List of Gnostic sects

The following is a list of sects involved in Gnosticism:

Ancient

Syrian-Egyptic Gnosticism

• Bardesanites
• Basilidians
  • Heracleonites [1]
• Hermeticism
  • Ptolemaeans [2]
• Satornilians [3]
• Sethians
  • Valesians
• Thomasines (also called Thomasenes)
• Valentianism

Persian Gnosticism

• Mandaeanism
• Manichaeism
  • Al-Dayhuri's Sect
  • Albanenses
  • Astati
  • Audianism
  • Shinang's Sect
• Sabians (also called Sampsaeans)

Not-classified Christian Gnosticism

• Cerdonians
  • Marcionism
    • Apelliacos
    • Lucianists [4]
• Colorbasians
• Dositheans (could be offshoot of Simonianism or proto-Gnostic)
• Justinians
• Simonians
  • Menandrians [5]

Others

• Abelonians [6]
• Agapetae
• Alogians
• Angelici [7]
• Antitactae
• Aquarii
• Archontics
• Ascodroutes
• Barbeliotae
• Borborites
  • Coddians (also called Koddians) [8]
  • Levitics (also called Levitici)[9]
  • Phibionites [10]
  • Stratiotici
• Cainites
• Carpocratians
• Cerinthians
  • Adamites (also called Adamians)
  • Marcellianas
• Cleobians [11]
• Docetae
• Elcesaites
• Encratites
  • Apotactics (also called Apostolics)
  • Severians
• Marcosians
• Messalians
• Nicolaism
• Ophites
  • Naassenes
  • Perates
• Priscillianism
• Quintillians, Montanist sect that may have come under Gnostic influence
• Secundians [12]
• Seleucians

Middle Ages

• Athinganoi
• Bagnolians
• Bogomils
• Bosnian Church
• Cathars
  • Black Brotherhood
  • Credentes
  • Pasagians
  • Pataria
• Novgorodians - the owners of the Novgorod Codex; it is likely that the owners of the codex were dualistic like the Bogomils
• Paulicianism
  • Arnoldists
• Picards (Neo-Adamites)
• Tondrakians

Modern era

• Anthroposophy
• The Church of St Mary & St John[13]
• Ecclesia Gnostica
• Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica
• Ecclesia Gnostica Mysteriorum
• Eglise Gnostique
• Gnostic Church of France
• Gnostic Society
• Holy Order of Mans (Quasi-Gnostic)
• Johannite Church
• Lectorium Rosicrucianum
• Muckers
• Liberal Catholic Union[14]
• Order of the Nazorean Essenes (influenced by Gnosticism)[15]
• Society of Novus Spiritus
• Theosophy

See also

• Esoteric Christianity

Footnotes

1. See Against the Heracleonites by Epiphanius
2. See Against the Ptolemaeans by Epiphanius
3. The followers of the gnostic Satornilus. See Against Satornilus by Epiphanius
4. See Against the Lucianists by Epiphanius
5. The followers of Menander, who led a schism in Simonianism. See Against Menander by Epiphanius
6. See Abelites - Jewish Encyclopedia
7. See Against the Angelics by Epiphanius for a more detailed description.
8. Apparently another name for the Borborites. Epiphanius also references them as a different sect in the Panarion. He mentions them three times in the book. See here .
9. A gnostic sect mentioned in the Panarion, Against the Nicolaitans, 2,1 They be identified as the Borborites.
10. Another name for the Gnostics according to Epiphanius. It may be a different Gnostic sect altogether. See Proem I, 5,4
11. Blunt. Pg. 109. "Cleobians"
12. See Against the Secundians by Epiphanius
13. See Churchsmsj.org for more information
14. See for more information
15. See Essenes.com for more information

References

1. Blunt, John Henry. Dictionary of Sects, Heresies, Ecclesiastical Parties, and Schools of Religious Thought. Rivingtons. 1874.