The Gift of Gnosticism - Inner Awakening -in the Catholic Mystical Tradition by Bridget Mary Meehan ARCWP

I write as a Roman Catholic author and pastoral leader who believes deeply that a sacred balance is not only possible, but essential—between faithful discipleship to the Gospel of Jesus, the Divine Feminine, and the sacramental life of the Church. My own work—published by Catholic publishers—has consistently drawn upon biblical, mystical, and contemplative sources within the Christian tradition to expand  and enrich our language for God with feminine imagery. https://www.amazon.com/Heart-Talks-Mother-God-Children/dp/0814620698

While the word “Gnostic” has often been used in a dismissive or polemical way, it points to a genuine gift that has long been embedded within the Catholic mystical tradition.The term comes from the Greek gnōsis, meaning knowledge, and in early Christianity it referred to experiential, contemplative knowing of God—an inner awakening to the Divine presence within. Catholic scholars of mysticism, including Bernard McGinn, have shown that this form of knowing has always been integral to Christian spirituality and is not opposed to faith, doctrine, or sacramental life.¹

In the first centuries of Christianity, there was no single, uniform expression of belief. The Pontifical Biblical Commission itself has affirmed that the Gospel tradition developed within living communities and took diverse forms before the canon was finalized.² Early followers of Jesus expressed their faith through proclamation, ethical practice, sacramental ritual, and wisdom-centered mystical reflection. What later church authorities grouped under the label “Gnostic” refers not to a unified heresy, but to several early Christian movements that emphasized interior transformation and divine indwelling.³

The 1945 discovery of the Nag Hammadi manuscripts in Egypt profoundly expanded our understanding of this early diversity. These texts—including the Gospel of Thomas and the Gospel of Mary—are not part of the canonical Scriptures, nor do I treat them as such. However, as the Second Vatican Council teaches in Dei Verbum, Scripture itself must be interpreted with careful attention to historical context, literary form, and the lived faith of early communities (DV §12).⁴ Within that conciliar framework, Catholic scholars recognize the Nag Hammadi texts as important historical witnesses to early Christian spirituality, much as the Dead Sea Scrolls have enriched Jewish and biblical studies.⁵

The Pontifical Biblical Commission, in The Interpretation of the Bible in the Church (1993), explicitly encourages historical-critical scholarship when it is integrated with faith, stating that such study deepens rather than weakens belief.⁶ This affirmation provides a clear magisterial foundation for engaging non-canonical texts responsibly in theological education. Studying these writings does not undermine Catholic doctrine; rather, it helps us understand the breadth of spiritual expression present in the early Jesus movement.

As a woman priest I am especially attentive to how these texts resonate with the Catholic mystical tradition. Themes found in some Nag Hammadi writings—God’s indwelling presence, transformation of consciousness, wisdom (Sophia), and the unity of love—echo the insights of Hildegard of Bingen, Meister Eckhart, Julian of Norwich, Teresa of Ávila, and many others. Contemporary Catholic theologians such as Ilia Delio continue to affirm that contemplative wisdom is essential for the Church’s renewal today.⁷

In the twentieth century, Thomas Merton and Bede Griffiths modeled this integration with great integrity. Both remained rooted in the sacramental life of the Church while drawing from Eastern and Western mystical traditions. Merton spoke openly of gnosis as contemplative awareness, and Griffiths argued that recovering early Christian wisdom is vital for the future of Catholic spirituality.⁸ Their witness confirms what I have long believed: mystical depth strengthens, rather than threatens, Catholic identity.

Within this theological and pastoral framework, People’s Catholic Seminary has offered courses on the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Mary, and related texts. These courses are not doctrinal substitutes for the canon. They are scholarly, prayerful explorations designed to help candidates for ministry appreciate the diversity of early Christian spirituality and to ground their vocation in deep contemplative awareness. This approach is fully consistent with Vatican II and with the International Theological Commission’s recognition of the sensus fidelium—the lived faith of the people—as a locus of the Spirit’s ongoing guidance in the Church.⁹

I remain convinced that engaging these traditions—alongside Scripture, sacrament, and pastoral practice—supports a renewed model of priestly ministry rooted in mutuality, wisdom, and inclusive love. Far from being a departure from Catholicism, this integration reflects its deepest mystical heart and its enduring call to listen to the Spirit speaking in every age.

Footnotes

1. 1. Bernard McGinn, The Foundations of Mysticism (New York: Crossroad, 1991), 3–18.
2. 2. Pontifical Biblical Commission, Sancta Mater Ecclesia (1964), §§2–4.
3. 3. John Dominic Crossan, The Birth of Christianity (San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1998), 427–450.
4. 4. Second Vatican Council, Dei Verbum (1965), §12.
5. 5. Elizabeth A. Johnson, Truly Our Sister (New York: Continuum, 2003), 33–36.
6. 6. Pontifical Biblical Commission, The Interpretation of the Bible in the Church (1993), I.A.
7. 7. Ilia Delio, The Unbearable Wholeness of Being (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2013), 89–112.
8. 8. Thomas Merton, Zen and the Birds of Appetite (New York: New Directions, 1968), 66–72;
   Bede Griffiths, The Marriage of East and West (Springfield, IL: Templegate, 1982), 41–58.
9. 9. International Theological Commission, Sensus Fidei in the Life of the Church (2014), §§26–45.