Cainite

Cainite refers to a set of religious beliefs and practices that emerged in the 2nd century CE, attributed to a figure named Cain. These beliefs were Gnostic in nature, meaning they emphasized secret knowledge or gnosis for salvation. Cainites viewed the creator God of the Old Testament, often referred to as the Demiurge, as a lesser, flawed, or even malevolent being. They believed that the true, supreme God was distinct from this creator and that humanity contained a divine spark that was trapped within the material world.

A central tenet of Cainite theology was the veneration of figures traditionally considered sinners or antagonists in mainstream Judaism and Christianity. This included Cain, whom they saw as a victim of the Demiurge's injustice or a bearer of a unique, divinely-given insight. Other figures they honored might have included figures like Esau, Korah, or even Judas Iscariot, interpreting their actions not as evil but as acts of defiance against a flawed cosmic order. Their understanding of the biblical narrative often involved allegorical interpretations that inverted the conventional moral judgments.

The Cainites believed that salvation was achieved through the acquisition of gnosis, which would liberate the divine spark from the material prison. Their practices likely involved asceticism or, in some interpretations, libertine behaviors, depending on the specific sect and their understanding of how to overcome the limitations of the material world. Little direct textual evidence from the Cainites themselves survives, and much of what is known comes from the writings of their opponents, such as Irenaeus, who condemned them as heretics. Their movement appears to have been short-lived and was largely absorbed or suppressed by the developing orthodox Christian church.