What is the Monad in Gnosticism?

In Gnostic systems, the Monad is the supreme being, functioning as the ultimate, invisible, and perfect divine spirit above all else. Also known by names such as the One, the Absolute, and the Ineffable Parent, this concept adapts Greek philosophical ideas into Christian belief frameworks. According to texts like the Apocryphon of John, the Monad exists in pure light and is entirely self-established and complete.

What we know

• In certain Gnostic systems, the supreme being is referred to as the Monad, the One, the Absolute, or the Primal Father. [2]
• The Monad is described as an adaptation of monad concepts from Greek philosophy into Christian belief systems. [2]
• The Apocryphon of John portrays the Monad as an invisible Spirit that exists in pure light as total perfection and needs nothing. [2]
• Luminaries in Sethian Gnosticism are emanations originating from a supreme divine triad that includes the Father or Invisible Spirit. [5]

Where to go next

• how we knowWhat is the Apocryphon of John?
• what caused itHow did Greek philosophy influence Gnosticism?
• a case in pointWhat are luminaries in Sethian Gnosticism?
• compared withHow does Leibniz's philosophy use monads?
• the bigger pictureWhat is the role of the Ineffable Parent in cosmogony?
• an unexpected connectionHow do ancient Gnostic supreme beings connect to early modern elementary particles?Both the supreme Monad of Gnosticism and the infinite elementary monads proposed by early modern philosophers like Leibniz trace their conceptual roots back to Pythagorean ideas of unity.

Sources

• [1]Monad (Wikidata Q6897848) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Monad (Gnosticism) · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Monad (philosophy) · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Monad · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Luminary (Gnosticism) · CC BY-SA 4.0