Kerinth has always been a mystery for research in early Christianity and gnosticism. He is either a part of the very early gnosticism or the prehistory. It is discussed whether Kerinth was a part of or represented the so called docetists who Ignate from Antioch fought.

The most important source for reconstructing the theology of Kerinth is Irenaus but also a tradition by Epiphanius can throw some light upon Kerinth's relation to and attitude towards christology, pneumatology and New Testament texts.