4/22/19
Schaff, Philip. History of the Christian Church (The Complete Eight Volumes in One). Amazon Kindle Edition, 2014.
Volume 2, Ante-Nicene Christianity A.D. 100-325, “Chapter 11. The Heresies of the Ante-Nicene Age” Sections 112-136, Loc. 17655-18757.
§ 129. Saturninus (Satornilos).
Saturninus was a contemporary of Basilides, active in Antioch. He held to a severe asceticism and a very sharp distinction between God and Satan (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18517). In Saturninus, God is completely unknown, emanating the different sub-realms of the realm of light. At the bottom of the spectrum of creation is the God of the Jews, known as Demiurge. Satan, the opponent is outside of this realm of light. Man is created in the realm of Satan but with a spark of light. He is opposed by Satan, who cannot be overcome by the Jewish God or the prophets (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18522). Finally, the aeon Nous is sent “with an unreal body, as Soter on earth, who teaches the spiritual men by gnosis and strict abstinence from marriage and carnal food to emancipate themselves from the vexations of Satan, and also from the dominion of the Jewish God and his star-spirits, and to rise to the realm of light” (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18525).