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Sarkic (Greek σάρξ, flesh or hylic, from the Greek ὕλη, stuff, or matter) in Gnosticism describes the lowest level of human nature—the fleshly, instinctive level. This is not the notion of body as opposed to thought; rather the sarkic level is said to be the lowest level of thought.
Concepts
The concept of sarkic is used along with pneuma, which refers to spirit or soul, to describe the duality of Christ and also the Christian Church. Furthermore, such duality is used to explain the paradox of the identities of Adam and Eve.
There are thinkers such as Maximus the Confessor who associate sarkic (fleshly) with the somatic dimension (bodily) of human nature, the area where redemption must occur. There are, however, instances when they are considered near equivalent. But these states needed to be transcended to achieve a form of existence characterized by a heightened communion with God.
Sarkic is also used in Christian terms such as Paul's description of Abraham's children as sarkic children who have the pneuma of Christ. In his classification of humanity in his attempt to address the so-called "gentile problem", he labeled all as sarkic: sarkic Jews who have Christ's pneuma; sarkic Jews who lack Christ's pneuma; sarkic gentiles who have Christ's pneuma; and, sarkic gentiles who lack Christ's pneuma.
Paul also linked sarkic to the concept of hamartia, with the former serving as the force of the latter, capable of overcoming individual action and will.
Popular culture
Sarkicism is a religion documented in SCP Foundation entries.
References
- "The Story Of The Storytellers - The Gnostic Gospels". FRONTLINE. Retrieved 2022-10-27.
- Morris, Joe E. (2008), "The Gnostic Gospels", Revival of the Gnostic Heresy, New York: Palgrave Macmillan US, pp. 9–13, doi:10.1057/9780230616585_2, ISBN 978-1-349-37664-3, retrieved 2022-10-27
- Engberg-Pedersen, Troels (2017). John and Philosophy: A New Reading of the Fourth Gospel. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780192511058.
- Locher, Gottfried (2004). Sign of the Advent: A Study in Protestant Ecclesiology. Academic Press Fribourg. p. 152. ISBN 3727814683.
- Hedrick, Charles; Hodgson, Robert (2005). Nag Hammadi, Gnosticism, and Early Christianity. Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers. p. 272. ISBN 9781597524025.
- Bird, Michael F. (2013). Evangelical Theology: A Biblical and Systematic Introduction. Zondervan Academic. ISBN 9780310494423.
- Cooper; Cooper, Adam G. (2005). The Body in St Maximus the Confessor: Holy Flesh, Wholly Deified. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 159. ISBN 019927570X.
- Rivera, Mayra (2015). Poetics of the Flesh. Duke University Press. ISBN 9780822374930.
- Bird, Michael F. (2013). Evangelical Theology: A Biblical and Systematic Introduction. Zondervan Academic. pp. 372 (of the EPUB ed.). ISBN 9780310494423.
- Thiessen, Matthew (2016). Paul and the Gentile Problem. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 120. ISBN 9780190271756.
- Thiessen, Matthew (2016). Paul and the Gentile Problem. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 120. ISBN 9780190271756.
- Blumenfeld, Bruno (2003). The Political Paul: Democracy and Kingship in Paul's Thought. London: T & T Clark International. p. 351. ISBN 9780567531308.
- "Sarkicism Hub - SCP Foundation". The SCP Foundation. Retrieved 20 July 2023.