibliographies add to its value. 526 pages, softcover.Bentley Layton, an internationally recognized authority on Gnostic literature, is Professor of Ancient Christian History at Yale University.
