Carpocrates facts for kids

Carpocrates of Alexandria was a thinker who lived in the 2nd century. He started an early group of people called Carpocratians. This group was part of a bigger religious movement known as Gnosticism. We know about Carpocrates and his followers mostly from the writings of early Christian leaders. These leaders, like Irenaeus of Lyons and Clement of Alexandria, wrote about many different Christian groups at the time.

Who Was Carpocrates?

Carpocrates lived in Alexandria, a famous city in ancient Egypt. He taught his ideas there and in a place called Cephalonia. His son, Epiphanes, also shared some of his father's beliefs.

What Did Carpocrates Believe?

Carpocrates and his followers had some unique ideas about Christianity.

Jesus and the Material World

They believed that Jesus was a very special human being. They thought his soul was "pure" and that he remembered things from a higher, spiritual world. This idea is similar to the Greek philosopher Plato's idea of Anamnesis, which means remembering knowledge from before birth.

The Carpocratians believed that Jesus was able to free himself from the "material powers." These powers were seen as forces that created the physical world. Other Gnostic groups called these forces Archons or the Demiurge.

Living Freely

Carpocratians thought that if they understood these spiritual truths, they could also rise above the material world. This meant they felt they were not bound by certain laws or rules. They believed that human laws were just opinions and not from a higher power.

Some early Christian writers, like Irenaeus, criticized the Carpocratians for their way of life. Irenaeus believed that their ideas led them to behave in ways that were not acceptable.

The Soul's Journey

Irenaeus also wrote that Carpocratians believed a person's soul had to experience every kind of earthly life. They thought this could even happen within one lifetime. By doing this, they hoped their souls would not have to be reborn again. Instead, their souls would return to God after they died. This idea is a form of Reincarnation.

Magic and Images

Irenaeus mentioned that Carpocratians used some magical practices. He also said they had a painting of Christ. They claimed this painting was made by Pontius Pilate himself. They honored this image, along with pictures of famous thinkers like Plato, Pythagoras, and Aristotle. This was unusual for early Christians, as many were against using images in worship.

However, it's important to know that early Christian art did exist. Depictions of Jesus became more common over time. The idea that only Carpocratians had images of Christ is not fully supported by history.

Clement of Alexandria's View

Another important early Christian writer, Clement of Alexandria, also wrote about Carpocrates. Clement confirmed that Carpocrates was from Alexandria. He also quoted from a book called On Righteousness, which he said was written by Carpocrates' son, Epiphanes.

See also

• Borborites
• Cainites
• Ebionites
• Epiphanes (gnostic)
• Fathers of Christian Gnosticism
• Gnosticism
• Marcellina (Gnostic)
• Neoplatonism and Gnosticism
• Salome (disciple)