The Ascent of the Soul and the Pachomians: Interpreting the Exegesis on the Soul (nhc ii,6) within a Fourth-Century Monastic Context

Fowler, Kimberley A.

Abstract

The Exegesis on the Soul (nhc ii,6) allegorizes the degradation and re-ascent of the soul. Recently, scholars have reconsidered whether Pachomian monks produced and read the Nag Hammadi Codices, largely based upon codicological evidence. For Pachomians, the soul’s ascent from the body constituted the fulfilment of their ascetic regime. This article offers support for the ‘Pachomian connection’ by analyzing the Exegesis on the Soul alongside Pachomian literature. It argues that shared exegetical tendencies and a common approach to modes of ascetic practice and repentance strengthen the case for monastic readership and ownership of the Nag Hammadi Codices.

Citation

Fowler, K. A. (2017). The Ascent of the Soul and the Pachomians: Interpreting the Exegesis on the Soul (nhc ii,6) within a Fourth-Century Monastic Context. Gnosis (Leiden. Print), 2(1), 63-93. https://doi.org/10.1163/2451859x-12340027

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Oct 31, 2016
• Online Publication Date: Mar 22, 2017
• Publication Date: 2017-03
• Deposit Date: Nov 28, 2018
• Journal: Gnosis
• Print ISSN: 2451-8581
• Electronic ISSN: 2451-859X
• Publisher: Brill Academic Publishers
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 2
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 63-93
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1163/2451859x-12340027
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1308429