Esotericism and narrative : the occult fiction of Charles Williams /
:
Esotericism and Narrative: The Occult Fiction of Charles Williams situates the life and fiction of the Inkling Charles Williams in the network of modern occultism, with special focus on his initiatory experiences in A.E. Waite's Fellowship of the Rosy Cross . Aren Roukema evaluates fictional projections of magic, kabbalah, alchemy and ritual experience in Williams's seven novels of supernatural fantasy. From this specific analysis, he develops more broadly applicable approaches to the serious expression of religious experience in fiction. Roukema shows that esoteric knowledge has frequently been blurred into fiction because of its inherent narrativity and adaptability, particularly by authors already attracted to the syncretism, multivalence and lived fantasy of the modern occult experience.
:
1 online resource (318 pages) :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789004369115 :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
Music and esotericism /
:
This collection of essays analyzes the relationships that exist between esotericism and music from Antiquity to the 20th century, investigating ways in which magic, astrology, alchemy, divination, and cabbala interact with music. The volume seeks to dissolve artificial barriers between the history of art, music, science, and intellectual history by establishing an interdisciplinary dialogue about music as viewed against a specific cultural background. The synthesis of scientific and historical contexts with respect to music, explored here on a large scale for the first time, opens up a wealth of new approaches to music historical research, music performance, and musical composition. Each chapter presents either a unique example of music functioning within esoteric and scientific traditions or a demonstration of the influence of those traditions upon selected musical works. L'ouvrage analyse les relations entre l'ésotérisme et la musique de l'Antiquité au 20ème siècle étudiant comment la magie, l'astrologie, l'alchimie, la divination et la cabale ont interagit avec la musique. Il vise à dépasser les frontières entre l'histoire de l'art, l'histoire de la musique et l'histoire des sciences et des idées afin de nouer un dialogue interdisciplinaire sur la musique autour de contextes historiques et scientifiques précis. L'ouvrage offre une première synthèse sur les rapports entre ésotérisme et musique ainsi que diverses pistes de recherche à poursuivre.
:
"This volume developed out of the conference "Music and esotericism : art and science of sounds facing the occult knowledge", organized at the Academia Belgica in Rome (14-18 April 2008)"--Introd. :
1 online resource. :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789004182790 :
1871-1405 ; :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
Western esotericism in Scandinavia /
:
This is the first encyclopaedic work on Western esotericism in Scandinavia. Structured along the lines of the Dictionary of Gnosis and Western Esotericsm (2005), it contains over 80 articles written by 47 specialists. It consists of critical overviews of all the major esoteric currents in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden, ranging from Alchemy, Anthroposophy, and Astrology, to Theosophy, Traditionalism, and UFO Movements. This ground-breaking work is of relevance not only for scholars and students of Western esotericism, but for all with an interest in alternative religious traditions and Scandinavian intellectual history.
:
1 online resource (xviii, 698 pages) :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789004325968 :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
New Approaches to the Study of Esotericism /
:
This volume offers new approaches to some of the biggest persistent challenges in the study of esotericism and beyond. Commonly understood as a particularly "Western" undertaking consisting of religious, philosophical, and ritual traditions that go back to Mediterranean antiquity, this book argues for a global approach that significantly expands the scope of esotericism and highlights its relevance for broader theoretical and methodological debates in the humanities and social sciences. The contributors offer critical interventions on aspects related to colonialism, race, gender and sexuality, economy, and marginality. Equipped with a substantial introduction and conclusion, the book offers textbook-style discussions of the state of research and makes concrete proposals for how esotericism can be rethought through broader engagement with neighboring fields.
:
1 online resource. :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789004446458
9789004446441
Esotericism in African American religious experience : "there is a mystery"... /
:
In Esotericism in African American Religious Experience: "There is a Mystery" ... , Stephen C. Finley, Margarita Simon Guillory, and Hugh R. Page, Jr. assemble twenty groundbreaking essays that provide a rationale and parameters for Africana Esoteric Studies (AES): a new trans-disciplinary enterprise focused on the investigation of esoteric lore and practices in Africa and the African Diaspora. The goals of this new field - while akin to those of Religious Studies, Africana Studies, and Western Esoteric Studies - are focused on the impulses that give rise to Africana Esoteric Traditions (AETs) and the ways in which they can be understood as loci where issues such as race, ethnicity, and identity are engaged; and in which identity, embodiment, resistance, and meaning are negotiated.
:
1 online resource (xxi, 406 pages) :
Includes bibliographical references (p. 361-387) and index. :
9789004283428 :
1871-1405 ; :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
Reason, Esotericism, and Authority in Shiʿi Islam /
:
This volume advances the critical study of exegetical, doctrinal, and political authority in Shiʿi Islam. Naive dichotomies of "reason" and "esotericism" in Islamic Studies have often marginalized Shiʿi thought or impeded its understanding. The studies presented here aim to foster more exacting frameworks for interpreting the diverse modes of rationality and esotericism in Twelver and Ismaili Shiʿism and the socio-epistemic values they represent within Muslim discourse. The volume's contributions highlight the cross-sectarian genealogy of early Shiʿi esotericism; the rationale behind Fatimid Ismaili Quranic taʿwīl hermeneutics; the socio-political context of religious authority in nascent Twelver Shiʿism; authorial agency wielded by Imami hadith compilers; the position of esoteric Shiʿi traditions in Timurid-era Ḥilla; and Shiʿi-Sufi relations with Uṣūlī jurists in modern Iran. Contributors : Rodrigo Adem, Alessandro Cancian, Edmund Hayes, Sajjad Rizvi, Tahera Qutbuddin, Paul Walker, George Warner.
:
1 online resource. :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789004465503
9789004464391
New Age Religion and Western Culture, Esotericism in the Mirror of Secular Thought.
:
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.
:
1 online resource. :
9789004378933
Lux in tenebris : the visual and the symbolic in western esotericism /
:
Lux in Tenebris is a collection of eighteen original interdisciplinary essays that address aspects of the verbal and visual symbolism in the works of significant figures in the history of Western Esotericism, covering such themes as alchemy, magic, kabbalah, angels, occult philosophy, Platonism, Rosicrucianism, and Theosophy. Part I: Middle Ages andamp; Early Modernity ranges from Gikatilla, Ficino, Camillo, Agrippa, Weigel, Böhme, Yvon, and Swedenborg, to celestial divination in Russia. Part II: Modernity andamp; Postmodernity moves from occultist thinkers Schwaller de Lubicz and Evola to esotericism in literature, art, and cinema, in the works of Colquhoun, Degouve de Nuncques, Bruskin, Doitschinoff, and Pérez-Reverte, with an essay on esoteric theories of colour. Contributors are: Michael J.B. Allen, Susanna Åkerman, Lina Bolzoni, Aaron Cheak, Robert Collis, Francesca M. Crasta, Per Faxneld, Laura Follesa, Victoria Ferentinou, Joshua Gentzke, Joscelyn Godwin, Hans Thomas Hakl, Theodor Harmsen, Elke Morlok, Noel Putnik, Jonathan Schorsch, György Szönyi, Carsten Wilke, and Thomas Willard.
:
1 online resource. :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789004334953 :
1871-1405 ; :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
Constructing tradition means and myths of transmission in Western esotericism /
:
The question of constructing tradition, concepts of origin, and memory as well as techniques and practices of knowledge transmission, are central for cultures in general. In esotericism, however, such questions and techniques play an outstanding role and are widely reflected upon, in its literature. Esoteric paradigms not only understand themselves in elaborated mytho-poetical narratives as bearers of "older", "hidden", "higher" knowledge. They also claim their knowledge to be of a particular origin. And they claim this knowledge has been transmitted by particular (esoteric) means, media and groups. Consequently, esotericism not only involves the construction of its own tradition; it can even be understood as a specific form of tradition and transmission. The various studies of the present voume, which contains the papers of a conference held in Tübingen in July 2007, provide an overview of the most important concepts and ways of constructing tradition in esotericism.
:
1 online resource. :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789004216372 :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
The Petrine instauration : religion, esotericism and science at the court of Peter the Great, 1689-1725 /
:
The reign of Peter the Great (1672-1725) was marked by an unprecedented wave of reform in Russia. This book provides an innovative reappraisal of the Petrine Age, in which hitherto neglected aspects of the tsar's transformation of his country are studied. More specifically, the reforms enacted by the tsar are assessed in light of the religious notion of instauration - a belief in the restoration of Adamic knowledge in the last age - and a historical and cultural analysis of the impact of Western esotericism at the Russian court. This book will appeal to scholars of Russian history and religion, as well as being of wider interest to those studying Western esotericism in Early Modern and eighteenth-century Europe.
:
1 online resource (xx, 583 pages) : illustrations. :
Includes bibliographical references (p. [551]-575) and index. :
9789004224391 :
1871-1405 :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
Hidden intercourse : eros and sexuality in the history of Western esotericism /
:
From rumours about gnostic orgies in antiquity to the explicit erotic symbolism of alchemical texts, from the subtly coded eroticism of medieval kabbalah to the sexual magic practiced by contemporary occultists and countercultural translations of Asian Tantra, the history of Western esotericism is rich in references to the domains of eros and sexuality. This volume, which brings together an impressive array of top-level specialists, is the first to analyze the eroticism of the esoteric without sensationalism or cheap generalizations, but on the basis of expert scholarship and attention to textual and historical detail. While there are few other domains where the imagination may so easily run wild, the various contributions seek to distinguish fact from fiction--only to find that historical realities are sometimes even stranger than the fantasies. In doing so, they reveal the outlines of a largely unknown history spanning more than twenty centuries.
:
1 online resource. :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789047443582 :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
Hidden Wisdom, Esoteric Traditions and the Roots of Christian Mysticism. Second, Revised and Enlarged paperback edition.
:
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.
:
1 online resource. :
9789047404774
Polemical encounters : esoteric discourse and its others /
:
In its historical development from late antiquity to the present, western esotericism has repeatedly been the issue of polemical discourse. This volume engages the polemical structures that underlie both the identities within and the controversy about esoteric currents in European history. From Jewish and Christian kabbalah through heretical discourse and interconfessional polemics in early modernity to the legitimization of esoteric identity in modern culture, the 12 chapters, accompanied by an editors' introduction, provide a cornucopia of relevant cases that are interpreted in a framework of polemical discourse and 'Othering'. This volume sheds new light on the ultimately polemical structure of western esotericism and thus opens new vistas for further research into esoteric discourse.
:
1 online resource. :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789047431510 :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
Handbook of Freemasonry /
:
Freemasonry is the largest, oldest, and most influential secret society in the world. The Brill Handbook of Freemasonry is a pioneering work that brings together, for the first time, leading scholars on Freemasonry. The first section covers historical perspectives, such as the origins and early history of Freemasonry. The second deals with the relationship between Freemasonry and specific religious traditions such as the Catholic Church, Judaism, and Islam. In the third section, organisational themes, such as the use of rituals, are explored, while the fourth section deals with issues related to society and politics - women, blacks, colonialism, nationalism, and war. The fifth and final section is devoted to Freemasonry and culture, including music, literature, modern art, architecture and material culture.
:
1 online resource (pages) :
9789004273122 :
1874-6691 ; :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
Handbook of Conspiracy Theory and Contemporary Religion.
:
Conspiracy theories are a ubiquitous feature of our times. The Handbook of Conspiracy Theories and Contemporary Religion is the first reference work to offer a comprehensive, transnational overview of this phenomenon along with in-depth discussions of how conspiracy theories relate to religion(s). Bringing together experts from a wide range of disciplines, from psychology and philosophy to political science and the history of religions, the book sets the standard for the interdisciplinary study of religion and conspiracy theories.
:
1 online resource. :
9789004382022
The Dead Sea scrolls at 60 : scholarly contributions of New York University faculty and alumni /
:
This volume constitutes the proceedings of the March 7, 2008 Ranieri Colloquium on Ancient Studies at New York University, dedicated to \'The Dead Sea Scrolls at 60: The Scholarly Contributions of NYU Faculty and Alumni.\' These studies offer a sampling of the extensive research conducted by three generations of NYU faculty, students, and alumni, in a range of domains pertaining to the scrolls and documents discovered in the Judean Desert since 1947, including Hebrew language, religious thought, and law.
:
Proceedings of the March 7, 2008 Ranieri Colloquium on Ancient Studies at New York University. :
1 online resource. :
Includes bibliographical references and indexes. :
9789004188051 :
0169-9962 ; :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
Handbook of religion and the authority of science /
:
There has been a significant but little-noticed aspect of the interface between science and religion, namely the widespread tendency of religions to appeal to science in support of their truth claims. Though the appeal to science is most evident in more recent religions like Christian Science and Scientology, no major faith tradition is exempt from this pattern. Members of almost every religion desire to see their 'truths' supported by the authority of science - especially in the midst of the present historical period, when all of the comforting old certainties seem problematic and threatened. The present collection examines this pattern in a wide variety of different religions and spiritual movements, and demonstrates the many different ways in which religions appeal to the authority of science. The result is a wide-ranging and uniquely compelling study of how religions adapt their message to one of the major challenges presented by the contemporary world.
:
1 online resource. :
Includes bibliographical references and indexes. :
9789004216389 :
1874-6691 ; :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
Plato as Author : The Rhetoric of Philosophy /
:
This collection, focusing on literary aspects of the Platonic dialogues, includes stimulating and diverse essays by scholars from several different fields. Plato, the critic, satirist, and (perhaps) inventor of "rhetoric" framed his own discourse in complex ways. Republic is a mimetic text that presents a sophisticated analysis of the various types of mimesis; Phaedrus , featuring embedded exemplars of exquisite prose style, includes a severe critique of literary authorship. Texts such as these seem to demand the fullest resources of a sophisticated analysis of discourse. Essay topics include friendship and desire in the Lysis, Socratic irony in Cratylus, mystery imagery in Phaedrus, and the peculiar couch in Book 10 of Republic. Contributors include Michael Erler, David Gallop, Francisco Gonzalez, Charles Kahn, Andrea Nightingale, and Thomas Szlezák.
:
1 online resource. :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789047401834
9789004128781
Handbook of New Age /
:
The Handbook of New Age is a comprehensive survey of alternative spiritualities: their history, their global impact, their cultural influence and how they are understood by scholars. Chapters by many of the leading scholars of the movement give the latest analysis of contemporary spiritual trends, and present up-to-date observations of the interaction between the New Age movement and many different fields of knowledge and research.
:
1 online resource. :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789047420132 :
1874-6691 ; :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
Orality and textuality in the Iranian world : patterns of interaction across the centuries /
:
The volume demonstrates the cultural centrality of the oral tradition for Iranian studies. It contains contributions from scholars from various areas of Iranian and comparative studies, among which are the pre-Islamic Zoroastrian tradition with its wide network of influences in late antique Mesopotamia, notably among the Jewish milieu; classical Persian literature in its manifold genres; medieval Persian history; oral history; folklore and more. The essays in this collection embrace both the pre-Islamic and Islamic periods, both verbal and visual media, as well as various language communities (Middle Persian, Persian, Tajik, Dari) and geographical spaces (Greater Iran in pre-Islamic and Islamic medieval periods; Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan of modern times). Taken as a whole, the essays reveal the unique blending of oral and literate poetics in the texts or visual artefacts each author focuses upon, conceptualizing their interrelationship and function.
:
1 online resource (xx, 456 pages) : illustrations (some color) :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789004291973 :
1570-078X ; :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.