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Gnosticism is a philosophical and religious movement that emerged in the 1st century AD. It emphasizes personal spiritual knowledge and direct experience of the divine, rather than adherence to religious doctrine or institutional authority. Gnostics believe that the material world is corrupt and illusory, and that true reality can only be accessed through gnosis, or direct knowledge of the divine. In the context of Judaism, Gnosticism has sometimes been seen as a form of mystical Judaism, with its emphasis on secret knowledge and direct experience of the divine. However, it also diverges from traditional Jewish beliefs in important ways, such as its denigration of the material world and its rejection of the idea of a personal, anthropomorphic God. Gnosticism is therefore a complex and multifaceted religious movement that intersects with Judaism, but also goes beyond it in significant ways. It shares certain similarities with other religions and philosophical systems, such as Christianity, Neoplatonism, and Hinduism, but ultimately remains its own distinct tradition.