Gnostic Rituals From A Cognitive Perspective

Abstract

The analysis of early Christian rituals faces two major challenges. The first has to do with the theoretical basis of such an analysis and the second with the evidence to be analyzed or explained. Scholars of early Christianity have generally approached their subject from theological or intellectualist perspectives, preferring belief to action, thought-world to social world, or myth to ritual. This chapter tests the applicability of a recent cognitive model, advanced by the anthropologist Harvey Whitehouse, on early Christian evidence. Cognitive approaches are themselves quite a novelty in the study of early Christianity and differ in many significant ways. The second challenge is further intensified if one focuses on what are usually called groups or movements among early Christians. The scholarly construct of Gnosticism is currently a subject of lively discussion, but even without that, we are faced with huge problems in defining the evidence. Keywords: cognitive model; early Christian rituals; gnostic groups; Harvey Whitehouse