... Orthodox Christianity strictly believed that there was only one God and that the relationship between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit was equivalent to the hierarchy of Church leaders, Gnostics conversely argued that neither the Church nor the bishops held importance in the matter of obtaining salvation. In addition, the Gnostics contended that the God of the Old Testament was merciless, while the God of the New Testament was forgiving; thus, they were two different Gods ... between salvation and themselves to be on a more personal level, insisting that religious enlightenment is acqui...

• Word Count: 2211
• Approx Pages: 9
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate