Great Books on Religion and Esoteric Philosophy

Great Books on Religion and Esoteric Philosophy
Author :
Publisher :
Total Pages : 124
Release :
ISBN-10 : NWU:35556017424458
ISBN-13 :
Rating : 4/5 (58 Downloads)

Synopsis Great Books on Religion and Esoteric Philosophy by : Manly Palmer Hall

A selection of classical literature is recommended by Mr. Hall, who has himself amassed the library of the Philosophical Research Society, one of the most respected repositories of rare esoteric source material. Great works from the fields of comparative religion, philosophy and world cultures, esoteric arts, sciences, and fiction are discussed. Includes an index and bibliography. Also invaluable for the bibliography of Mr. Hall's own writings.

Esoteric Lacan

Esoteric Lacan
Author :
Publisher : Rowman & Littlefield
Total Pages : 253
Release :
ISBN-10 : 9781786609717
ISBN-13 : 1786609711
Rating : 4/5 (17 Downloads)

Synopsis Esoteric Lacan by : Philipp Valentini

Jacques Lacan was fascinated with forms of the "religious" throughout his life, from monotheism, which shaped his account of the signifier, to modern occultism, as he was well acquainted with the writings of figures such as Oskar Goldberg and René Guénon. Lacan also repeatedly turned to non-European religiosities to test the limits of psychoanalytic theory. In his yearly seminars he engaged with traditions such as Kabbalah and Taoism, going beyond the Western Christian, capitalist and postcolonial setting of the French university to search for a possible outside to psychoanalysis. But such a quest ultimately recapitulates Lacan's constant awareness of the desire for a new master, and the still open question regarding the names and meanings that this desire may yield. This anthology of eleven essays, which travel from gnosticism to sufism, from afro-pessimism to post-68 ex-Maoist apocalypticism, investigates these unresolved threads that Lacan left behind. Beneath the exoteric psychoanalytic apparatus of Lacan's thought, there is an esoteric Lacan who remains unexplored.

Words to the Wise

Words to the Wise
Author :
Publisher :
Total Pages : 184
Release :
ISBN-10 : UOM:39015039353142
ISBN-13 :
Rating : 4/5 (42 Downloads)

Synopsis Words to the Wise by : Manly Palmer Hall

Western Esotericism

Western Esotericism
Author :
Publisher : State University of New York Press
Total Pages : 139
Release :
ISBN-10 : 9781438433790
ISBN-13 : 1438433794
Rating : 4/5 (90 Downloads)

Synopsis Western Esotericism by : Antoine Faivre

Widely received in France, this brief, comprehensive introduction to Western esotericism by the founder of the field is at last available in English. A historical and pedagogical guide, the book is written primarily for students and novices. In clear, precise language, author Antoine Faivre provides an overview of Western esoteric currents since late antiquity. The bulk of the book is laid out chronologically, from ancient and medieval sources (Alexandrian hermetism, gnosticism, neoplatonism), through the Renaissance up to the present time. Its coverage includes spiritual alchemy, Jewish and Christian Kabbalah, Christian theosophy, Rosicrucianism, Illuminism, 'mystical' Free-Masonry, the Occultist current, Theosophical and Anthroposophical Societies, the Traditionalist School, and 'esotericism' in contemporary initiatic societies and in New Religious Movements. Faivre explores how these currents are connected, and refers to where they appear in art and literature. The book concludes with an annotated bibliography, which makes it an essential resource for beginners and scholars alike.

Philosophy Between the Lines

Philosophy Between the Lines
Author :
Publisher : University of Chicago Press
Total Pages : 472
Release :
ISBN-10 : 9780226175126
ISBN-13 : 022617512X
Rating : 4/5 (26 Downloads)

Synopsis Philosophy Between the Lines by : Arthur M. Melzer

“Shines a floodlight on a topic that has been cloaked in obscurity . . . a landmark work in both intellectual history and political theory” (The Wall Street Journal). Philosophical esotericism—the practice of communicating one’s unorthodox thoughts “between the lines”—was a common practice until the end of the eighteenth century. Despite its long and well-documented history, however, esotericism is often dismissed today as a rare occurrence. But by ignoring esotericism, we risk cutting ourselves off from a full understanding of Western philosophical thought. Walking readers through both an ancient (Plato) and a modern (Machiavelli) esoteric work, Arthur M. Melzer explains what esotericism is—and is not. It relies not on secret codes, but simply on a more intensive use of familiar rhetorical techniques like metaphor, irony, and insinuation. Melzer explores the various motives that led thinkers in different times and places to engage in this strange practice, while also exploring the motives that lead more recent thinkers not only to dislike and avoid this practice but to deny its very existence. In the book’s final section, “A Beginner’s Guide to Esoteric Reading,” Melzer turns to how we might once again cultivate the long-forgotten art of reading esoteric works. The first comprehensive, book-length study of the history and theoretical basis of philosophical esotericism, Philosophy Between the Lines is “a treasure-house of insight and learning. It is that rare thing: an eye-opening book . . . By making the world before Enlightenment appear as strange as it truly was, [Melzer] makes our world stranger than we think it is” (George Kateb, Professor of Politics, Emeritus, at Princeton University). “Brilliant, pellucid, and meticulously researched.” —City Journal

New Age Religion and Western Culture

New Age Religion and Western Culture
Author :
Publisher : BRILL
Total Pages : 598
Release :
ISBN-10 : 9789004378933
ISBN-13 : 9004378936
Rating : 4/5 (33 Downloads)

Synopsis New Age Religion and Western Culture by : Wouter J. Hanegraaff

Recent years have seen a spectacular rise of the New Age movement and an ever-increasing interest in its beliefs and manifestations. This fascinating work presents the first-ever comprehensive analysis of New Age Religion and its historical backgrounds, thus providing the reader with a means of orientation in the bewildering variety of the movement. Making extensive use of primary sources, the author thematically analyses New Age beliefs from the perspective of the study of religions. While looking at the historical backgrounds of the movement, he convincingly argues that its foundations were laid by so-called western esoteric traditions during the Renaissance. Hanegraaff finally shows how the modern New Age movement emerged from the increasing secularization of those esoteric traditions during the 19th century. This ground-breaking publication is compulsive reading for all those involved or interested in the New Age movement.

The Sworn Book of Honorius

The Sworn Book of Honorius
Author :
Publisher : Nicolas-Hays, Inc.
Total Pages : 240
Release :
ISBN-10 : 9780892546305
ISBN-13 : 0892546301
Rating : 4/5 (05 Downloads)

Synopsis The Sworn Book of Honorius by : Honorius of Thebes

As the title testifies, students were sworn to secrecy before being given access to this magic text, and only a few manuscripts have survived. Bits of its teachings, such as the use of the magic whistle for summoning spirits, are alluded to in other texts. Another key element of its ritual, the elaborate “Seal of God,” has been found in texts and amulets throughout Europe. Interest in The Sworn Book of Honorius has grown in recent years, yet no modern translations have been attempted—until now. Purporting to preserve the magic of Solomon in the face of intense persecution by religious authorities, this text includes one of the oldest and most detailed magic rituals. It contains a complete system of magic including how to attain the divine vision, communicate with holy angels, and control aerial, earthly, and infernal spirits for practical gain. Largely ignored by historians until recently, this text is an important witness to the transmission of Kabbalah and Jewish mysticism to European Hermeticists.

Hidden Wisdom

Hidden Wisdom
Author :
Publisher : BRILL
Total Pages : 230
Release :
ISBN-10 : 9789004136359
ISBN-13 : 9004136355
Rating : 4/5 (59 Downloads)

Synopsis Hidden Wisdom by : Gedaliahu A. Guy Stroumsa

This book investigates the problem of esoteric traditions in early Christianity, their origin and their transformation in Patristic hermeneutics, in the West as well as in the East. It argues that these traditions eventually formed the basis of nascent Christian mysticism in Late Antiquity. These esoteric traditions do not reflect the influence of Greek Mystery religions, as has often been claimed, but rather seem to stem from the Jewish background of Christianity. They were adopted by various Gnostic teachings, a fact which helps explaining their eventual disappearance from Patristic literature. The eleven chapters study each a different aspect of the problem, including the questions of Gnostic and Manichaean esotericism. This book will be of interest to all students of religious history in Late Antiquity. Revised and extended paperback edition. Originally published in 1996. Please click here for details.

Readings in the Philosophy of Religion

Readings in the Philosophy of Religion
Author :
Publisher : Wiley-Blackwell
Total Pages : 520
Release :
ISBN-10 : STANFORD:36105131687522
ISBN-13 :
Rating : 4/5 (22 Downloads)

Synopsis Readings in the Philosophy of Religion by : Andrew Eshleman

Offers an array of Western and non-Western, theistic and non-theistic, religious thought. Combining key readings by contemporary philosophers with pivotal historical texts, this anthology brings together some of the best work in both Western philosophy of religion and Eastern thought - including selections on Hinduism, Buddhism, and Confucianism.