What the Hermetica Reveal About Early Christianity

An Interview with Dr. M. David Litwa

What did ancient Hermetic spirituality have in common with early Christianity? In this conversation, Dr. M. David Litwa introduces the Hermetica—ancient Egyptian spiritual writings centered on Hermes Trismegistus—and explores their influence on concepts such as spiritual rebirth, divine consciousness, salvation through gnosis, and humanity's relationship to the divine. Shirley Paulson and Litwa discuss why early Christians found these writings compelling and how Hermetic ideas still speak to modern seekers interested in spiritual progress, self-knowledge, and transcendence.

David Litwa, PhD, is an American scholar of ancient Mediterranean religions and early Christianity. His research examines deification in early Christian thought, the gospels in Greco-Roman literary contexts, and alternative Christian movements in the second and third centuries. Of the many books, the newest one, Heremetica I, is featured in this podcast interview. He has served as an organizer with the North American Patristics Society and a referee with the Journal of Early Christian Studies.

Find a complete transcript on the show notes page here: https://earlychristiantexts.com/hermetica

David will be presenting a live seminar on Hermetica I, Monday evenings. June 8 - August 10, 2026. Learn more and register here.