Gnosticism Books

Book SynopsisGeorge Robert Stowe Mead (1863-1933) was a major translator, editor, and commentator on Gnostic and hermetic literature and thus a pivotal figure linking the late 19th-century esoteric revival to 20th-century art, literature, and psychology. As a young convert to the new movement of theosophy, he served as private secretary to its co-founder, Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, and after founding the European section of the Theosophical Society edited its London journal, Lucifer, for many years. Mead's initial interest in theosophy and Hinduism soon blossomed into a lifelong and wide-ranging engagement with the texts of Gnosticism, neo-Platonism, and hermeticism. His editions and commentaries on previously inaccessible sources became standard works before the First World War and an important source of inspiration to such figures as Jung, Ezra Pound, Yeats, and Robert Duncan. A new entry in the Western Masters Series of concise biographies noting key figures in the Western esoteric tradition, G.R.S. Mead and the Gnostic Quest introduces Mead's life, works, and influences, combining a substantial biography with a collection of his most important writings.

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Book SynopsisThe inspiration and insight of these Gnostic writings can become a companion on your own spiritual journey. Just what is a soul, exactly? Where did the idea come from? How do we experience our souls? Two ancient Gnostic texts—The Exegesis on the Soul and The Hymn of the Pearl, both presented here in all-new translations—hold important clues to the development of the soul as a concept and reveal inspiring ways your own soul can remember and return to its unique, divine purpose. The Exegesis on the Soul depicts the soul as a feminine figure who has fallen into the corrupted world and must find her way back to the Divine. It is the story of the soul’s struggle and redemption that will embolden your own spiritual pilgrimage. The Hymn of the Pearl is an allegorical story about a prince sent to retrieve a precious pearl but who soon forgets his purpose and falls asleep. It is a moving tale of the importance of remembering your soul’s identity and calling—and knowing that only you can fulfill your destiny. Accessible facing-page commentary explains the Gnostic writings for you even if you have no previous knowledge of Gnosticism or early Christianity. Additional material draws on ancient religions, Platonism, Christianity, Judaism, Islam and modern philosophical and psychological notions of the soul to place the Gnostic teachings in a clear historical context. By following the development of this concept through time, you will more clearly perceive—and respond to—the divine spark found in your own soul.Trade Review"A fascinating guide to new and different ways of thinking. Smith's presentation of authentic Gnostic texts [conveys] a good understanding of Gnostic conceptions of the soul." —Stevan Davies, author of The Gospel of Thomas: Annotated & Explained “One of the clearest and most accessible entry-points to the wisdom of the ancient Gnostics that I have ever seen.” —Richard Smoley, author of Forbidden Faith: The Gnostic Legacy from the Gospels to The Da Vinci Code “Takes us beyond the limiting literalism of much of contemporary theology. Smith opens a door for us....” —Ron Miller, chair, religion department, Lake Forest College, and author of The Gospel of Thomas: A Guidebook for Spiritual Practice “Artful and erudite ... brings these allegories into three-dimensional relief, making them more memorable, accessible, and significant.” —Rabbi Elie Kaplan Spitz, author of Does the Soul Survive? A Jewish Journey to Belief in Afterlife, Past Lives & Living with Purpose “Smith’s fine introduction and notes [reveal how] Gnosticism helped transform Western ideas about the soul.... Reveals part of our common spiritual heritage.” —Tamar Frankiel, PhD, author of Kabbalah: A Brief Introduction for ChristiansTable of ContentsForeword ix Introduction xiii A Note on the Translation xli The Exegesis on the Soul 1 The Hymn of the Pearl 45 Notes 89 Suggestions for Further Reading 91

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Book SynopsisThis volume contains several presentations of new Manichaean source materials and provocative essays upon them. The studies are authored by an international group of leading scholars in the fields of ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern studies, comparative religion, early Christianity, patristics, Turkic studies, and Coptology. Throughout the book the studies present and discuss a variety of source materials representing the vast geographical spread of Manichaeism. This book should prove to be foundational for future research on Manichaeism and late antique religions in general.Trade Review'...no future studies on Manichaeism and its source material can afford to bypass this work...' Edgar C. Polomé, The Journal of Indo-European Studies, 1999.

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Book SynopsisThis book is a comprehensive study of “Valentinianism,” the most important Gnostic Christian movement in Antiquity. It is the first attempt to make full use of the Valentinian documents from Nag Hammadi as well as the reports of the Church Fathers. The book discusses the difference between the Eastern and the Western branches of Valentinianism, and argues that individual sources must always be understood in the context of the historical development of Valentinian doctrines. It also analyses the ideas about the incarnation, protological theories, and initiation practice, as well as the dynamic relationship between these building-blocks of Valentinian doctrine. A final chapter studies anew the doctrine of Valentinus himself and outlines the history of the movement. The book’s usefulness lies in its attempt to bring together for the first time all the sources so as to construct a coherent picture of Valentinian Christianity. This volume is also available as paperback.Trade Review"The author has a good sense of the philosophical and theological issues at stake and situates the tradition well in the intellectual world of the second century… a very ambitious and very learned reconstruction of the Valentinian tradition. This monograph will make a major contribution to the study of early Christian life and thought." – Harold W. Attridge, University of Notre Dame "The Spiritual Seed is in my opinion the most important book on Valentinian Gnostic Christianity published since the discovery of the Nag Hammadi Codices 60 years ago." – Birger A. Pearson, Professor Emeritus, University of California, Santa Barbara "Einar Thomassen's The Spiritual Seed is a magisterial work, the most comprehensive and authoritative study of Valentinian Christianity now available. Through his close readings of the often fragmentary ancient sources, Thomassen pieces together a compelling reconstruction of the history, teachings, and rituals of this fascinating branch of the early Christian movement. The book concludes with an original portrait of Valentinus himself. Newcomers to the study of Valentinianism will profit from the book's clear introduction to the important questions and figures, while specialists will find fresh insights and seasoned judgments on nearly every page. This is the one book that anyone interested in Valentinian Christianity should read." – David Brakke, Indiana University "At slightly over 500 pages, Einar Thomassen's The Spiritual Seed: The Church of the "Valentinians" is by far the most important, thorough, and authoritative treatment of Valentinian Christianity in the 60 years since the publication of François Sagnard's La gnose valentinienne et le témoignage de saint Irenée in 1947. Its 32 chapters contain an exhaustive and careful analysis of all extant Valentinian literature from the Nag Hammadi library, the commentaries of Heracleon, Theodotus' Excerpts, and Ptolemy's Letter to Flora, and all the patristic testimonies that in turn were based on nearly a score of no-longer extant texts, well as all the fragmentary but non-systematic remains of psalms, homilies and letters that can be attributed to Valentinus himself. […] All-in-all, this clearly and patiently written work is a "blockbuster" that now gives a reliable account of Valentinian theology, ritual, and intellectual history. The Spiritual Seed is now the definitive treatment of Valentinianism and its biblical and philosophical bases, a "must have" for all scholars-and their research libraries-of ancient Gnosticism, second-century Christian history and thought, and historians of later Greek philosophy." – John D. Turner, University of Nebraska at LincolnTable of ContentsPART I VALENTINIANISM EAST AND WEST 1 The Valentinians of Irenaeus 2 “Valentinus” in Iren. Haer. I 11:1 3 The doctrine of Theodotus 4 The two “schools” 5 The soteriology of The Tripartite Tractate 6 The soteriology of Irenaeus’ system 7 The soteriology of Exc. 43:2–65 8 The soteriology of Iren. Haer. I 7:2 9 The soteriology of Hipp. Haer. VI 29–36 10 Provisional conclusions 11 Eastern soteriologies: The Treatise on the Resurrection 12 Eastern soteriologies: The Interpretation of Knowledge 13 Eastern soteriologies: The Gospel of Philip 14 The soteriology of Heracleon 15 The position of Ptolemy PART II THE THREE DIMENSIONS OF VALENTINIANISM 16 Salvation in history and ritual 17 Salvation in history and protological myth 18 Protology, salvation history, and ritual 19 Conclusion to Part II PART III VALENTINIAN PROTOLOGY 20 The pleromatology 21 The myth of separation and restoration 22 Chronology of the protologies 23 The meaning and origins of Valentinian protology 24 The transformation of eschatology to protology PART IV VALENTINIAN INITIATION 25 The sources 26 Initiation: Synopsis of the acts y of the initiation ritual 28 The historical position of Valentinian initiation 29 A ritual for the dying PART V VALENTINUS AND THE “VALENTINIANS” 30 Valentinus: biography and sources 31 Valentinus: a study of the fragments 32 Valentinians: fragments of the history of Valentinianism

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Book SynopsisThis is the first comprehensive reference work to cover the entire domain of “Gnosis and Western Esotericism” from Late Antiquity to the present. It contains critical discussions of all its major authors, currents and manifestations, from Gnosticism to the New Age. This one volume edition is an unabridged version of the two volume edition published in 2005.Trade Review'This superb dictionary should be an early stop for readers seeking basic, up-to-date, scholarly introductions to many aspects of Western religious eclecticism. There is no reference like it for its range and the objectivity of its coverage. Summing Up: Essential. All academic libraries serving upper-level undergraduates and above.' S. Young, Choice, 2006 'The entries present balanced, neutral accounts of the topics and the major persons involved with them without simplification, distortion, or reductionism...scholars will be delighted to have such a treasure take its place next to the popular treatments of the field. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All collections.' M.R. Pukkila, Choice, 2005. 'The Dictionary of Gnosis and Western Esotericism is a brilliantly conceived and skillfully executed reference tool unlike anything the scholarly world has ever seen. In two massive volumes it covers every aspect of pagan, Jewish, and Christian religious discourses and phenomena traditionally labeled gnosticism, hermeticism, astrology, magic, the "occult sciences," esoteric religion, and much more. The detailed and insightful articles, on nearly every related topic imaginable, are produced by an impressive array of renowned scholars, and usefully include up-to date bibliographies. Six years in the making, this is a work that every student of religion, ancient and modern, will certainly want to own.' Bart D. Ehrman, James A. Gray Distinguished Professor and Chair of Religious Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 'The Dictionary of Gnosis & Western Esotericism is a must for any who would consider themselves a scholar of Esotericism, and should at the very least be in every academic library in the English-speaking world.' J. Gordon Melton, Center for Studies on New Religions, 2005 '… this important new reference work should be consulted by all those engaged in research in the areas covered by the dictionary. The reach of this work is truly astounding. The Dictionary of Gnosis and Western Esotericism promises to be the pre-eminent reference work of its kind for many years to come.' Andreas J. Köstenberger, Faith & Mission, 2005 'The Dictionary places gnosis and esotericism in its historical perspective – not only the breadth of the described phenomenon is surprising, but also the fact that the subjects are covered in such an objective fashion.' NRC Handelsblad, 2005 'Brill has produced a work on esotericism that will become the standard reference work on the subject. Never before has such a complete overview of this obscure peripheral area of religion appeared.' Leidsch Dagblad (Associated Press Services), 2005.Table of ContentsA selection of entries: Alchemy; Amulets; Aristotelianism; Astrology; Bacon, Francis; Blake, William; Blavatsky, Helena Petrovna; Boehme, Jacob; Bogomilism; Catharism; Christian Theosophy; Comenius, Jan Amos; Clement of Alexandria; Cusa, Nicholas of; Dante Alighieri; Cryptography; Dionysius Areopagita, -Pseudo; Eriugena, Johannes Scottus; Ficino, Marsilio; Freemasonry; Gnosticism; Grail traditions; Hermes Trismegistus; Hermetic Literature; Illuminism; Intermediary Beings; Jewish Influences Jung, Carl Gustav; Kabbalah; Magic; Manichaeism; Music; Mysticism; Neopaganism; Neoplatonism; New Age Movement; Newton, Isaac; Occult / Occultism; Paracelsus; Pico della Mirandola, Giovanni; Reincarnation; Rosicrucianism; Satanism; Scientology; Secrecy; Spiritualism; Steiner, Rudolf; Swedenborg, Emanuel; Tarot; Templars; Valentinus and Valentinians; Witchcraft (15th – 17th Centuries); Zoroaster

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Book SynopsisThis book offers a new understanding of Sethianism and the origins of Gnosticism by examining the mythology in and social reality behind a group of texts to which certain leaders of the early church occasionally attached the label ‘Ophite.’ In the unique Ophite mythology, which rewrites the Genesis paradise story and is attested, for example, in Irenaeus’ Adversus haereses 1.30, The Apocryphon of John and On the Origin of the World, the snake’s advice to eat of the tree of knowledge is considered positive, the creator and his angels are turned into demonic beasts and the true Godhead is presented as an androgynous heavenly projection of Adam and Eve. It is argued that Hans-Martin Schenke’s influential model of the ‘Sethian system’ only reveals part of a larger whole to which the Ophite material belongs as an important and organic component.Trade Review'most important book on Gnostic mythology in the last five years: almost bewilderingly comprehensive, brilliantly argued, thoroughly documented, and cognizant of all the relevant Gnostic scholarship. It is certainly destined to be - if it is no already - an indispensiable resource for the study of ancient Gnosticism.' John D. Turner, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Numen 59 (2012) 'Paradise Reconsidered excels at stimulating new questions, [...] marks a decisive turning point in our understanding of Gnostic myth and its diverse permutations in some of its most famous literary traditions. It is necessary reading for any student of Gnosticism and of primary interest for scholars of Western esotericism. The notes and indices, whose editing is pristine, will also provide a weath of references and Forschungsgeschichte for the researcher.' Dylan M. Burns, Aries 13 (2013) '...nous ne pouvons que saluer la parution de ce livre qui deviendra très rapidement un incontournable pour les spécialistes du gnosticisme.' Steve Johnston, Laval théologique et philosophique. "..the volume is definitely one of the more interesting and creative books on the origin and development of gnostic mythology. A reading of this book will be worthwhile precisely for the challenges it poses and also for the stimulus it provides scholars with different points of view. It is also worth consulting for the broad variety of sources studied and the works employed. The systematic and comprehensive analysis of the Ophite mythology is highly appreciated, no matter if one shares the explicit assumptions or not. The study is well-presented and makes a valuable contribution to important topics. I gladly recommend the book to everyone interested in those issues, but particularly to the specialists in the field [...] this book will be indispensable for and have a vital place in the future research on Gnosticism.' Gesine Schenke Robinson, RBL, June 2011 'It is to be hoped that this solid work stimulates further studies of the early development of the Gnostic thought world.' Gerard Luttikhuizen, Vigiliae Christianae 66 (2012)

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Book SynopsisThe use and appreciation of Scripture by the Manichaeans is a field of research with many unanswered questions. This study offers an investigation into the role of the Bible in the writings of the important Manichaean missionary Addas Adimantus (flor. ca. 250 CE), one of Mani's first disciples. A major part of the book is dedicated to the reconstruction of the contents of his Disputationes, in which writing Adimantus attempted to demonstrate that the Old and New Testaments are absolutely irreconcilable. The most important source in this connection is Augustine, who refuted a Latin translation of Adimantus’ work. A thorough analysis of the contents of the Disputationes brings to the fore that Adimantus was a Marcionite prior to his going over to Mani’s church.Trade Review"this is a valuable contribution to both Augustinian and Manichaean studies and could be read with profit by scholars in both discipline." – Samuel N.C. Lieu, in: Vigiliae Christianae 67 (2013) "There is much [...] that will generate discussion between scholars interested in Manichaeism, Marcionite and Augustinian studies. [...] This is a fascinating study that will be of particular value to specialists in the areas listed above." – Paul Foster, in: Expository Times 122.3 (December 2010)

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Book SynopsisThis volume brings together the selected papers of the Fribourg-Utrecht symposium Augustine and Manichaeism in the Latin West, organized on behalf of the International Association of Manichaean Studies. It contains a considerable number of contributions by leading authorities on the subject, focussing on both the diffusion of Mani’s religion in the Latin West and its substantial impact upon St. Augustine.Trade Review"Here is an excellent resource for patristics specialists and students of Manichaeism." – Birger A. Pearson, in: Religious Studies Review, 2002

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Book SynopsisIn Cosmology and Fate in Gnosticism and Graeco-Roman Antiquity, Nicola Denzey Lewis dismisses Hans Jonas' mischaracterization of second-century Gnosticism as a philosophically-oriented religious movement built on the perception of the cosmos as negative or enslaving. A focused study on the concept of astrological fate in “Gnostic” writings including the Apocryphon of John, the recently-discovered Gospel of Judas, Trimorphic Protennoia, and the Pistis Sophia, this book reexamines their language of “enslavement to fate (Gk: heimarmene)” from its origins in Greek Stoicism, its deployment by the apostle Paul, to its later use by a variety of second-century intellectuals (both Christian and non-Christian). Denzey Lewis thus offers an informed and revisionist conceptual map of the ancient cosmos, its influence, and all those who claimed to be free of its potentially pernicious effects.Trade Review"focused study that seeks to rebut the characterisation of second-century Gnosticism as a religious philosophy that apprehends the universe as an enslaving force. [...] a rich study, which offers a new way of thinking about the concept of face in Gnostic texts. ...it promises to be a valuable and provocative contribution." – Paul Foster, University of Edinburgh, in: The Expository Times 126/2 (2014) "...concise and convincing, [...] the book is clearly-argued [...]. Its critical engagement with the research of the old school dispels scholarly myths and provides a new starting point for debate about how we are to understand the problems of fate, providence, and salvation in late ancient religious life.[...] worthwhile reading not just for students of Gnostic and Hermetic literature, but the New Testament, early Christian studies, and religion in the later Roman Empire as well." – Dylan Burns, Leipzig University, in: Numen 61 (2014) "...excellent overview of the primary sources whilst producing numerous thought-provoking arguments [...] It is a useful book for anyone interested in second-century thought patterns and is suitable for a wide audience with a range of interests." – Sarah Parkhouse, Durham University, in: Reviews of Biblical and Early Christian Studies (RBECS.org)Table of Contents1. Were the Gnostics Cosmic Pessimists? 2. Nag Hammadi and the Providential Cosmos 3. This Body of Death: Cosmic Malevolence and Enslavement to Sin in Pauline Exegesis 4. Heimarmene at Nag Hammadi: The Apocryphon of John and On the Origin of the World 5. Middle Platonism, Heimarmene, and the Corpus Hermeticum 6. Ways Out I: Interventions of the Savior God 7. Ways Out II: Baptism and Cosmic Freedom 8. Astral Determinism in the Gospel of Judas 9. Conclusions, and a New Way Forward

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Book SynopsisRitual, magic, liturgy, and theurgy were central features of Gnosticism, and yet Gnostic practices remain understudied. This anthology is meant to fill in this gap and address more fully what the ancient Gnostics were doing. While previously we have studied the Gnostics as intellectuals in pursuit of metaphysical knowledge, the essays in this book attempt to understand the Gnostics as ecstatics striving after religious experience, as prophets seeking revelation, as mystics questing after the ultimate God, as healers attempting to care for the sick and diseased. These essays demonstrate that the Gnostics were not necessarily trendy intellectuals seeking epistomological certainities. They were after religious experiences that relied on practices. The book is organized comparatively in a history-of-religions approach with sections devoted to Initiatory, Recurrent, Therapeutic, Ecstatic, and Philosophic Practices. This book celebrates the brilliant career of Birger A. Pearson.Trade Review"This carefully structured festschrift [...] is a fitting tribute to Birger Pearson. [...] the essays offer significant new perspectives on various types of Gnostic practices [...] the volume will be widely consulted by scholars in the field.' - Paul Foster, University of Edinburgh, in: The Expository Times 126/3 (2014)Table of ContentsApril D. DeConick, Introduction to Practicing Gnosis A Tribute to Birger A. Pearson George W.E. Nickelsburg, For Birger Pearson: A Scholar Who Both Studies and Embodies Syncretism Gerald James Larson, Religionsgeschichtliche Schule, Religionswissenschaft, Piano, Oboe and Bourbon Gregory Shaw, Birger Pearson: Scholar, Professor and Mentor Birger A. Pearson, A Bibliography Initiatory Practices April D. DeConick, The Road for the Souls is through the Planets: The Mysteries of the Ophians Mapped Roger Beck, Ecstatic Religion in the Roman Cult of Mithras Bas van Os, Gospel of Philip as Gnostic Initiatory Discourse Elliot Wolfson, Becoming Invisible: Rending the Veil and the Hermeneutic of Secrecy in the Gospel of Philip Erin Evans, Ritual in the Second Book of Jeu Nicola Denzey Lewis, Death on the Nile: Egyptian Codices, Gnosticism, and Early Christian Books of the Dead Recurrent Pratices Einar Thomassen, Going to Church with the Valentinians Madeleine Scopello, Practicing ‘Repentance’ on the Path to Gnosis in Exegesis on the Soul Edward Butler, Opening the Way of Writing: Semiotic Metaphysics in the Book of Thoth Fernando Bermejo Rubio, “I Worship and Glorify”: Manichaean Liturgy and Piety in Kellis’ Prayer of the Emanations Jason BeDuhn, The Manichaean Weekly Confessional Ritual Jorunn Buckley, Ritual Ingenuity in the Mandaean Scroll of Exalted Kingship Therapeutic Practices Naomi Janowitz, Natural, Magical, Scientific or Religious? A Guide to Theories of Healing Grant Adamson, Astrological Medicine in Gnostic Traditions Marvin Meyer, The Persistence of Ritual in the Magical Book of Mary and the Angels: P. Heid. Inv. Kopt. 685 Rebecca Lesses, Image and Word: Performative Ritual and Material Culture in the Aramaic Incantation Bowls Ecstatic Practices John D. Turner, From Baptismal Vision to Mystical Union with the One: The Case of the Sethian Gnostics Niclas Förster, Marcosian Rituals for Prophecy and Apolytrosis James Davila, Ritual Praxis in the Hekhalot Literature Philosophic Practices Zeke Mazur, The Platonizing Sethian Gnostic Interpretation of Plato’s Sophist Michael Williams, Did Plotinus’ “Friends” Still Go to Church? Communal Rituals and Ascent Apocalypses Kevin Corrigan, The Meaning of “One”: Plurality and Unity in Plotinus and Later Neoplatonism Gregory Shaw, Theurgy and the Platonist’s Luminous Body

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Book SynopsisDespite the surge of interest in Gnostic texts following the discovery of the Nag Hammadi library, the Coptic Books of Jeu and Pistis Sophia remain understudied. Often dismissed as convoluted, confused, and repetitious, Erin Evans convincingly shows that these texts represent the writings of a distinct religious group with a consistent system of theology, cosmology, and ritual practice. This book offers an in-depth examination of these texts, their relationship to other contemporary Gnostic ideas, and their use in the context of a practicing religious group. Three thematic sections demonstrate how the collection of texts functions as a whole, covering baptisms and mystical ascent procedures, guides to moral living, and introductory texts and myths.Trade Review'die Erläuterungen von E. zum Verständnis der Texte anregend und müssen in eine quellenvergleichende, philologische und religions- und ideengeschichtliche Arbeit an den Schriften einbezogen werden. E. ist zu danken, daß sie die Aufmerksamkeit der Forschung wieder auf diese Texte gelenkt hat.' Clemens Scholten, Universität zu Köln, Vigiliae Christianae 71 (2017) 'This book fills a significant gap, and attempts to reconstruct the groups behind the 'Jeuian' texts. [...] Evans' presentation is extremely acccessible, with essential concepts summed up clearly, and will be an asset to scholars of Gnosticism, early Christianity, and late-antique religion more broadly.' Kimberley Fowler, University of Manchester, The Expository Times 128 (9) 2017Table of ContentsIntroduction Part I Baptism and Ascent Guides 1. The First Book of Jeu 2. The Second Book of Jeu 3. Diagrams in the Books of Jeu 4. 4 Pistis Sophia (A) Part I Summary Part II Punishments and Moral Living 5. 4 Pistis Sophia (B) 6. 3 Pistis Sophia Part II Summary Part III Introductory Texts and Myths 7. 1/2 Pistis Sophia 8. The Pistis Sophia Myth Part III: Summary Conclusions

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Book SynopsisIn 2009 the Seventh International Conference of Manichaean Studies was held at the Chester Beatty Library in Dublin. The 22 selected papers of this volume offer a deep insight into the faith of Manichaean communities ranging from the very beginning of the 3rd century up to the last traces of worship today. Among others the authors deal with sources from Augustin, John the Grammarian, Ephrem the Syrian and further sources written in Coptic, Sogdian, Middle Persian, Parthian and Chinese. Several studies about Manichaean art and iconography offer a visual impression, which gives a new opportunity for understanding the religion of Light.Trade Review"Many insightful contributions... in this volume [and] lavish colourplates [...] a wonderful supplement to the intellectually stimulating volume and result in discussions that enrich both the mind and the eye." - Paul Foster, University of Edinburgh, in: The Expository Times 127 (3) "Like all the previous collections of proceedings of the International Association of Manichaean Studies, this latest volume greatly advances many aspects of Manichaean studies: history, theology, codicology and iconography, to name but a few." - Samuel N.C. Lieu, in: Zeitschrift für antikes Christentum, 2016Table of ContentsCharles Horton, MANI - The Lost Religion of Light: The Interpretation of Manichaean Manuscripts for a General Audience Sara Antonietta Luisa Arnoldi, Der Kampf Augustins gegen die Manichäer: Das Beispiel der Schrift De Genesi contra Manichaeos Byard Bennett, The Physics of Light, Darkness and Matter in John the Grammarian’s First Homily against the Manichaeans: Early Byzantine Anti-Manichaean Literature as a Window on Controversies in later Neoplatonism Fernando Bermejo, Primal Man, Son of God: from Explicit to Implicit Christian Elements in Manichaeism Iris Colditz, The Abstract of a Religion or: What is Manichaeism? J. Kevin Coyle (†), Biblical Pseudepigrapha among North African Manichaeans Jean-Daniel Dubois, A Possible Liturgical Context for the First Hymn to Jesus in the Chinese Manichaean Hymnbook (col. 6–44) Desmond Durkin-Meisterernst, Abecedarian Hymns, a Survey of Published Middle Persian and Parthian Manichaean Hymns Jorinde Ebert, Individualisation of Redemption in a Manichaean Painting from Ningbo Majella Franzmann, Kephalaia 55 and the Great Free Woman: Concepts of Seclusion and Public Exhibition in Relation to Women and Female Figures in Manichaean Texts Zsuzsanna Gulácsi, Images of Jesus in Manichaean Art Gábor Kósa, Two Manichaean Judgment Scenes― MIK III 4959 V and the Yamato Bunkakan Sandōzu Painting Ma Xiaohe, Remains of the Religion of Light in Xiapu (霞浦) County, Fujian Province Gunner Mikkelsen, Recent Research on Chinese Manichaean Texts Wolf B. Oerter, Fragen an Kephalaia Kapitel 151 (ed. Funk) – Kephalaia Kapitel 154 (ed. Schmidt/Polotsky) Revisited Nils Arne Pedersen, Syriac Texts in Manichaean Script: New Evidence Christiane Reck, Sogdian Manichaean Confessional Fragments in Sogdian Script in the Berlin Turfan Collection: the Fragments of the Xwāstwānīft Flavia Ruani, The “Seal of the Mouth” in the Anti-Manichaean Polemic of Ephrem the Syrian Cristos Theodorou, The Concept of Body and the Body of Christ in the Manichaean Coptic Psalm-Book Agnès Le Tiec, La manifestation de l’image dans l’« Homélie sur la Grande Guerre » Wang Yuanyuan & Lin Wushu, The Last Remains of Manichaeism in Villages of Jinjiang County, China Yutaka Yoshida, Southern Chinese Version of Mani’s Picture Book Discovered?

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Book SynopsisThe Kephalaia of the Teacher is the most detailed account available to modern scholarship of the teachings of Mani, and of the universal religion that he founded as the final successor to Buddha, Zarathushtra and Jesus. This volume provides the first complete English translation of the Coptic text (c. 400 CE), together with introduction, commentaries and indices. Topics include the apostleship of Mani, the practices of the Manichaean community, accounts of the heavenly and demonic beings and worlds, as well as discussions of astrology and religious psychology. In Manichaeism many of the gnostic and dualistic themes of early Christianity achieved the status of a world religion, and the subject is the heir to contemporary interest in heterodoxy and the deconstruction of received histories (see the Nag Hammadi codices).

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Book SynopsisThis volume in honour of Johannes van Oort, formerly University of Utrecht, presently Professor of Patristics and Gnosticism at the Universities of Nijmegen and Pretoria, and past-President of the International Association of Manichaean Studies (IAMS), brings together a rich variety of studies on Augustine, Manichaeism, and other Gnostic currents, thus reflecting the honorand’s research interests. The unique collection is divided into four sections: I. Studies in Augustine: Confessions, Sermons, Letters & De Haeresibus; Augustine on Grace & Pluralism; Augustinian ‘Gnosis’; II. Studies in Manichaeism: Origins & Myth; Doctrines & Cult; Diffusion & Art; III. Studies in Manichaeism and Augustine: Doctrines; Polemics & Debates with Manichaean Contemporaries; IV. Studies in ‘Other Gnosticism’: Gnosticism and ‘Apocryphal’ Texts; Sources of (Ps.) Hippolytus’ Refutatio; the Gospel of Judas; Modern Yesidi Gnosticism. The 35 studies are preceded by an overview of Prof. van Oort’s scholarly activities and publicationsTrade Review"The editors of this volume state that their purpose is to produce a volume that is both 'a Festschrift and an inspiring collection of studies'. In both these aims they succeed admirably.[...]This volume forms a fitting tribute to the work of Johannes van Oort, and each essay is a carefully crafted celebration of a topic that resonates with the research of the scholar being honoured. The essays will appeal to a variety of different audiences, but all share a richness and depth of scholarship that makes this an outstanding collection." – Paul Foster, in: The Expository Times 122 (2012) "... a large number of interesting contributions, written by a a great many leading scholars." – Gijs Martijn van Gaans, in: Vigiliae Christianae 66 (2012) "... should have a place in every research library" – Birger Pearson, in: Religious Studies Review 37 (2011) "As will be clear, the scope of this volume is extensive. Scholars with a variety of research interests will find much that is new, and it can be wholeheartedly recommended for the standard collection of research libraries. The paperback edition, for which we thank Brill Publishers, will facilitate a wider distribution of its learned scholarship. Mattias Brand, in: NumenTable of Contents1. Studies in Augustine: Confessions, Sermons, Letters & De Haeresibus; Augustine on Grace & Pluralism; Augustinian ‘Gnosis’ Annemaré Kotzé, Protreptic, Paraenetic and Augustine’s Confessions Thérèse Fuhrer, Allegorical Reading and Writing in Augustine’s Confessions Josef Lössl, Augustine’s Confessions as a Consolation of Philosophy Anthony Dupont, Sermones 29 and 29A on Ps. 117,1 (118,1): Two Early Carthaginian Sermones ad Populum on the Meaning of Confessio during the Vigil of Pentecost? Vincent Hunink, ‘Practicing What He Had Taught’: Augustine’s Sermons on Cyprian Sigrid Mratschek, Die ungeschriebenen Briefe des Augustinus von Hippo Gian Ackermans, Einige rechtliche und theologische Fragen zu den Abeloitae in Augustins De haeresibus Daniela Müller, Der augustinische Häresiebegriff als Grundlage für die Ketzerverfolgung im Mittelalter Marcel Poorthuis, Judaism, Augustine and Pope Benedict XVI on the Plurality of Opinions Matthias Smalbrugge, Le Fils prodigue vu par Augustin: un pas vers l’exclusivisme de la grâce Paul Hendrik Fick, Traces of Augustinian ‘Gnosis’ in Julianus Pomerius’ De Vita Contemplativa 2. Studies in Manichaeism: Origins & Myth; Doctrines & Cult; Diffusion & Art Eugenia Smagina, The Manichaean Cosmogonical Myth as a “Re-Written Bible” Samuel N.C. Lieu & John S. Sheldon, Simplicius on Manichaean Cosmogony Nils-Arne Pedersen, The Veil and Revelation of the Father of Greatness Majella Franzmann, The Treasure of the Manichaean Spiritual Life Iain Gardner, Manichaean Ritual Practice at Ancient Kellis: A New Understanding of the Meaning and Function of the So-Called Prayer of the Emanations Tamila Mgaloblishvili and Stephen H. Rapp Jr., Manichaeism in Late Antique Georgia? Erica Hunter, Syriac Sources and Manichaeism: A Five Hundred Year Trajectory Jorinde Ebert, Four Fragments of Guardian Deities in a Manichaean Painting From Toyok in Berlin’s Turfan Collection Reassembled and Interpreted Zsuzsanna Gulácsi, Chinese Manichaean Silk Painting Takoa Moriyasu, The Discovery of Manichaean Paintings in Japan and Their Historical Background 3.. Studies in Manichaeism and Augustine: Doctrines; Polemics & Debates with Manichaean Contemporaries J. Kevin Coyle, Jesus, Mani, and Augustine Concetta Giuffrè Scibona, The Doctrine of the Soul in Manichaeism and Augustine Gunner Mikkelsen, Augustine and His Sources: The “Devil’s Snares and Birdlime” in the Mouths of Manichaeans in East and West Byard Bennett, Globus horribilis : The Role of the Bolos in Manichaean Eschatology and Its Polemical Transformation in Augustine’s Anti-Manichaean Writings Andreas Grote, Optimi viri sanctissimique: Augustins Konzept einer Synthese von Askese und Pastoral in De moribus 1,65-80. Eine Replik auf manichäische Polemik Jason D. BeDuhn, Did Augustine Win His Debate with Fortunatus? Andreas Hoffmann, Secundinus in der Diskussion mit Augustinus über das malum: Beobachtungen zu den augustinischen Quellen der Epistula Secundini Giulia Sfameni Gasparro, The Disputation with Felix: Themes and Modalities of Augustine’s Polemic 4. Studies in ‘Other Gnosticism’: Gnosticism and ‘Apocryphal’ Texts; Sources of (Ps.) Hippolytus’ Refutatio; the Gospel of Judas; Modern Yesidi Gnosticism Tobias Nicklas, „Apokryph gewordene Schriften“? Gedanken zum Apokryphenbegriff bei großkirchlichen Autoren und in einigen „gnostischen“ Texten Clemens Scholten, Quellen regen an: Beobachtungen zum „gnostischen Sondergut“ der Refutatio omnium haeresium Madeleide Scopello, Motifs et expressions mystiques dans l’Évangile de Judas Gerard Rouwhorst, The Gospel of Judas and Early Christian Eucharist April D. DeConick, After the Gospel of Judas: Reassessing What We Have Known to be True about Cain and Judas Eszter Spät, The Song of the Commoner: The Gnostic Call in Yezidi Oral Tradition

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Book SynopsisThis volume is a pioneer study focused on a corpus of 89 fragments of exquisitely illuminated manuscripts that were produced under the patronage of the Turkic-speaking Uygurs in the Turfan region of East Central Asia between the 8th and 11th centuries CE. Through detailed analyses and interpretations aided by precise computer drawings, the author introduces an important group of primary sources for future comparative research in Central Asian art, mediaeval book illumination, and Manichaean studies.Trade Review"This is a superb study which is richly illustrated by a range of images - many in colour. [...] This volume casts light on the wider phenomenon of Manichaesanism by using the material remains of one signigican community to gain insight into the artistic and textual practices of theat group.This is a highly significant volume that makes a major contribution to manichaen studies." – Paul Foster, University of Edinburgh, in: The Expository Times 121 (2009)Table of ContentsPreface Introduction I. The Corpus of Manichaean Book Art II. The Dates of the Remains III. Artistry of Book Makers, Scribes, and Illuminators IV. Patterns of Page Arrangements V. The Written and Painted Message Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisIn Gnostic Countercultures, fourteen scholars investigate countercultural aspects associated with the gnostic which is broadly conceived with reference to the claim to have special knowledge of the divine, which either transcends or transgresses conventional religious knowledge. The papers explore the concept of the gnostic in Western culture from the ancient world to the modern New Age.Table of ContentsContents Introduction Part 1: Antiquity The Countercultural Gnostic: Turning the World Upside Down and Inside Out  April D. DeConick “I Turned away from the Temple”: Sethian Counterculture in the Apocryphon of John  Grant Adamson Transgressing Boundaries: Plotinus and the Gnostics  John D. Turner Forbidden Knowledge: Cognitive Transgression and “Ascent Above Intellect” in the Debate Between Plotinus and the Gnostics  Zeke Mazur The Apocalypse of Paul (NHC V,2): Cosmology, Anthropology, and Ethics  Lautaro Roig Lanzillotta Gnosis Undomesticated: Archon-Seduction, Demon Sex, and Sodomites in the Paraphrase of Shem (NHC VII,1)  Dylan M. Burns Gnostic Self-Deification: The Case of Simon of Samaria  M. David Litwa Demon est Deus Inversus: Honoring the Daemonic in Iamblichean Theurgy  Gregory Shaw The Coming of the Star-Child: The Reception of the Revelation of the Magi in New Age Religious Thought and Ufology  Brent Landau Part 2: Modernity The Great God Pan  Sarah Iles Johnston Alan Moore’s Promethea: Countercultural Gnosis and the End of the World  Wouter J. Hanegraaff Children of the Light: Gnostic Fiction and Gnostic Practice in Vladimir Sorokin’s Ice Trilogy  Victoria Nelson Symbolic Loss, Memory, and Modernization in the Reception of Gnosticism  Matthew J. Dillon Gnostic and Countercultural Elements in Zora Neale Hurston’s “Hoodoo in America”  Margarita Simon Guillory Index 317

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Book SynopsisIn Gnostic Afterlives, fourteen scholars explore the intersection of Gnostic spirituality in American religion and culture. Papers theorize Gnosis/Gnostic in modernity, examine neo-Gnostic movements in America, and investigate the Gnostic in popular American films, literature, art, and other aspects of culture.Table of Contents1 Introduction: Gnostic Afterlives in American Religion and Culture  April D. DeConick Part 1: Theorizing the Gnostic in Modernity 2 The Sociology of Gnostic Spirituality  April D. DeConick 3 Can We Recover Gnosis Today?  Gregory Shaw 4 What Is Gnosis: An Exploration  Arthur Versluis Part 2: (Neo-)Gnostic Movements in America 5 The Knowing of Knowing   Neo-Gnosticism, from the O.T.O. to Scientology  Hugh B. Urban 6 Know Place: Heaven’s Gate and American Gnosticism  Cathy Gutierrez 7 American Gnosis: Jesus Mysticism in A Course in Miracles  Simon J. Joseph 8 The New Age and Gnosticism: Terms of Commonality  Mitch Horowitz Part 3: The Gnostic in Popular American Culture 9 The Gnostic in Us All: Thinking from the Macrobiotics of Michio Kushi  Catherine L. Albanese 10 The Space Jockey and the Future of Enjoyment: Alienated Sentience in the World of H. R. Giger  Eric Wargo 11 A Metaphysical Rebel? Camus’s Analysis of Gnosticism and Its Influence on Literature and Cinema  Lautaro Roig Lanzillotta 12 Eric Voegelin and Gnostic Hollywood  Fryderyk Kwiatkowski 13 The Afterlives of the Archons: Gnostic Literalism and Embodied Paranoia in 21st CE Conspiracy Theory  Matthew Dillon 14 The Electric Chrism Acid Test: The Problem of Psychedelic Gnosis  Erik Davis 15 Reflections of an American Gnostic  Jeffrey J. Kripal Index

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Book SynopsisAries Book Series: Texts and Studies in Western Esotericism is the first professional academic book series specifically devoted to a long-neglected but now rapidly developing domain of research in the humanities, usually referred to as “Western Esotericism”. This field covers a variety of “alternative” currents in western religious history, including so-called “hermetic philosophy” and related currents in the early modern period; alchemy, paracelsianism and rosicrucianism; Jewish and Christian kabbalah and its later developments; theosophical and illuminist currents; and various occultist and related developments during the 19th and 20th centuries, up to and including popular contemporary currents such as the New Age movement. Published under the auspices of the European Society for the Study of Western Esotericism (ESSWE). For the journal Aries - Journal for the Study of Western Esotericism please click here. The series has published an average of two volumes per year over the last five years.Table of ContentsList of Figures Notes on Contributors Introduction Or, What We Talk about When We Talk about Deviance   Manon Hedenborg White and Tim Rudbøg Part 1 Theorizing Deviance 1 On the Social Organization of Rejected Knowledge Reassessing the Sociology of the Occult   Egil Asprem 2 On the Concept of a Deviant Movement   Olav Hammer 3 Disrupting Sanctified Deviance The Benefits of Boredom   Jay Johnston 4 “The Judges of Normality Are Everywhere” Has Esotericism and the Ideas of H. P. Blavatsky’s Ever Been Normal?   Tim Rudbøg Part 2 Historical Cases 5 Constructions of Religious Deviance in the Greek and Roman Worlds   Richard Gordon 6 The Deviance of Toz The Reception of Toz Graecus and Magical Works Attributed to Toz in the Twelfth and Thirteenth Centuries   Lauri Ockenström 7 Forgotten Knowledge, Deviance and Esotericism The Eternally Burning Lamps of Fortunio Liceti   Martin Mulsow 8 Strategic Deviance and Conflicting Loyalties The Spiritualist Interests of Bishop Ghenadie Petrescu (1836–1918)   Ionuț Daniel Băncilă 9 Jewish Kabbalah, Christian Onomatodoxy (Imyaslavie) and Theological Flexibility in Russia at the Beginning of the Twentieth Century   Konstantin Burmistrov 10 Vasily V. Nalimov – A Scientist, Philosopher and “Mystical Anarchist” from Komi   Birgit Menzel 11 Haṭhayoga as “Black Magic” in Early Theosophy and Beyond   Keith E. Cantú 12 Philology as an Epistemological Strategy to Claim Higher Knowledge Translational Endeavors within the Theosophical Society; A Case Study of Annie Besant’s Bhagavad-Gita   Yves Mühlematter 13 “I Would Not Have Left Your Platform Had I Not Been Compelled” Annie Besant’s Exclusion from the National Secular Society (1891)   Muriel Pécastaing-Boissière 14 Dismissing the Occult The Links between Esoteric Currents and French Homeopathic Medicine during the First Half of the Twentieth Century   Léo Bernard 15 The Devil’s Popess The French Reception of Maria de Naglowska (1883–1936) in the Early 1930s   Michele Olzi 16 Confessions of a Persian Opium Smoker Sadegh Hedayat, Esotericism, and The Blind Owl   Kurosh Amoui 17 Fernando Pessoa’s Multiple Esoteric Deviances   Fabio Mendia Part 3 Concluding Remarks 18 Afterword Rejected Knowledge as a Liberal Art   Joscelyn Godwin   Editors’ Conclusion   Manon Hedenborg White and Tim Rudbøg Index

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Book Synopsis

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