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Rating: 
Summary: Doresse's Exploration of Coptic Gnostic Wonderlands
Review: Doresse's Exploration of Gnostic Wonders:
A masterful entery to Gnosticism; Doresse's book was the first insider's authoritative description of the Egyptian Gnostic writings known as the Chenoboskion Library, discovered near today's Nag-Hammadi, in upper Egypt. This is, no doubt, the best book on rediscovering the roots of Gnosticism in Chenoboskion. Doresse's enthusiasm makes this book an enjoyable reading, even with all the complicated Gnostic thought and philosophical terms. He studied with Togo Mina, a Coptic scholar, then director of the Coptic Museum, under Prof. Pueuch, and was one of the first few with whom Mina consulted. Doresse got the finesse to lead the reader to appreciate the beauty of these writings, explaining their underlying thought clearly, and without bias.
Despite the forty five years since its publication, its masterful introduction to Gnosticism and elaborate account of the discovery, and re-acquiring of the smuggled codices keeps it still very vivid. A detailed description of the codices is given, before he starts a discussion of the texts themselves, and what they reveal to him of Gnostic belief and practice, with a special emphasis on the Gospel of Thomas. Previously known to scholars?
Before unearthing Chenoboskion library, almost all existing original references on Gnosticism were written in Coptic; including the Askew codex, the Bruce fragments, codex Berolensis that no one knows where did it disappear after the fall of Berlin. These gnostic writings were previously known to scholars, but no one would have expected that such a Gnostic collection, could show up in this great variety. Doresse's personal experience, and excitement over his early participation in these discoveries renders the book brisk and engaging, even if the subject could have been academic and monotonous. Given that most of what we knew about the various sects of Gnostics came from the surviving writings by early Christians Church fathers like Iraeneus, Tertulian, Clement and Origen, the core reality of gnosticism was not distorted but only partly understood, in the light of these apologies. Doresse thoroughly reviews what was known of Gnosticism before these writings were recently unearthed. Doresse analysis of Chenoboskion Marvels:
Outlining and discussing those texts previously known in ancient writings, only by title or through brief quotations from writings that has been long thought to be lost, is part of his amazement. He is overwelmed due to the broad spectrum of sources the Gnostics relied on. The library includes, Hermetic Egyptian and Persian manuals as well as a great part of vaguely known but long time lost apocryphal Christian writings and Apocalyptic books. This leads Doresse to confirm his mentor Professor Pueuch theory of Judaic roots of Gnosticism, and would also explain how some scholars comment on the 'more Gnostic sounding passages' of the New Testament.
It was also an amusing surprise to find adaptations of earlier known works selectively edited for Gnostic use, renamed, and ascribed to more authorititive writers. This practice does make it difficult to take at face value the Library's outstanding pseudo-Christian works attributed to the Evangelists, Apostles, and even Jesus Christ Himself. At the same time, it also makes some scholars wonder if any of the same sayings infelterated into Christian doctrines or even included within the canonical books of the New Testament in its final form. (authorized by St Athanasius in his paschal letter of 367). Secret Words of Jesus:
The words of Jesus, secretly revealed to his disciples, his teachings given an enhanced meaning are fascinating in that these ideals are so poetic. No doubt, that the Gnostics adapted some Eastern Church teachings, including descent into Hades, Christ teaches that spiritual knowledge is gained speculatively through meditation on Gnostic scripture, a merit of the few, through a knowing faith, and contemplative prayer. For Gnostics, faith is just the beginning, following the lead of Easterners, whereas for some western Christians, faith in Jesus is their only forensic justification goal. Epilogue: Savior Descent into Hades:
'Here, the Chenoboskion manuscript presents a lacuna which the Berlin Codex enables us to fill: the Savior recalls the descent into the lower world by which he is coming to deliver the human creature enslaved to the Archons. "I have struck off the chains...I have broken down the doors of the pitiless and humiliated them...I have revealed to you the name of the Perfect and the whole desire of the mother of the angels. I came to reveal to you that which exists since the beginning. I came because of the pride of the archigenitor and his angels, who say, ' We are gods!' to condemn them by revealing to everyone the God who is above the universe. Trample under foot their sepulchers! let their yoke be broken, that mine may be exalted?" (page 200)
Rating: 
Summary: Secret Books of Egyptian Gnostics by Doresse
Review: This is a complicated book which requires very careful reading
for enthusiasts of gnosticism. The concept has its meaning in
the beginnings of faith. The Coddians, Stratiotici and the
Phibiomites all have a connection to the same family of gnostics.
The creation of Adam is seen as a myth with the sacrament of
Baptism as the first initial introduction into faith. The
Cast of Demiurageiao' is depicted pictorially. Gnostics
believe in opposites between the created world and G-d.
The Savior discloses man's utter depravity. Manuscripts in the
Sahidic dialect are depicted , as well as writings from the
Book of John, Great Spirit, Sophia of Jesus and Dialogues of the
Savior. Manuscripts of Chenoboskian and the Gospel of Truth
are described in detail as vouchsavers of the Gnosticism.
Gnosticism is definable from power incursions of the Iranian
myths into Jewish mysticism nourished by Greek and Chaldean
philosophies. This work is deep in its implications and
integration of various philosophies into classic gnosticism.
It is perfect for world historians and theologists with a
particular interest in Gnosticism.
Rating:
Summary: A Very Good Book
Review: This is possibly the best book on Gnosticism out there, along with Gnosis by Kurt Rudolph. But it should be made clear that this author was a Christian and was not trying to undermine Christianity or present any alternative form of it. He did not believe in the spiritual authority of the Gnostic scriptures; he was simply presenting them as what they are -an incredible scholarly find.
As already stated in another review, Doresse's enthusiasm makes this book an enjoyable read. With the yearly on-slaught of books being written to deride Christianity and claim the superiority of Gnosticism, this is a book written by someone who was instrumental in the first study of the Nag Hammadi library, who can appreciate the value of the writings with no ulterior motives behind his interest.
There is also no polemic against Gnosticism. He makes it plain that there are a lot of Gnostic ideas to be found in the New Testament. This author goes far to show his objectivity and allows the reader to see the beauty of these writings with no anti-Christian diatribes. If only more authors writing on this subject would do the same.
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