My fellow brother in the faith....Greetings in this lenten season!!
The gnostics came before even Jesus was born ( 1st century BCE or BC),before the Christian era.


This is as simple as I can put it....simple gooogle it!!

Dominus vobiscum
ICTUS
To both of you....
PEACE!!!!!

Thank you for shedding some light on the issue. The Gnostics were mostly considered heretics not because they questioned the authority of the church but mainly because of their denial of the revealed truth of Christ and His authority over Judeo texts. Maybe that's what you meant but I hope this makes it more clear. But someone might ask -- where are they today? Answer: No More.