Since the discovery of original gnostic documents at Nag Hammadi in 1945, many scholars have recognized a familiar presence within this ancient heresy. To some authors the main features of gnosticism--belief in a secret revelation available only to an initiated elite, rejection of the physical world, and escape into the self--seemed reminiscent of modern cult groups and secular movements. However, Philip Lee, noting that most of the early gnostics were firmly ensconced within the Church, locates modern gnosticism within the Protestant establishment itself. "As a Protestant, I believe I have identified the elusive modern gnostics and they are ourselves," he writes. In this penetrating and provocative assessment of the current state of religion and its effect on values in society at large, Lee criticizes conservatives and liberals alike as he traces gnostic motifs to the very roots of American Protestantism. With references to an extraordinary spectrum of writings from sources as diverse as John Calvin, Martin Buber, Tom Wolfe, Margaret Atwood and Emily Dickinson among many others, he probes the effects of gnostic thinking on issues ranging from politics to feminism, from ecology to parenthood. The ethical ramifications of such a gnostic turn have been negative and frightening, he maintains. The book points to positive ways of restoring health to endangered Protestant churches. Calling for the restoration of a dialectical faith and practice, Lee offers an agenda for reform, including a renewal of obedience to the scriptures and an affirmation of life and creation within the circle of the extended family.

Against the Protestant Gnostics

Literature & Fiction

Lee, Philip J.

History & Criticism

Oxford University Press

In this penetrating and provocative assessment of the current state of religion and its effects on society at large, Philip J. Lee criticizes conservatives and liberals alike as he traces gnostic motifs to the very roots of American Protestantism. With references to an extraordinary spectrum of writings from sources as diverse as John Calvin, Martin Buber, Tom Wolfe, Margaret Atwood, and Emily Dickinson, he probes the effects of gnostic thinking on a wide range of issues. Calling for the restoration of a dialectical faith and practice, the book points to positive ways of restoring health to endangered Protestant churches.

The Democratization of Communication

Covering many different areas of sustainable water resource management, this volume is made up the the proceedings of the 28th International Association of Hydraulic Engineering and Research Congress held at Graz in 1999. It also contains papers presented at the Memorial Symposium for P. Forchheimer and A. Schoklitsch, and a CD-ROM. The themes covered include sub-surface hydraulics and engineering; hydraulic structures; information technology in water resources modelling and management; hydraulic and ecological interactions in a vulnerable environment; and fluvial systems - processes, functions and management.

Politics & Social Sciences

Social Sciences

Univ of Wales Pr

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Lee, Philip J.. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Lee, Philip J.

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Lee, Philip J.. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Against the Protestant Gnostics

Against the Protestant Gnostics

The Democratization of Communication