Publication Date
Spring 2014
Degree Level
B.A.
Program
Honors
First Advisor
Greenaway, James
Second Advisor
Uhlig, Paul
Document Type
Thesis
Medium
Manuscript
Abstract
In this paper, I will discuss the connection Eric Voegelin, the 20e century political philosopher, made between the philosophy of Karl Marx and Gnosticism. Voegelin asserted that Gnosticism, though usually connected with a medieval Christian heresy, has retained its potency through history and into the modern era. In his attempt to connect the ideas of Gnosticism to the modern world in the form of all encompassing 2Oth century political ideologies, Voegelin criticizes thinkers like Marx for creating "second-realities," or utopian frameworks that are ultimately incompatible with reality. Because of Marx's strong and well-known, rejection of religion, this is by no means a non-contentious claim. Voegelin believes that modern day Gnosticism's turn away from the search for transcendental truth to a focus on the immanent,2 on the belief that the path to a perfected world lies in the power of humanity and a historical revolution, are at least partially responsible for the disastrous results of Marxism and what Voegelin calls "Gnostic insanity."
To begin, I will first define Gnosticism separate from Marx, looking at what Voegelin sees as the path of Gnosticism through history, touching on a definition of Gnosticism derived by Voegelin from the philosophy of foachim of Flora, and what Voegelin defines as the six characteristics of modern Gnostic thought. To proceed, I will see if connections between the previously defined Gnosticism and some of the more influential works of Karl Marx, like The Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts and The Communist Manifesto, can fairly be justified within the framework Voegelin creates. If parallels between the two can be made, Voegelin's thought on this matter may retain value. I will then consider criticism of Voegelin from other scholars, including the assertion that he may be too hasty to demonize the thought of those he saw as dangerous ideologues without offering them fair consideration, as well as contentions over the definition of Gnosticism itself. We will then be able to conclude if Voegelin's allegation of Gnosticism is ultimately justifiable, a mistaken view, a polemical attack on an ideologue he considered dangerous, or simply partially correct when reflecting on the totality of other considerations.
Recommended Citation
Perez, Briana, "Exploring Marx and Gnosticism: Is Eric Voegelin's Assertion that Marx is a Modern-day Gnostic justifiable?" (2014). Honors Program Theses and Research Projects. 74.
https://commons.stmarytx.edu/honorstheses/74
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