![]() When we think of Wisdom Sophia as female and Christ-Sophia as including all genders and races, we can experience our own internal Wisdom more powerfully. “Mother” may be an ambivalent image for some people, depending on their experiences with their own mothers or with motherhood in general or with the image of Mary. I think Sophia is one of the most powerful female divine names and images. ![]() Origen, for example, declared Sophia to be the most ancient and appropriate title for Jesus. Sophia (“Wisdom”) is a prominent name and image of the Divine in the Christian tradition because She is linked to Christ in Christian Scriptures and in the writings of early church mothers and fathers. She is Hokmah in the Hebrew Scriptures and Sophia in the Christian Scriptures. “Wisdom” is an ancient divine name, common to many religions and cultures. Visual images of Wisdom have traditionally been dark or a combination of dark and light. Also, Christ-Sophia links races and faith traditions, connecting the Jewish Jesus to Wisdom in the Christian tradition and to Wisdom in both ancient and hellenized Judaism, and drawing from Egyptian and Greek sacred symbols and from Black divine images in many traditions. Many early hymns recorded in Christian Scriptures draw from biblical Wisdom literature.Ĭhrist-Sophia images the equal connection between male and female in that the name “Christ” has traditionally denoted male divinity, and Sophia is a female name for the Divine. The Gospel of John refers to Christ as “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). The book of Proverbs describes Wisdom as the “way,” the “life,” and the “path” (4:11,22,26). The apostle Paul refers to Christ as the “power of God and the Wisdom ( Sophia) of God” (1 Corinthians 1:24), and states that Christ “became for us Wisdom ( Sophia) from God” (1 Corinthians 1:30). In their efforts to describe this same power in Christ, Christian Scripture writers draw from this picture of Wisdom. Wisdom ( Hokmah in Hebrew) symbolizes creative, redemptive, and healing power. Christian Scripture writers link Christ to Wisdom, a female symbol of the Divine in Hebrew Scriptures. Sophia, the Greek word for Wisdom in the Christian Scriptures, is a Divine Feminine image that contributes to justice, peace, liberation, and new life. Christ-Sophia provides a theological foundation for gender and racial equality, bringing people together to change church and society. Christ-Sophia inspires collaboration, the interchange that brings change. Christ-Sophia connects genders, races, and faith traditions, providing a foundation for partnership instead of hierarchies. “Christ-Sophia” is one of the divine names and images that celebrate the sacred value of all people and hold power for transforming individuals, communities, and our world. Some people have asked me why many of my hymns and other works include “Christ-Sophia” and what I mean by “Christ-Sophia.” This may be a new divine name for you. We have the opportunity to open ourselves to new ways of imagining and naming the Divine, to join together in new creation. Extensive history, background and commentary are provided in order to reveal the inner working of Gnosticism, the place of women in their theology, and how Gnosticism influenced the Christianity of today.The new year invites us to expand our experience of Divine Mystery in order to deepen our spirituality and to contribute to healing, justice, and peace in our communities and in our world. Gnosticism is complex and deserves explanation in order to better understand the texts. "The Sophia of Jesus Christ", also called "The Wisdom of Jesus Christ", seems to be a later and Christianized version of "Eugnostos the Blessed", a non-Christian Gnostic text. In fact, one borrowed heavily from the other. The treatise of "Eugnostos the Blessed" (50-150 A.D.) and the gospel called, "The Sophia of Jesus Christ", (50-200 A.D.) are presented together in a single volume, due to their close and undeniable connection. We will see the influence of Gnosticism and how their idea of the Divine Feminine effected orthodox or mainline Christianity. In this book we will explore Gnosticism and the Divine Feminine through the lens of two great Gnostic texts. The theology presented by the Gnostics demands a balance of male and female "energies". Presented here are the Books of "The Sophia of Jesus Christ" (also called "The Wisdom of Jesus Christ") and "Eugnostos the Blessed" with extensive commentary on the ancient texts, Gnosticism, and the Divine Feminine.Gnosticism holds a special and unique place in the formation of Christianity.
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