Video

Dr. Brian Crawford | Gnosticism, Kabbalah, and the Poisonous Subversion of Secret Knowledge-Systems

• Episode 65: Dr. Brian Crawford "The Enduring Heresy" • Dr. Crawford shares his experiences visiting Spain and laments the atrocity of the Expulsion and Inquisition while discussing his stance on coercion in religion as a Protestant evangelical Christian. We also learn about his journey in studying Kabbalah and Gnosticism and his feelings about Jewish persecution at the hands of the Catholic Church over the centuries. Theologically speaking, it goes without saying that we disagree with Dr. Crawford about the identity of the Messiah as well as many other things, as we are Orthodox Jews and he is a religious Christian. However, in this conversation, we have found an area where we share profound agreement. We have the same uneasiness and distaste for any movement that tries to hijack our respective religions via replacement theology. As Historian Paul Johnson said in his book "A History of the Jews": “Gnosticism, or the lore of secret knowledge-systems, is an extremely insidious parasitic growth, which attaches itself like a poisonous ivy to the healthy trunk of a major religion. In Christianity, the early church fathers had to fight desperately to prevent it from smothering the faith. It attacked Judaism, too, especially in the diaspora.” This is precisely why we feel this conversation is so important to have, as uncomfortable as it may be for some. First, Dr. Crawford shares with us an overview or mental map of some major theological belief systems. Then, he hones in on Gnosticism (pointing out where it falls out on that scale), presenting its origins and primary sources. He delves into the Gnostic worldview and how it views God and the universe (Theology-Cosmology), as well as how the Gnostics envisioned salvation from the world. How did they determine what was true and false? What were some of the practices of the Gnostics? How did they live their lives? He also gives a riveting analysis of Gnostic interpretation of sacred writings and practices. Next, we explore the striking and disturbing similarities and connections between ancient Gnosticism and Kabbalah and how they both differ from the Judaism of Maimonides and the Andalusian/Geonic tradition. This is the most important focus of the episode. Finally, Dr. Crawford discusses the enduring heresy of Gnosticism and why it is considered so by many Jews and Christians. We hold up the concepts and practices of Gnosticism and Kabbalah side by side — so you can decide for yourself. In the words of Maimonides: “Truth does not become more true by virtue of the fact that the entire world agrees with it, nor less so even if the whole world disagrees with it. [...] Do not consider it proof just because it is written in books, for a liar who will deceive with his tongue will not hesitate to do the same with his pen. [...] You must accept the truth from whatever source it comes." We ask that you really try to focus on the concepts being discussed in this episode and understand that our intention is to restore honor to the Torah, and open your eyes to the cunning forces that have subverted it in plain sight for centuries. • IF YOU PREFER TO LISTEN TO THE FULL AUDIO VERSION (WHICH INCLUDES AN INTRO), CLICK HERE: https://open.spotify.com/episode/33UpRHe99lEKLxUk4TRFA2?si=6DHNOisGTsKwfwU-Xr1Axg • Bio: Dr. Brian Crawford is a professor at the Charles L. Feinberg Center for Messianic Jewish Studies and serves with Chosen People Ministries. He recently completed his Doctor of Ministry degree in philosophy and theology at Talbot School of Theology. His thesis focused on the worldviews of Maimonides, Kabbalah, and Christianity, and the great Western philosophical tradition they each drew from. His interest in the intersection between Judaism and Christianity began with a visit to Israel in 2005, eventually leading him to live in Brooklyn for nine years. He now lives in Southern California with his wife and three young children. • Welcome to JUDAISM DEMYSTIFIED: A PODCAST FOR THE PERPLEXED | Co-hosted by Benjy & Benzi | Conversations with renowned figures (of various academic disciplines) about topics that aren't part of mainstream Orthodox curriculum. We don't claim to know all the answers, but we aim to ask all the big questions! We welcome your topic and guest suggestions so please follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/JUDAISM.DEMYSTIFIED/ (DM for inquiries) and share our content with those you feel would be interested or benefit from our podcast. Please SUBSCRIBE to this YouTube Channel and hit the BELL so you can get alerted whenever new clips get posted, thank you for your support. We welcome your contributions to the show, which helps us grow and improve: www.patreon.com/judaism