Person
Valentinus
2nd-century Gnostic teacher and founder of the Valentinians.
Definition
A prominent 2nd-century Gnostic teacher who founded the Valentinian sect. He taught an eclectic dualism involving a hierarchy of divine attributes (aeons) paired as male and female, which together formed the 'pleroma' or spiritual world. He is potentially the author of the Gospel of Truth.
Connections
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- Type of
- GnosticismTermFounder of a major Gnostic sect.
Sources
- 1.Everett Ferguson Church History: Volume One: From Christ to Pre-Reformation. 2nd ed.. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2013). pp. 85-104
Last revised August 18, 2026