Early Gnosticism refers to a point in Gnosticism

Gnosticism

Gnosticism is a scholarly term for a set of religious beliefs and spiritual practices common to early Christianity, Hellenistic Judaism, Greco-Roman mystery religions, Zoroastrianism , and Neoplatonism.A common characteristic of some of these groups was the teaching that the realisation of Gnosis...

 that occurred following the Fathers of Christian Gnosticism

Fathers of Christian Gnosticism

The "Fathers of Christian Gnosticism" are the supposed early teachers of Gnosticism. There is no evidence that ancient Gnostic Christians used this term for their leaders, but it is sometimes used today by analogy with the term "Church Fathers" or "Fathers of the Church" applied to early...

 and related groups but prior to the shift to Medieval Gnosticism.

Groups

Groups involved in Gnosticism during this timeframe are the Ophites

Ophites

The Ophites or Ophians were members of a Christian Gnostic sect depicted by Hippolytus of Rome in a lost work, the Syntagma....

, the Cainites

Cainites

The Cainites, or Cainians, were a Gnostic and Antinomian sect who were known to worship Cain as the first victim of the Demiurge Jehovah, the deity of the Tanakh , who was identified by many groups of gnostics as evil...

, the Carpocratians, the Borborites

Borborites

According to the Panarion of Epiphanius of Salamis , and Theodoret's Haereticarum Fabularum Compendium, the Borborites or Borborians were a libertine Gnostic sect, said to be descended from the Nicolaitans...

, and the Thomasines.

Transition

This classification ends with the beginning of Medieval Gnosticism, which was defined by activities surrounding the Bosnian Church

Bosnian Church

The Bosnian Church is historically thought to be an indigenous branch of the Bogomils that existed in Bosnia during the Middle Ages. Adherents of the church called themselves simply Krstjani...

 and other groups.

See also

• Syrian-Egyptic Gnosticism
  Syrian-Egyptic Gnosticism
  Syrian-Egyptian Gnostic Schools were ancient Gnostic sects from around the Middle East. They drew heavily on Platonic and Judaic influences.-Syrian-Egyptian Gnostic Schools:*Sethians**Valentianism**Basilideans**Bardaisanites**Archontics...
  
  
• Gnosis
  Gnosis
  Gnosis is the common Greek noun for knowledge . In the context of the English language gnosis generally refers to the word's meaning within the spheres of Christian mysticism, Mystery religions and Gnosticism where it signifies 'spiritual knowledge' in the sense of mystical enlightenment.-Related...
  
  
• Pythagoreanism
  Pythagoreanism
  Pythagoreanism was the system of esoteric and metaphysical beliefs held by Pythagoras and his followers, the Pythagoreans, who were considerably influenced by mathematics. Pythagoreanism originated in the 5th century BCE and greatly influenced Platonism...
  
  
• Neoplatonism and Gnosticism
  Neoplatonism and Gnosticism
  Neoplatonism is the modern term for a school of Hellenistic philosophy that took shape in the 3rd century, based on the teachings of Plato and some of his early followers. Neoplatonism took definitive shape with the philosopher Plotinus, who claimed to have received his teachings from Ammonius...
  
  
• Esoteric Christianity
  Esoteric Christianity
  Esoteric Christianity is a term which refers to an ensemble of spiritual currents which regard Christianity as a mystery religion, and profess the existence and possession of certain esoteric doctrines or practices, hidden from the public but accessible only to a narrow circle of "enlightened",...
  
  
• Theosophy
  Theosophy
  Theosophy, in its modern presentation, is a spiritual philosophy developed since the late 19th century. Its major themes were originally described mainly by Helena Blavatsky , co-founder of the Theosophical Society...
  
  
• Archontics
  Archontics
  The Archontics, or Archontici, were a Gnostic sect that existed in Palestine and Armenia, who arose towards the close of the 2nd century CE...