Gnosticism and Later Platonism: Themes, Figures, and Texts (review)

This is a collection of ten papers that were delivered to the Society of Biblical Literature's Later Platonism Seminar between 1993-98. The editors state that the seminar's purpose was "to bring together a group of well-known scholars with expertise in the areas of Gnosticism and/or later Platonism . . . who could bring a diveristy of views and approaches" to the issues (vii). Topics include: (1) Gnostic doctrines of matter; (2) Neoplatonic ritual and theurgy; (3) the Platonic setting of the Commentary on the Parmenides; (4) the relationship between the metaphysics of Iamblichus and certain Sethian treatises; (5) Platonic and Gnostic uses of apophatic theology; (6) providence in Plotinus and the Sethian treatises.