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The Ethics of The Tripartite Tractate (NHC I, 5)
A Study of Determinism and Early Christian Philosophy of Ethics
Series: - Nag Hammadi and Manichaean Studies, Volume: 95
Author:
In The Ethics of The Tripartite Tractate (NHC I, 5) Paul Linjamaa offers the first full length thematical monograph on the longest Valentinian text extant today. By investigating the ethics of The Tripartite Tractate, this study offers in-depth exploration of the text's ontology, epistemology, theory of will, and passions, as well as the anthropology and social setting of the text.
Valentinians have often been associated with determinism, which has been presented as âGnosticâ and then not taken seriously, or been disregarded as an invention of ancient intra-Christian polemics. Linjamaa challenges this conception and presents insights into how early Christian determinism actually worked, and how it effectively sustained viable and functioning ethics.
Valentinians have often been associated with determinism, which has been presented as âGnosticâ and then not taken seriously, or been disregarded as an invention of ancient intra-Christian polemics. Linjamaa challenges this conception and presents insights into how early Christian determinism actually worked, and how it effectively sustained viable and functioning ethics.
Paul Linjamaa, Ph.D. (2018), is a postdoctoral fellow at the Centre for Theology and Religious Studies at Lund University, Sweden. He has previously published a monograph on Valentinianism and is the author of several articles on the Nag Hammadi texts and early Christianity.
Acknowledgments
List of Abbreviations
Introduction
â1âThe Structure of the Present Study
â2âWho Were the Valentinians?
â3âThe Myth in TriTrac and the Ethics in Storytelling
â4âPrevious Research on TriTrac and the Historical Setting of the Text
â5âEarly Christian Ethics and the Bad Reputation of Determinism
â6âNotes on Translation and Transcription
1 The Ontological and Epistemological Foundations for Ethics
â1âKnowledge in TriTrac and Ancient Epistemology
â2âPhantasms, Likenesses, and Images: the Ontology of TriTrac and the Question of Logos
â3âRemembering (and) the Nature of Virtue
â4âThe Individual and the Collective
â5âMixing and Blending, Truth and Falsehood
â6âConclusion: Ontology, Epistemology and Ethics
2 Emotions, Demons, and Moral Ability
â1âEmotions and Cognitive Theory in Ancient Thought
â2âEmotions and the Creation Narrative
â3âThe Logosâ First Movement and Ancient Cognitive Theory
â4âGood Emotions
â5âNegative Passions as âMixedâ Heavenly Powers and their Influence on Humans
â6âApatheia, Therapeia, and Eleutheria
â7âFemaleness and the Sickness of Emotions
â8âConclusion
3 Free Will and the Configuration of the Human Mind
â1âWill and Ethics in Ancient Thought
â2âChristian Free Will, the Configuration of God, and the Creation of the Cosmos
â3âFree Will and Moral Accountability in TriTrac
â4âTriTracâs Anthropology in Context: Origenâs Christian Opponents
4 Natural Human Categories and Moral Progress
â1âThe Three Classes of Humans in TriTrac
â2âThe Pedagogical Purpose of the Logosâ Organization and the Composition of Humans
â3âThree Categories of Humans According to TriTracâs Epistemology and Theory of Passions
â4âRestricted Choice in Practice
â5âFixed, Fluid, or in Flux? The Advantages of a Fixed Anthropology
â6âConclusions
5 School or Church? Teaching, Learning, and the Community Structure
â1âOn the Community Structure Behind TriTrac in Light of the Term âChurchâ
â2âThe Cosmos as a âSchoolâ in TriTrac and its Early Christian Context
â3âThe âSchool of Conductâ in the Pleroma and the Gaining of Form
â4âThe Cosmic School: an Imperfect Reflection of the Heavens
â5âSilent and Oral Instruction: Formation, Baptism and Education
â6âThe Duty of the Pneumatic Moral Expert and the Formation of Psychic Christians
â7âThe Category of the âSchool of Valentinusâ in Early Christian Scholarship
â8âConclusions: the Dual Structure of the Community Behind TriTrac
6 Honor and Attitudes Toward Social and Political Involvement
â1âTriTrac and Early Christian Attitudes Toward Involvement in Society
â2âCosmogony as Political Commentary
â3âThe Pursuit of Honor
â4âPsychic Humans and their Political Involvement
â5âConclusion: the Character of Psychic Christians and Attitudes Toward Social and Ecclesiastical Involvement
7 Summary: the Nature of Early Christian Determinism
â1âTriTracâs Alexandrian Context
Appendix: Implications and Suggestions for Further Studies
Bibliography
âAncient Authors and Texts
âSecondary Literature
Index
List of Abbreviations
Introduction
â1âThe Structure of the Present Study
â2âWho Were the Valentinians?
â3âThe Myth in TriTrac and the Ethics in Storytelling
â4âPrevious Research on TriTrac and the Historical Setting of the Text
â5âEarly Christian Ethics and the Bad Reputation of Determinism
â6âNotes on Translation and Transcription
Part 1: Theoretical Framework for Ethics
1 The Ontological and Epistemological Foundations for Ethics
â1âKnowledge in TriTrac and Ancient Epistemology
â2âPhantasms, Likenesses, and Images: the Ontology of TriTrac and the Question of Logos
â3âRemembering (and) the Nature of Virtue
â4âThe Individual and the Collective
â5âMixing and Blending, Truth and Falsehood
â6âConclusion: Ontology, Epistemology and Ethics
2 Emotions, Demons, and Moral Ability
â1âEmotions and Cognitive Theory in Ancient Thought
â2âEmotions and the Creation Narrative
â3âThe Logosâ First Movement and Ancient Cognitive Theory
â4âGood Emotions
â5âNegative Passions as âMixedâ Heavenly Powers and their Influence on Humans
â6âApatheia, Therapeia, and Eleutheria
â7âFemaleness and the Sickness of Emotions
â8âConclusion
3 Free Will and the Configuration of the Human Mind
â1âWill and Ethics in Ancient Thought
â2âChristian Free Will, the Configuration of God, and the Creation of the Cosmos
â3âFree Will and Moral Accountability in TriTrac
â4âTriTracâs Anthropology in Context: Origenâs Christian Opponents
Part 2: Ethics in Practice
4 Natural Human Categories and Moral Progress
â1âThe Three Classes of Humans in TriTrac
â2âThe Pedagogical Purpose of the Logosâ Organization and the Composition of Humans
â3âThree Categories of Humans According to TriTracâs Epistemology and Theory of Passions
â4âRestricted Choice in Practice
â5âFixed, Fluid, or in Flux? The Advantages of a Fixed Anthropology
â6âConclusions
5 School or Church? Teaching, Learning, and the Community Structure
â1âOn the Community Structure Behind TriTrac in Light of the Term âChurchâ
â2âThe Cosmos as a âSchoolâ in TriTrac and its Early Christian Context
â3âThe âSchool of Conductâ in the Pleroma and the Gaining of Form
â4âThe Cosmic School: an Imperfect Reflection of the Heavens
â5âSilent and Oral Instruction: Formation, Baptism and Education
â6âThe Duty of the Pneumatic Moral Expert and the Formation of Psychic Christians
â7âThe Category of the âSchool of Valentinusâ in Early Christian Scholarship
â8âConclusions: the Dual Structure of the Community Behind TriTrac
6 Honor and Attitudes Toward Social and Political Involvement
â1âTriTrac and Early Christian Attitudes Toward Involvement in Society
â2âCosmogony as Political Commentary
â3âThe Pursuit of Honor
â4âPsychic Humans and their Political Involvement
â5âConclusion: the Character of Psychic Christians and Attitudes Toward Social and Ecclesiastical Involvement
Part 3: Conclusions and Implications
7 Summary: the Nature of Early Christian Determinism
â1âTriTracâs Alexandrian Context
Appendix: Implications and Suggestions for Further Studies
Bibliography
âAncient Authors and Texts
âSecondary Literature
Index
All interested in Valentinianism, early Christian ethics and the development of early Christian theory of the human will.