A family of theological visions: the material world is evil or inferior, created by a lesser divine being (the Demiurge); the true God is transcendent; salvation comes through awakening to secret knowledge (gnosis) of one’s divine origin. Many claimed Christian identity, interpreting Jesus as a revealer of gnosis. The Nag Hammadi library (Egypt, 1945) — Gospel of Thomas, Gospel of Philip, Gospel of Truth — gives direct access to Gnostic thinking. Proto-Catholic bishops expended enormous energy refuting Gnosticism.