Help: Do UK Catters recall 'The Gnostics' on Ch4

Subject: UK Catters recall "The Gnostics" on Ch4?
From: SharonA
Date: 10 Sep 01 - 10:49 AM

I've begun reading a small book by Tobias Churton, entitled "The Gnostics", about a religious following of the early Christian era that was later declared by the Church to be heretical.

In the introduction to the book, Churton states that the book is intended to be a companion to a television documentary series that appeared on British television Channel 4 in the late 1980's (1986 or later).

My question: Does anyone reading this thread in the UK remember seeing or hearing about this documentary? (For those who do not know, I live in the U.S., so I was unaware that this program had ever aired.) What was the public's reaction and the churches' reaction to it, if any? Is the documentary available on videotape, especially in VHS format, or on DVD? Thanks in advance for any information or recollections you have.

SharonA

Subject: RE: Help: UK Catters recall 'The Gnostics' on Ch4
From: GUEST,SharonA at the library
Date: 10 Sep 01 - 08:33 PM

*refresh* Maybe nobody saw this program... or maybe it just wasn't very memorable (?). But I'm not giving up hope just yet; the thread is young. BTW, I've found the book fascinating thus far.

Subject: RE: Help: UK Catters recall 'The Gnostics' on Ch4
From: paddymac
Date: 11 Sep 01 - 04:17 AM

Sharon - I picked up that book at a Barnes & Noble a couple of years ago as an impulse purchase. It's a good read for anyone seeking a broader view of such things. As I recall, there was a good bit of discussion of the Nag Hamadi (probale spelling error here) library.

Subject: RE: Help: UK Catters recall 'The Gnostics' on Ch4
From: Ringer
Date: 11 Sep 01 - 04:19 AM

I'm afraid that this UK resident remembers nothing of such a programme.

Subject: RE: Help: UK Catters recall 'The Gnostics' on Ch4
From: GUEST,Hille
Date: 11 Sep 01 - 05:32 AM

Only, possibly it might have been about the Cathars and the Albigenesian (?) Heresy and possibly tied in with the book

"Holy Blood, Holy Grail" ? (Although, I was out of the country after 1984 for 7 years - but, this was shown before 1984 - so, maybe not the same programme?

Anyway, I have just sent an email requesting info to Channel 4 - so, hopefully they might come back with an answer!

Regards, Hille

Subject: RE: Help: UK Catters recall 'The Gnostics' on Ch4
From: SharonA
Date: 11 Sep 01 - 12:33 PM

Thanks, guys. Hille, please keep me posted on what you find out!

Subject: RE: Help: UK Catters recall 'The Gnostics' on Ch4
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Sep 01 - 07:48 PM

Dear SharonA,

Will keep you posted - but I guess all the media are very tied up with other appalling events so might be a while

Best wishes, Hille

Subject: RE: Help: UK Catters recall 'The Gnostics' on Ch4
From: Nemesis
Date: 25 Sep 01 - 02:45 PM

Dear Sharon A,

I received a reply from Channel 4 (below) - altho it's not very helpful?

Cheers,

Hille

"The Gnostics was a 4 part series which was part of Channel 4's religious programming. It dealt with gnostics and the Grand Heresies. It was broadcast in 1987 and repeated in 1990. It was produced by Border Television.

Regretfully, we must advise that this Channel 4 series was not one of those selected for commercial release on video. Nor due to limited resources can we make one-off copies for viewers. We are sorry to have to disappoint you on this occasion.

Maria King Information Officer"

Subject: RE: Help: UK Catters recall 'The Gnostics' on Ch4
From: SharonA
Date: 25 Sep 01 - 06:23 PM

Dear Hille,

Thank you so much for following up on my question, and for posting Ms. King's reply to your email. That was very nice of you.

What a pity that the program is not available to viewers on video, but at least I know not to raise my hopes of finding such. Still, it sounds as if the series is on file somewhere (perhaps Channel 4 will rebroadcast it one day?). Hmmm... I wonder what sort of "resources" (money?) they would require to make a "one-off" copy.... too much for one average viewer, I suppose.

Ah well, I do have the book, at any rate. Thanks again for your help!

Kind regards,
Sharon

Subject: RE: Help: UK Catters recall 'The Gnostics' on Ch4
From: GUEST,Val Smith
Date: 29 Jul 06 - 04:05 AM

I wonder if following the success of The Da Vinci Code, Channel 4 will re-release the series - or a video of it?

Subject: RE: Help: UK Catters recall 'The Gnostics' on Ch4
From: GUEST,David
Date: 11 Sep 10 - 03:47 AM

Hi Yes I remember it well I'm seaching for the book which is how I came accross your forum post. We'll see what we can do, Dave (SE England)


[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Help: UK Catters recall 'The Gnostics' on Ch4
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 11 Sep 10 - 04:13 AM

I remember watching it but the only thing I recall is a sequence in which a golden-haired Christ-figure wandered through the fields looking like he'd stepped out of HTV's Robin of Sherwood.

On the subject of Gnostic TV wierdness - does anyone recall the programmes featuring Arthur Guirdham on his reincarnation cases from the Albigensian Crusades?

Subject: RE: Help: Do UK Catters recall 'The Gnostics' on Ch4
From: Penny S.
Date: 11 Sep 10 - 04:49 AM

I do remember watching programmes, but not the content particularly - I do have a book somewhere, probably in a box, which may have been linked. I do remember talking heads, probably including Elaine whose surname I forget but who is a major academic on the subject. But I have read other stuff as well.

And i remember the Guirdham programme too. It would be interesting if the supposed Cathars could give information about what happened between Montsegur and Bristol - ie, is the Cathar world vision the true one or not. I don't recall that they did.
Penny

Subject: RE: Help: Do UK Catters recall 'The Gnostics' on Ch4
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 11 Sep 10 - 05:31 AM

I've got the Guirdham book The Cathars & Reincarnation somewhere, which I read at the time in a state of general bafflement. As I recall the memories were fleeting and not altogether clear to the people experiencing them. Was there a follow up I wonder?   He wrote a few more books on the subject, one of which, The Great Heresy, provides an interesting overwiew of Catharism in general before deflating into a mess of depressing New Age speculation.

Anyone with an interest in the Cathars could do worse than checking out LE ROYAUME OUBLIÉ.

The Elaine alluded to in the above post is Elaine Pagels, a world authority on the subject who invariably crops up on such programmes. According to WIKI she's of the opinion that St Paul was a Gnostic, which ties in with my feelings that Roman Catholicism is essentially Gnostic too but this is neither the time nor the place....

Subject: RE: Help: Do UK Catters recall 'The Gnostics' on Ch4
From: GUEST,E
Date: 09 Oct 10 - 06:50 PM

Hey there, I happened to stumble upon a digital copy of this some time ago. If it is allowed on these forums I can upload them to rapidshare of the likes and post the links. Let me know if this would be allowed, otherwise I'll set something else up (e.g. send links by email).

Greetings,

E

Subject: RE: Help: Do UK Catters recall 'The Gnostics' on Ch4
From: GUEST,trashcat
Date: 16 Mar 11 - 08:34 PM

Hi E
I've also been searching for this series & would be happy to pay for a copy.

Best wishes,

Trashcat

Subject: RE: Help: Do UK Catters recall 'The Gnostics' on Ch4
From: GUEST,churton
Date: 27 Sep 11 - 06:11 PM

I wrote the book and series.

Subject: RE: Help: Do UK Catters recall 'The Gnostics' on Ch4
From: GUEST,Thomas
Date: 12 Jan 13 - 09:59 PM

I've been looking for this as well.

E: please post your links!

thanks,
Thomas