'Dueling Gnosticisms' Definitions Are Insufficient

by

Special to United Methodist Insight

In his article, "Dueling Gnosticisms,” Chase Crickenberger argues that the underlying problem in contemporary United Methodism is a creeping ancient heresy called gnosticism. According to him, both traditionalists and progressives have succumbed to this heresy, and are, therefore, on the road to perdition.

However, Crickenberger’s definition of “gnosticism” falls far short of historical accuracy. In his formulation, gnosticism is “human pride systematized into a broken and toxic theology where salvation becomes not an act of God, but of human will.” That’s the extent of his definition. In his view, gnosticism is simply “works righteousness,” to use a good old Protestant term. Any religion that believes one can be saved by his or her own actions is, in these terms, gnostic.

But that’s not at all an accurate description of ancient gnosticism. While gnosticism never was an organized or well-defined movement, it was characterized primarily by its extreme dualism. Gnostics believed that all physical matter, including the body, was evil, and that only the spirit is good. The human spirit was viewed as a spark of the divine energy trapped in a physical body. Because the body had no importance or significance in the gnostic worldview, gnostics tended to be either extreme ascetics, practicing severe self-discipline, or hedonists, enjoying any and all worldly pleasures.

It was this extreme duality, this disdain for the body and matter, which made it a heresy in the eyes of the church fathers. Gnostics did not believe that Jesus had a real, physical body; how could he, if matter is evil? Yet the core of Christian teaching was that Jesus had come in the flesh, had experienced real suffering and pain, been crucified and died, and then was raised from the dead. To portray Jesus as a phantom or illusion is to conclude that he was not, therefore, human in any sense. This was a Christological concern, a matter that touched upon the nature of salvation.

But the church fathers were not only concerned about the nature of Jesus, they were also worried about the creeping gnostic tendency to want to spiritualize everything at the sake of earthly concerns. If only spiritual things matter, then earthly things are downgraded, ignored, and mistrusted.

Put simply, Crickenberger’s understanding of gnosticism falls far short of an accurate historical representation. If this were the only problem with the article, the author could be gently corrected and asked to go back to an academic study of ancient gnosticism.

But there is more to be concerned about in Crickenberger’s article. Setting aside his historical misrepresentation, let’s assess his charges against traditionalists and progressives. First of all, as a progressive Methodist, I don’t recognize his description of me, and I doubt very many of us would. I don’t mind being called an aspiring “‘woke’ white progressive,” but I don’t have anything in common with what he thinks of people like me. I don’t think that reading the “right authors” or attending the “right seminars” will save me from racism or anything else. Nor do I think that the most important thing is holding the “correct” position. As a matter of fact, he might be surprised to know that I have a saving faith in Jesus Christ.

His description of traditionalists is equally insulting and misguided. I doubt that a single leader in the GMC would recognize him or herself in this column. I’ve never heard a traditionalist argue that one must “read Scripture through their lens” to be saved. This is either just a sloppy sentence, or an extremely flimsy straw man.

Finally, if Crickenberger thinks he has somehow successfully avoided the heresy of gnosticism, navigated the pitfalls on both sides of the UM schism, and discerned precisely where to stand in order to be above criticism, then hasn’t he somehow become a gnostic (according to his own definition) himself?

The Rev. Wes Magruder serves as a missionary of the General Board of Global Ministries appointed to Katanga Methodist University in Democratic Republic of Congo. To reproduce this content elsewhere, please contact United Methodist Insight for permission.