Valentinian Monism

**Valentinian Monism**

Monism is the philosophical view that all things are derived from a single, unified source. It posits that apparent distinctions or separations between various entities are ultimately illusions or misunderstandings of a deeper, singular reality.

Valentinianism, often categorized as a form of Gnosticism, has been recognized as fundamentally monistic, rather than dualistic, in its view of reality. While some Gnostic systems, such as those associated with the Sethians, are often characterized by radical dualism (Jonas 1963), Valentinianism is different in its emphasis on the unity of the divine and the interconnectedness of all things. As Elaine Pagels points out in *The Gnostic Gospels*, Valentinianism "differs essentially from dualism" (Pagels 1978), a distinction which has been further elaborated by scholars like Simon Petrement (1990) and William Schoedel (1980). This article aims to explore the key aspects of Valentinian monism.

In Valentinian thought, God is understood as containing all things within Himself, embodying a singular, unified reality. Irenaeus, in *Against Heresies* (2:4:2), quotes a Valentinian source asserting that "the Father of all contains all things, and that there is nothing whatever outside of the Pleroma." Similarly, another Valentinian text echoes this idea by stating that God "contains in himself all things and is himself not contained" (Epiphanius, *Panarion* 31:5:3). Ptolemy, a prominent Valentinian teacher, describes God as "uncontained" (Irenaeus, *Against Heresies* 1:1:1), reinforcing the notion that God transcends all boundaries and contains the totality of existence.

Valentinus, the founder of Valentinianism, frequently used similar language to describe God’s relationship with creation. In the *Gospel of Truth* (17:5-9), he states that "the entirety was inside of him—the inconceivable, uncontained, who is superior to all thought." This reflects a view of God that is not limited by any external force or structure, and indeed, He "surrounds every way while nothing surrounds him" (Gospel of Truth, 22:22-26). According to the *Valentinian Exposition* (Nag Hammadi), "He possessed the All dwelling within him...He encompassed the All, He who is higher than the All." Such expressions assert that God is the source of all reality, and all things are ultimately contained within Him.

This view aligns with the Stoic pantheistic monism, as noted by Bentley Layton (1987), who describes the Valentinian cosmology as one where "all is enclosed by God and ultimately all is God." Unlike the radical dualism often attributed to other Gnostic systems, Valentinian thought emphasizes that the divine realm is not separate from the material world but rather encompasses it. The distinction between the divine and the created is one of knowledge and ignorance, rather than an ontological separation.

The *Gospel of Truth* (17:4-6) reflects this view, stating that the entirety is within the Father, yet it remains ignorant of Him: "the entirety searched for the one from whom they had emanated." This ignorance is seen as the source of error, creating a false perception of reality. In Valentinianism, the material world is viewed as a product of this ignorance, an illusion arising from the separation of the emanations from the Father. Valentinus elaborates on this concept by describing the "realm of appearance" as akin to a bad dream (Gospel of Truth, 29:8-10f), suggesting that what we perceive in the physical realm is not the ultimate reality but a distorted reflection of the true divine state.

Valentinians describe the material world in metaphorical terms, often comparing it to "images" or "shadows" of the divine realm. Irenaeus (2:14:3) records that "those things which are 'outside' of the Fullness have no true existence... These things are images of those which truly exist." This analogy mirrors Plato's famous cave allegory, where shadows on a wall represent an imperfect and incomplete understanding of the true forms. In this framework, the material world is not separate from God but is instead a lower, illusory manifestation of His divine essence.

Despite the apparent separation, Valentinians believe that all things ultimately emanate from the Father and are thus still within the divine unity. As Irenaeus (2:4:2) notes, the entirety is "contained by the ineffable Greatness, as the center is in a circle, or as a spot is in a garment." The metaphor of a circle or garment emphasizes the idea that while things may appear distinct or separate, they are, in fact, contained within the unity of the divine. This non-dualistic perspective is central to Valentinian monism, which emphasizes the interconnectedness of all things and the illusory nature of the distinctions we make between them.

The process of salvation in Valentinianism is seen as a return to this unified reality. Knowledge (gnosis) of the Father dissolves the illusion of multiplicity, revealing the true unity of all things. The *Gospel of Truth* (24:28-25:19) states that "since deficiency and suffering had their origin in ignorance, the entire system originating in ignorance is dissolved by knowledge." Through gnosis, the soul transcends the illusory separation from God and reunites with the divine source. As Valentinus writes, "from the moment the Father is known, the lack will not exist...lack passes away in completion" (Gospel of Truth, 24:28-25:19).

Ultimately, Valentinian monism presents a vision of a unified reality in which all things are contained within the Father. The material world, though seemingly separate, is part of the divine whole. The illusion of duality—between spirit and matter, good and evil, life and death—is dissolved through the knowledge of God, leading to a return to the ultimate unity of the Pleroma. In this view, the ultimate goal is to recognize the interconnectedness of all things and to transcend the false distinctions that arise from ignorance.

Thomas Hobbes and Valentinian Monism: A Connection Through Theodotus Fragment 10  

Thomas Hobbes, a 17th-century philosopher, was a proponent of materialist monism, the belief that all things in existence are composed of a single substance: matter. In his view, everything in the universe, including thought, perception, and even what many consider spiritual or supernatural, is material in nature. This perspective aligns in a significant way with the teachings of Valentinian Gnosticism as reflected in Theodotus' *Excerpta ex Theodoto*, specifically Fragment 10. This passage asserts that even the highest spiritual beings, including those in the Pleroma, have form and body, making them corporeal rather than purely immaterial.  

Hobbes’s philosophy, particularly his rejection of incorporeal entities, resonates with Theodotus' assertion that everything, even in the highest realms, possesses shape and substance. Theodotus writes:  

*"But not even the world of spirit and of intellect, nor the archangels and the First-Created, no, nor even he himself is shapeless and formless and without figure, and incorporeal; but he also has his own shape and body corresponding to his preeminence over all spiritual beings, as also those who were first created have bodies corresponding to their preeminence over the beings subordinate to them. For, in general, that which has come into being is not unsubstantial, but they have form and body, though unlike the bodies in this world."*  

This passage fundamentally rejects the idea of purely immaterial existence. The Pleroma, often thought of as the highest spiritual realm in Valentinianism, is not an abstract or incorporeal place but consists of entities with distinct form and body. Even the Only-Begotten Son is described as possessing a shape and nature, though different from material bodies on earth. Theodotus further states that the First-Created beings, though distinct in number, exist in unity, equality, and similarity because of their shared perfection from the beginning.  

Hobbes's materialist monism echoes this understanding of reality. He rejected the notion of an incorporeal God or incorporeal beings. According to Hobbes, everything that exists is composed of material bodies in motion, governed by physical laws. In *Leviathan*, he states:  

*"The universe, that is the whole mass of things that are, is corporeal, that is to say, body; and hath the dimensions of magnitude, namely, length, breadth, and depth. Every part of the universe is body, and that which is not body is no part of the universe."*  

This view aligns with Theodotus' assertion that even in the spiritual realm, there is no formless or purely immaterial being. For both Hobbes and Theodotus, existence is defined by substance and form. Theodotus emphasizes that even the act of seeing the Father requires form and corporeality:  

*"Yet that which sees and is seen cannot be formless or incorporeal. But they see not with an eye of sense, but with the eye of mind, such as the Father provided."*  

This statement reinforces the idea that perception, even in the highest realms, necessitates a kind of material presence. Though the eye of the mind differs from physical sight, it still operates within a framework where all things have form and body. Similarly, Hobbes viewed thoughts, perceptions, and even consciousness itself as material processes resulting from interactions between bodies.  

The connection between Hobbes’s philosophy and Theodotus’ Valentinian theology is striking because both reject a purely dualistic or supernaturalist worldview in favor of one that maintains corporeality at all levels of existence. Hobbes's rejection of immaterial substances and Theodotus' insistence on the corporeality of even the highest spiritual beings suggest a form of monism that, though differing in details, shares a fundamental assumption: that reality, whether physical or spiritual, is material and has form.  

While traditional Christian theology often posits an incorporeal God and purely spiritual angels, Theodotus' teaching diverges significantly by maintaining that all things, even in the Pleroma, have bodies. This is an essential distinction that sets Valentinian Gnosticism apart from mainstream theological traditions and brings it closer to Hobbes's philosophical materialism.  

In conclusion, both Hobbes and Theodotus present a view in which everything that exists, whether divine, human, or angelic, possesses form and substance. Hobbes’s materialist monism asserts that all things are bodies in motion, while Theodotus’ Valentinian teaching affirms that even the highest spiritual entities are corporeal. In both perspectives, there is no place for the formless or the purely immaterial, making Theodotus’ Valentinian cosmology uniquely compatible with Hobbes’s materialist philosophy.