See comment #13 - the “Paulicians were gnostics” argument is so out-of-date and disproven it’s not even funny. Only sources like, well, Wikipedia still rely upon it.
First, I didn't use Wikipedia...I used Encyclopedia Britannica (if you bother to read the post).
Secondly, I did take a look at Conybeare's book, available on arhive.org, for anybody who's interested in reading it. That book does paint a different picture. It should be noted that subsequent writings that I've reviewed on the subject either go with the Marcion side, citing numerous sources, or with Conybeare...so I wouldn't hardly state that the argument is over...any more than I'd say that the climatology argument is over and Algore won.
Having said all of the above, let me give you some exerpts from Conybeare's translation and see if this makes more sense:
First was our Lord Jesus Christ baptized by the command of the heavenly Father, when thirty years old, as St. Luke has declared his years, iii. 23: 'And Jesus himself was of years about thirty, beginning with which as he was supposed son of Joseph.' So then it was in the season of his maturity that he received baptism ; then it was that he received authority, received the high-priesthood, received the kingdom and the office of chief shepherd. Moreover, he was then chosen, then he won lordship, then he became resplendent, then he was strengthened, then he was revered, then he was appointed to guard us, then he was glorified, then he was praised, then he was made glad, It was then he became chief of beings heavenly and earthly, then he became light of the world, then he became the way, the truth, and the life. Then he became the door of heaven, then he became the rock impregnable at the gate of hell; then he became the foundation of our faith; then he became Saviour of us sinners; then he was filled with the Godhead; then he was sealed, then anointed; then was he called by the voice, then he became the loved one, then he came to be guarded by angels, then to be the lamb without blemish. Furthermore he then put on that primal raiment of light, which Adam lost in the garden. Then accordingly it was that he was invited by the Spirit of God to converse with the heavenly Father ; yea, then also was he ordained king u of beings in heaven and on earth and under the earth; and all else [besides] all this in due order the Father gave 12 to his only born Son ;—even as he himself, being appointed our mediator and intercessor, saith to his holy, universal, and apostolic church, Matt, xxviii. 18: And Jesus came and spake unto them and said : 'There hath been given unto me all authority in heaven and on earth. As the Father sent me, so do I send you,' and what follows. Thus also the Lord, having learned from the Father, proceeded to teach us to perform holy baptism and all his other commands at an age of full growth (or lit. in a completed or mature season), and at no other time. As the lamb of God directs us after his resurrection, Mark xvi. 15, saying: ' Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to all creatures. Whoever shall believe, shall be baptized, shall live; but he that shall not believe shall be judged.'
Keys of Truth, Ch 2
We confess and believe that there is one true God, of whom our Lord Christ speaketh, John xvii. 3 : This is life Eternal, that they should know thee the only true God and him whom thou didst send, Jesus Christ. Again we confess and believe in Jesus Christ, [a new creature and not] creator, as St. Paul saith to the Hebrews, ch. iii. 2 : He is faithful to his creator, as was Moses in all his house. Again ye shall believe in the intercession of our Lord Jesus Christ and of no others. Ye shall believe in the holy apostles and in all who are the Universal Catholic Church, and are not Latins, Greeks, or [Armenians].
Furthermore ye shall believe in Jesus Christ, that by his father's command he is to come to judge the quick and the dead.
Keys of Truth, Ch 20
Let me ask you again the same question I asked before:
Bottom line: are you guys SURE that you want to trace your history through this Constantine-Silvanus and these Paulicians? If that's where you get your patrimony, fine. Your business. But I really want to make absolutely sure you know what you're saying.And let me ask one more question: If this is your patrimony, do all Baptist denominations believe this or just certain ones?
Apparently, rather, the mainstream of academic thought isn’t convinced that Conybeare’s discovery overturns previous knowledge. It was, after all, of a book that was recorded a thousand years after the Paulician heresy largely died out.