About the Contributor(s): Geo Widengren (1907-1996) was a Swedish Orientalist and scholar of religion. He concentrated on the religions of the ancient Near East

Traces the early history of the Christian church from Jewish Palestine prior to Christ's birth to the sixth century monastic movement, and explains how Christia

The Gnostic World is an outstanding guide to Gnosticism, written by a distinguished international team of experts to explore Gnostic movements from the distant