Q. 1. What can you tell me about the gnostic heresy of Valentianism?

A. 1. The gnostic heresy of Valentianism was a dualistic sect. Founded by an ex-Catholic Bishop by the name of Valentius, he taught that there were three kinds of people, the spiritual, the psychical, and the material. This meant that only those of a spiritual nature (his followers) received the gnosis (knowledge) that allowed them to return to the divine Pleroma (totality of Divine Power). Those of a psychic nature (the ordinary Christians) would attain a lesser form of salvation, and that those of a material nature (the pagans and the Jews) were doomed to perish.

Valentinus (also spelled as Valentinius, c.100 – c.160) was the best known and most successful early Christian gnostic theologian for some time. He founded his school in Rome. Based on the writings of Tertullian, Valentinus was a candidate for bishop of Rome. When another Bishop was chosen, Valentinus started his own group.

Valentinus was condemned by Irenaeus and Epiphanius of Salamis.