Satanism / demonology Books

Book SynopsisCalled The Black Pope by many of his followers, Anton La Vey began the road to High Priesthood of the Church of Satan when he was only 16 years old and an organ player in a carnival...On Saturday night I would see men lusting after halfnaked girls dancing at the carnival, and on Sunday morning when I was playing the organ for tent-show evangelists at the other end of the carnival lot, I would see these same men sitting in the pews with their wives and children, asking God to forgive them and purge them of carnal desires. And the next Saturday night they''d be back at The carnival or some other place of indulgence.I knew then that the Christian Church thrives on hypocrisy, and that man''s carnal nature will out!From that time early in his life his path was clear. Finally, on the last night of April, 1966?Walpurgisnacht,the most important festival of the believers in witchcraft?LaVey shaved his head in the tradition of Ancient executioners and announced the formation of The Church Of Satan. He had seen the need for a church that would recapture man''s body and his carnal desires as objects of celebration.Since worship of fleshly things produces pleasure, he said, there would then be a temple of glorious indulgence . . .

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Satanic Bible was written by Anton LaVey in 1969. It is a collection of essays, observations and basic Satanic rituals, and outlines LaVey''s Satanic ideology. It contains the core principles of LaVeyan Satanism and is considered the foundation of the philosophy and dogma that constitute Satanism.

Read more less

Book SynopsisTake a dark descent into a world of supernatural evil! Explore true horrors of sinister spirits, ominous ghosts, angry souls, menacing monsters, malicious demons, and cursed creatures in this collection of the malevolent paranormal! Sometimes the monsters are monsters — swimming the murky waters of Loch Ness, stalking their victims the streets of small town America, or hunting innocents across the desolate British moors. At other times, the darkness lies within the human soul itself — the falsely accused who were executed for witchcraft in Salem, those hounded to their graves (and beyond) by cruel pursuers, or those cursed by all forms of vile spirits. Then there are the devils and demons lurking in the darkness, capable of possessing and tormenting the living. Master storyteller and seasoned paranormal investigator Richard Estep presents sinister hordes of evil in Dark Spirits: Monsters, Demons, and Devils. This fright-filled read spans the darkest realms of the paranormal, including … Shapeshifters such as the menacing Skinwalkers of native mythology and ravenous, slavering werewolves Dreaded ghosts and ominous hauntings, including John Wayne Gacy’s ghost, the Amityville haunting, and the Villisca Axe Murder House Dark and evil curses, from the curse of Superman and Steven Spielberg’s Poltergeist to the tomb of Egypt’s pharaoh Tutankhamun Deadly demons and devils, like Dozmary Pool’s deal with the devil; Ronald Hunkeler, the Exorcist Boy; and the inhabitants of the Ammons demon house Vampires and vampirism from Vlad the Impaler to Elizabeth Bathory, killer of hundreds, to the Highgate Vampire Horrific accusations and deadly consequences that ripped through society from the Salem witch trials to the supernatural hysteria caused by the rapid spread of tuberculosis to the 1980s Satanic panic Otherworldly encounters like the Black Eyed Children that appear out of nowhere, the Roswell Crash, unexplained animal mutilations, and abducted human beings Cursed places, including the Bermuda Triangle, London’s haunted Underground, and Los Angeles’ notorious Hotel Cecil And dozens more stories of dark and depraved paranormal beings and encounters. Walk into the abyss of the whispered and veiled legends, the myths and first-person encounters in Dark Spirits. Learn about these frightening experiences and how they scarred lives forever. Explore the dark supernatural world around you—if you dare!

Read more less

Book SynopsisA gripping biography by the author of Brave New WorldIn 1634 Urbain Grandier, a handsome and dissolute priest of the parish of Loudun was tried, tortured and burnt at the stake.Trade ReviewHuxley has reconstructed with skill, learning and horror one of the most appalling incidents in the history of witch-hunting during its seventeenth-century heyday. The Devils of Loudun is fascinating, erudite, and instinct with intellectual vitality * Times Literary Supplement *Huxley's analysis of motive, his exposition of the unconscious causes of behaviour, his exposure of the perversions to which religious emotion is subject, his discursions on the witch cult, on mass hysteria, on sexual eccentricity have the brilliance that all his writing has had from the very beginning * Spectator *One of Huxley's best books * Guardian *His masterpiece, and perhaps the most enjoyable book about spirituality ever written. In telling the grotesque, bawdy and true story of a 17th-century convent of cloistered French nuns who contrived to have a priest they never met burned alive ...Huxley painlessly conveys a wealth of information about mysticism and the unconscious * Washington Post *

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn intimate exploration of the life, philosophy, and lasting occult influence of Anton LaVey, the founder of the Church of Satan With his creation of the infamous Church of Satan in 1966 and his bestselling book The Satanic Bible in 1969, Anton Szandor LaVey (1930-1997) became a controversial celebrity who basked in the attention and even made a successful career out of it. But who was Anton LaVey behind the public persona that so easily provoked Christians and others intolerant of his views? One of privileged few who spent time with the “Black Pope” in the last decade of his life, Carl Abrahamsson met Anton LaVey in 1989, sparking an “infernally” empowering friendship. In this book Abrahamsson explores what LaVey was really about, where he came from, and how he shaped the esoteric landscape of the 1960s. The author shares in-depth interviews with the notorious Satanist’s intimate friends and collaborators, including LaVey’s partner Blanche Barton, his son Xerxes LaVey, current heads of the Church of Satan Peter Gilmore and Peggy Nadramia, occult filmmaker Kenneth Anger, LaVey’s personal secretary Margie Bauer, film collector Jack Stevenson, and film historian Jim Morton. Abrahamsson also shares never-before-published material from LaVey himself, including discussions between LaVey and Genesis P-Orridge and transcripts from LaVey’s never-released “Hail Satan!” video. Providing inside accounts of the Church of Satan and activities at the Black House, this intimate exploration of Anton LaVey reveals his ongoing role in the history of culture and magic.Trade Review“In Anton LaVey and the Church of Satan, the ‘Black Pope’ of modern Satanism finds his most able interpreter and biographer. Carl Abrahamsson, the doyen of occulture, has studied LaVey’s life and influence for years, focusing his peculiar instinct for the esoteric and transgressive on a character who brought the two into a piquant and appealing blend. Part showman, part huckster, part prophet, and all devil, LaVey’s shaved head, Fu Manchu moustache, kitschy horns, and buxom coven brought a comic touch to a heresy that is more often taken all too seriously. Abrahamsson captures the smoky, saucy flavor of LaVey’s devilish humor with gusto. Tempted? You should be.” * Gary Lachman, author of Turn Off Your Mind and The Return of Holy Russia *“A rich, engaging, and insightful exploration of one of the most influential and misunderstood thinkers of late twentieth-century occultism. . . . an invaluable resource for anyone interested in the history of Satanism and late-modern occulture.” * Manon Hedenborg White, author of The Eloquent Blood *“Unique insights into the myth and man that was Anton LaVey--a mustread for anyone interested in the history and future of Satanism.” * Per Faxneld, Ph.D., senior lecturer at Södertörn University and author of Satanic Feminism *“Anton LaVey and the Church of Satan is an act of magic, for it takes you to the Black House at 6114 California Street where you are invited to a party in the honor of Doktor LaVey. Carl Abrahamsson is the ideal host of the party--not only has he invited all the right people, but he will introduce them to you as he takes you by the arm and leads you through the house, making sure that you are having fun while generously sharing his profound knowledge about the Doktor. If you’re lucky, Doktor LaVey will show you a movie or play on one of his many synthesizers. Enjoy the party!” * Henrik Bogdan, professor of religious studies at the University of Gothenburg *“At a moment when there is increased academic interest in the history of Satanism and the gamut of Satanic religion has fanned out from the radical left to the alt-right, there is great value in revisiting Anton LaVey. With fresh analysis and precious interviews with friends and family, Carl Abrahamsson sheds new light on this controversial and enigmatic figure. The more we learn about LaVey, the more he appears as a node, linking diverse streams of culture from magic to art to politics.” * Joseph P. Laycock, associate professor of religious studies at Texas State University and author of *“Abrahamson’s work is a personal, sympathetic, yet nuanced portrait of one of the most enigmatic and fascinating figures of the twentieth century. Anton LaVey was a mercurial figure who contained within him paradoxes that continue to defy any simplistic interpretation of him. The diversity of his influence is clearly felt in this work. With several unique interviews and recollections of LaVey, this book will be essential reading for all future studies on Satanism.” * Fredrik Gregorius, associate professor of the history of religion at Linköping University *“Through a vivid examination of LaVey’s insistence on paving his own road through the pop-cultural landscape of the mid-twentieth century United States, Abrahamsson illuminates a thought-provoking, occultural individual and his circle, ready to shake up any beliefs set in stone to make you think for yourself. Read, and shake!” * Kasper Opstrup, author of The Way Out *“As a whole, Abrahamsson’s personal and scholarly reflections and the unique assembly of interviews form an archive useful for the newly curious, the jaded occultist, the brazen scholar, and the mostly antagonistic. An impressive work.” * Jesper Aagaard Petersen, vice dean of research at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology *Table of ContentsFOREWORD “No More Mr. Nice Guy”by Mitch Horowitz PART I Into the Devil’s Den 1 Step Right Up! 2 Welcome to the Hotel California! 3 Anton LaVey, Magical Innovator 4 Canon Fodder 5 Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered 6 Maybe We Should Watch a Movie Now? PART II The Interviews 7 Kenneth Anger 8 Blanche Barton 9 Margie Bauer 10 Peter Gilmore 11 Mitch Horowitz 12 Bob Johnson 13 Xerxes LaVey 14 Jim Morton 15 Michael Moynihan 16 Peggy Nadramia 17 Jack Stevenson 18 Ruth Waytz 19 Larry Wessel 20 Interview with Carl Abrahamsson by Vanessa Sinclair APPENDIX I Anton LaVey in His Own Words: Excerpts from “Hail Satan!” APPENDIX II Genesis P-Orridge and Anton LaVey in Conversation APPENDIX IIIThere Is No Such Thing as Bad Publicity Acknowledgments NotesIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisExamines legal documents and magic texts relevant to two cases where authorities in Tudor England confronted practicing magicians. Explores how magicians thought about the world, where they got their ideas, and how their magic was supposed to work.Trade Review“This short scholarly study has two key virtues: it teases apart two muddled-up historiographies and unites two unnecessarily distanced ones. First, it clears a distinct space in the historical record for practitioners of magic, who as religious and legal deviants too often get absorbed into the academic discussion of witches and witch-trials. Secondly, it exploits the fact that 16th-century magical texts tell us little about the people who used them, while legal records of prosecution — magic was first criminalised under the 1542 Witchcraft Act — tell us a lot about the magicians but frustratingly little about the technicalities of their offences.”—Malcolm Gaskill Fortean Times“Klaassen and Wright deftly lay bare the mechanics of both the prosecution and the practice of the most transgressive forms of magic on the eve of the Reformation. The Magic of Rogues will be essential reading for anyone interested in the social or legal history of supernatural belief in the early modern world.”—Francis Young Journal of British Studies“With its innovative combination of magical texts and legal documents, this is an important research contribution and offers an excellent set of annotated sources for teaching not just about magic but also about power, belief, and ambition in Tudor England.”—Jonathan Barry,author of Witchcraft and Demonology in South-West England, 1640–1789“The Magic of Rogues undoubtedly enhances our understanding of early Tudor magic, reinforced by a general introduction to the nature of magic in the period and its relationship with the authorities.”—Ronald Hutton,author of The Witch: A History of Fear, from Ancient Times to the Present“This book is a fascinating contribution to historical scholarship on European magic.”—Patricia Sophie Mayer Religious Studies Review

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade ReviewCourses on topics ranging from religion and law to religious protest to general surveys of American religion will be enriched by the inclusion of this exciting text. * Spencer Dew, Wittenberg University/The Ohio State University, Religious Studies Review *Speak of the Devil is a must-read for scholars of religion. Laycock rightly frames TST (The Satanic Temple) as provoking consequential questions of classification, religious freedom, and national belonging. * Dusty Hoesly, Religion, Vol 52, no.1 *Speak of the Devil ranks its author among influential scholars of contemporary Satanism ... Laycock's work is likely to appeal to both scholars and a broader audience by presenting a fluent, readable, and properly contextualized analysis of the development of The Satanic Temple. * Miroslav Vrzal, Ivona Vrzalová, Religio *Recommended. * C.H. Lippy, emeritus, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, CHOICE *Joseph Laycock has written an outstanding treatment of one of the most misunderstood new religious movements...The book is well-written and impeccably documented. In addition to producing a fine introduction to TST, Laycock introduces us to a host of important contemporary cultural theorists, religion scholars, and legal experts working at the interface of politics and religion. This book will be valuable to anyone who teaches world religions/new religious movements, or anyone seeking to understand legal issues related to religion in the public square. * Jonathan P. Case, Evangelical Missions Quarterly *Laycock's book produces several contributions to the field. His survey of satanic history and its use in popular discourse reveals the extent to which the satanic affinity for performance traces back to earlier Church of Satan figures such as Anton LaVey but also the political activism, militant reactionism, and moral sensationalism of conservative Christians * William Chavez, Reading Religion *This volume is highly recommended. Its sections on the history of Satanism and TST may not be of interest to all Christians, but surely to those interested in a study of new religious movements, and Satanism in particular. Even for those who have no interest in Satanism or TST, and who find such subjects off-putting, the discussion of TST's challenges to our assumptions about religion, religious free-dom, and religious pluralism make this an important addition to select Christian libraries. * John W. Morehead, Cultural Encounters: A Journal for the Theology of Culture *Laycock's Speak of the Devil is a valuable contribution to the study of modern Satanism and will be of great interest especially to those studying new religious movements, religion in America, and issues of church and state in the United States. Clearly written and well organized, the book would be ideal for graduate seminars not only for its content, but also for its expert blending of history and ethnography in its portrait of an oft-reviled minority religion. * Brian C. Wilson, Western Michigan University, Nova Religio *Table of ContentsPrologue 1. The Day Satan Came to Oklahoma 2. Origins and History of The Satanic Temple 3. Satanic Schisms 4. The Satanic Reformation 5. Religion or Trolls? 6. Satanic Bake Sales 7. "Taking Equality Too Far" Conclusion Bibliography Notes Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis richly illustrated history provides a readable and fresh approach to the extensive and complex story of witchcraft and magic.Telling the story from the dawn of writing in the ancient world to the globally successful Harry Potter films, the authors explore a wide range of magical beliefs and practices, the rise of the witch trials, and the depiction of the Devil-worshipping witch. The book also focuses on the more recent history of witchcraft and magic, from the Enlightenment to the present, exploring the rise of modern magic, the anthropology of magic around the globe, and finally the cinematic portrayal of witches and magicians, from The Wizard of Oz to Charmed and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.Trade ReviewAn absorbing and illuminating study... Owen Davies succeeds in delivering an excellent, extremely useful work. * Clive Prince, Magonia Review *Another quality book from Oxford University Press ... beautifully and informatively illustrated ... a goldmine for anyone looking for information on witchcraft and magic and perhaps those looking for inspiration and some unusual little fact or nugget if they want to dabble in some fiction involving witches or magicians, dark or otherwise. * Ian Hunter, Concatenation *The breadth of knowledge shown here is impressive ... It informs, shocks, repulses and entertains ... The colour plates in the book are in turn sumptuous, beautiful and horrific a scholarly and impressive work * On Magazine (Yorkshire) *If you are looking for a book about the history of witchcraft that is comprehensive and impeccably researched, but also well written and fascinating to read, then the new The Oxford Illustrated History of Witchcraft and Magic is what you should pop out and buy ... The illustrations, which include colour plates, really add to the book. As a practising witch myself, a photograph of what an ancient magical item or spell really looks like is more use than just a description. * Bad Witch *[A] richly illustrated collection ... readable and compelling ... this ambitious project presents a helpful, visually stimulating contribution that should find a home as supplemental reading material in relevant undergraduate courses. * Jodie Ann Vann, Nova Religio *Table of ContentsEditor's Foreword 1: Peter Maxwell-Stuart: Magic in the Ancient World 2: Sophie Page: Medieval Magic 3: James Sharpe: The Demonologists 4: Rita Voltmer: The Witch Trials 5: Charles Zika: The Witch and Magician in European Art 6: Owen Davies: The World of Popular Magic 7: Owen Davies: The Rise of Modern Magic 8: Robert J. Wallis: Witchcraft and Magic in the Age of Anthropology 9: Willem de Blécourt: Witches on Screen Further Reading Picture acknowledgements Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisMephistopheles is the fourth and final volume of Jeffrey Burton Russell's critically acclaimed history of the concept of the Devil, continuing in this volume the story from the Reformation to the present.Trade ReviewAn excellent and important intellectual history. * Library Journal *It is more than the history of demonological imagination as it has been displayed for half a millennium in theological controversies, in poetry, novels, paintings, and witch trials: it is the history of European man trying to cope with the terrifying riddle of radical evil.... Both an extremely rich scholarly work and an exiquisite exercise in a topic that is unlikely ever to die off in our civilization. -- Leslek Kolakowski * Journal of Modern History *Jeffrey Burton Russell is not only a conscientious historian, he is also an introspective essayist who acknowledges his own continuing struggle to understand the nature and the source of evil. -- Robert Coles * New York Times Book Review *No few sentences can adequately convey the book's richness of content and seriousness of purpose. Russell has without doubt bequeathed us a magnificent synthesis of Western culture's modern, tortuous grappling with the ideas of radical evil and the devil. -- Brian Easlea * American Historical Review *This book moves with sustained seriousness and brilliance across five centuries, from Luther's time to our own... and, although it has all the virtues of great intellectual history, it is explicitly rooted in a profound moral analysis of our own era. -- M. D. Aeschliman * National Review *Table of ContentsPreface 1. Evil2. The Reformed Devil3. The Devil between Two Worlds4. Satan Expiring5. The Romantic Devil6. The DeviI's Shadow7. The Devil in a Warring World8. God and DevilBibliography Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis volume provides a valuable introduction to the key concepts of witchcraft and demonology through a detailed study of one of the best known and most notorious episodes of Scottish history, the North Berwick witch hunt, in which King James was involved as alleged victim, interrogator, judge and demonologist.Trade ReviewWitchcraft in Early Modern Scotland will be immensely useful for scholars of witchcraft, demonology, early modern women, as well as those who study Scottish political, religious, legal, and social history. The contextual information in Part One is clearly presented and accessible for scholars with only a cursory knowledge of early modern Scotland; and detailed annotations of the documents make them readily comprehensible for readers unfamiliar with Scots dialect. The book is a case-study that becomes cultural history ... Such rich and carefully read evidence of intimate interactions between members of elite and popular cultures makes an important contribution to our understanding of sixteenth-century social history.Albion, Vol.34, Issue 2, SummerThis volume provides readers, especially students, with what is too often lacking in early modern history: a self-contained case study based on primary sources ... However, the authors have done more than provide the raw material of these trials as a case study. They preface each document with a useful introduction while avoiding the temptation to lead the reader in the interpretation of them. The documents also have footnotes relating to vocabulary and endnotes on textual matters arising from the originals. Both are extremely helpful ... While one might be tempted to conclude that the publication of a complete set of witch trials is accomplishment enough, this volume expands upon this by including a detailed set of introductory chapters. These set out, clearly and concisely, the context in which the trials were prosecuted ... This volume is to be commended for providing those interested not only in witchcraft but also witch-hunting with a single, self-contained case study rich in detail. Students, in particular, will find much food for thought in these original documents.Scottish Economic and Social History, Vol. 21, Part 1This book is, altogether, a remarkable achievement, combining the best standards of traditional textual scholarship with an imaginative approach to the subject. For as well as the texts gathered together and so splendidly edited, there is a lengthy introduction which places these texts, and the events which underlay them, in context ... This is a book which will be welcomed, and much used, by the specialist in witchcraft history, which will also be invaluable to teachers and students both of early modern witchcraft and of early modern Scottish history more generally, and which will also be read with profit by those with a more general interest in such matters.ArchivesA significant contribution to the history of witchcraft, the history of Scotland, the history of feminism and the history of ideas in general.Bibliothèque d’Humanisme et Renaissance, Vol. 63This splendid edition of the documents represents substantial research and will be a welcome addition to the library of all interested in this topic.Renaissance Quarterly, SpringEvery so often a very worthwhile book comes along. Such a book provides the reader with an opportunity to examine modern transcriptions of primary sources, accompanied by intelligent commentary, and a well-written scholarly overview of the topics in question. This is such a book. It is a pleasure to read […] This edition of Demonology and other attendant documents should be welcomed by students an scholars who are studying the history of witchcraft in the British Isles. Jane P. Davidson, Sixteenth Century Journal XXXIII/3One is reminded of Arturo Perez Riverte’s novel The Dumas Club (London: Harvill Press, 1996), in which an unscrupulous bibliophile attempts to collate, from minute variants in the illustrations (the vital ones drafted by Lucifer himself) in the only three surviving copies of a legendary demonological treatise, an incantation to raise the Devil himself. Normand and Roberts’ project is a modest one compared to this, but undoubtedly a significant contribution to our understanding of Scottish and European witch belief. Jonathan Murray, Scottish Studies Review, vol. 4, no. 1It is excellent on the edited texts and will prove a very welcome addition for both academics and students to what has been, to date, a rather meagre selection of books on witchcraft in Scotland. Joyce Miller, Edinburgh Review IIITable of Contents Contents The court and politics social contexts and cultural formations the Kirk Scottish witchcraft before the North Berwich witch hunt the legal process aftermath. Witch hunting - examinations, confessions and depositions. Records of the witchcraft trials (Dittays) text of the witchcraft trials (Dittays). Witchhunt propaganda - "News from Scotland" text of"News from Scotland" Theorizing the witch hunt - James VI's "Demonology" text of "Demonology". Appendix: Privy Council Orders relating to the legal processes of witch trials.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn this groundbreaking study, Adam Gussow takes the full measure of the devil's presence in the blues. Working from original transcriptions of more than 125 recordings released during the past ninety years, Gussow explores the varied uses to which black southern blues people have put this trouble-sowing, love-wrecking, but also empowering figure.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe remarkable discussions in this volume took place between Rudolf Steiner and workers at the Goetheanum, Switzerland. The varied subject-matter was chosen by his audience at Rudolf Steiner's instigation. Steiner took their questions and usually gave immediate answers. The astonishing nature of these responses - their insight, knowledge and spiritual depth - is testimony to his outstanding ability as a spiritual initiate and profound thinker. Accessible, entertaining and stimulating, the records of these sessions will be a delight to anybody with an open mind. In this particular collection, Rudolf Steiner deals with topics ranging from limestone to Lucifer! He discusses, among other things, technology; the living earth; natural healing powers; colour and sickness; rainbows; whooping cough and pleurisy; seances; sleep and sleeplessness; dreams; reincarnation; life after death; the physical, ether and astral bodies and the 'I'; the two Jesus children; Ahriman and Lucifer; the death, resurrection and ascension of Christ; Dante and Copernicus.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisDrawing on an impressive array of sources from popular religion, art, literature, and drama, as well as from scholastic philosophy, mystical theology, homiletics, and hagiography, Russell provides a detailed treatment of Christian diabology in the Middle Ages.Trade ReviewAn attractively written survey of the way the devil appears in art, literature and treatise, during the medieval period, with many signs of an engaging sense of personal commitment to the subject, and an attempt to show its contemporary relevance. -- John O. Ward * Journal of Religious History *If, as Chesterton claimed, the devil's greatest triumph was convincing the modern world that he doesn't exist, Jeffrey Burton Russell means to rob him of his victory. Lucifer is both a scholarly assessment of the development of diabology in the Middle Ages and an impassioned plea to the 20th century to recognize and acknowledge the existence of real, objective evil. The third in a series of works tracing the history of the devil... it represents a formidable undertaking: the devil's history is integrally related to the problem of evil, which is in turn at the heart of Western religious thought. Each of the volumes comprises, in essence, a judicious and able tour of Christian theology from the villain's point of view.... In Lucifer, Russell provides a wealth of documentatlon on the extent to which the devil is simply the projection onto a living being of our fears and hostilities about the universe, our neighbors, and ourselves.... A pleasure to read. -- John Boswell * The New Republic *Russell shows an admirable mastery of a vast and varied array of sources, and an equally admirable skill in summarizing them. -- Norman Cohn * New York Times Book Review *Table of ContentsPrefaceI. The Life of Lucifer2. The Devil in Byzantium3. The Muslim Devil4. Folklore5. Early Medieval Diabology6. Lucifer in Early Medieval Art and Literature7. The Devil and the Scholars8. Lucifer in High Medieval Art and Literature9. Lucifer on the Stage10. Nominalists, Mystics, and Witches11. The Existence of the DevilEssay on the Sources Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisExplores the sociological dymanics underpinning the contemporary fear of satanism. The author shows how rumour can turn into facts; how groups set up to combat the satanism gain power and money; how the scare mirrors a moral crisis in America; and the continued effect of medieval folklore.

Read more less

Book SynopsisInterweaving substantial excerpts from primary historical documents with commentary, this text shows how the plague of sorceries and possessions in France that climaxed in the events at Loudun both revealed the deepest fears of a society in traumatic flux and accelerated its transformation.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhile recounting how past generations have personified evil, Jeffrey Burton Russell deepens our understanding of the ways in which people have dealt with the enduring problem of radical evil.Trade ReviewFascinating.... A history of the Devil taken seriously, in theology, folklore, art, literature. * Village Voice *Russell recreates the arcane images of good and evil we all once understood perfectly well as children. From the moment the cover is lifted on this beautifully produced book, the world darkens. Russell presents story after story, using them like a descending staircase, drawing us down into archetypal memories of unending battles with the Evil One. * Bloomsbury Review *There is probably no one alive who knows more about the lore of the Devil than Jeffrey Burton Russell.... He supplies colourful accounts of the pictures medieval folklore formed of the Evil One, and discerning sketches of the insights of poets like Dante and Milton, and novelists from Dostoevsky to Flannery O'Conner.... A first-rate survey.... Close-packed as it inevitably is, it reads easily, and each of its chapters is full of accurate and skillfully arranged information. * Times Literary Supplement *Table of Contents1. Evil 2. The Devil around the World 3. The Good Lord and the Devil 4. Christ and the Power of Evil 5. Satan and Heresy 6. Dualism and the Desert 7. The Classical Christian View 8. Lucifer Popular and Elite 9. Scholastics, Poets, and Dramatists 10. Nominalists, Mystics, and Witches 11. The Devil and the Reformers 12. High on a Throne of Royal State 13. The Disintegration of Hell 14. From Romance to Nihilism 15. The Integration of Evil 16. Auschwitz and Hiroshima 17. The Meaning of EvilAppendixes Index

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe history of witchcraft and sorcery has attracted a great deal of interest and debate, but until now studies have been largely from the Anglo-Saxon perspective. This book shows how what has hitherto been seen as peculiar to Britain was in fact characteristic of much of northern Europe. In ending the Anglo-Saxon monopoly of witchcraft studies, this book takes into account major new developments in the historiography of witchcraft.An immense amount of archival work by all the contributors has furnished a volume rich in new material and ideas, which will be of considerable interest not only to historians, but also to anthropologists, criminologists, psychologists, and sociologists. Themes treated include the relationship between witchcraft, law, and theology; the origins and nature of the witches'' sabbath; the sociology and criminology of witch-hunting; and the comparative approach to European witchcraft. This book will be an indispensable guide to the study of witchcraft.Trade Reviewpossesses the virtue of presenting a wealth of material in terms of a coherent analytical framework. * Times Higher Education Supplement *makes a superb contribution to historical scholarship. * Times Literary Supplement *Retains a freshness of approach largely because it contains so many interesting studies ... All the essays have something valuable to contribute to our understanding. * History Today *Table of ContentsList of figures; List of maps; List of tables; Introduction; I: Witchcraft, Law, and Theology: Witchcraft and Catholic theology; Protestant demonology: Sin, superstition, and society (c.1520-c.1630); Inquisitorial law and the witch; II: Origins of the Witches' Sabbath: Deciphering the Sabbath; Satanic myths and cultural reality; 'Fantastical and Devilishe Persons': European witch-beliefs in comparative perspective; 'The Ladies from Outside': An archaic pattern of the Witches' Sabbath; III: Witch-Hunting in Scandinavia and other Peripheries: Hungary: The accusations and the universe of popular magic; Estonia I: Werewolves and poisoners; Estonia II: The crusade against idolatory; Sweden: The mass burnings (1668-76); Finland: The male domination; Denmark: The Sociology of accusations; Norway: The criminological context; Iceland: Sorcerers and Paganism; Portugal: A scrupulous inquisition; IV: Conclusions: Scandinavian witchcraft in Anglo-American context; The comparative approach to European witchcraft; Notes on contributors; Bibliography of secondary works; Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisRecent years have seen a significant shift in the study of new religious movements. In Satanism studies, interest has moved to anthropological and historical work on groups and inviduals. Self-declared Satanism, especially as a religion with cultural production and consumption, history, and organization, has largely been neglected by academia. This volume, focused on modern Satanism as a practiced religion of life-style, attempts to reverse that trend with 12 cutting-edge essays from the emerging field of Satanism studies. Topics covered range from early literary Satanists like Blake and Shelley, to the Californian Church of Satan of the 1960s, to the radical developments that have taken place in the Satanic milieu in recent decades. The contributors analyze such phenomena as conversion to Satanism, connections between Satanism and political violence, 19th-century decadent Satanism, transgression, conspiracy theory, and the construction of Satanic scripture. A wide array of methods areTrade ReviewThe contributors to The Devils Party have established a significant foundation from which other researchers can draw inspiration. * Susan Raine, Religion *Table of ContentsContents ; Introduction: At the Devil's Crossroads ; Per Faxneld and Jesper Aa. Petersen ; The Question of History: Precursors and Currents ; 1. "It is better to believe in the Devil": Conceptions of Satanists and Sympathies for the Devil in Early Modern Sweden ; Mikael Hall ; 2. Sex, Science and Liberty: The Resurrection of Satan in 19th Century (Counter) Culture ; Ruben van Luijk ; 3. Witches, Anarchism and Evolutionism: Stanislaw Przybyszewski's fin-de-siecle Satanism and the Demonic Feminine ; Per Faxneld ; The Black Pope and the Church of Satan ; 4. Categorizing Modern Satanism: An Analysis of Anton LaVey's Early Writings ; Amina O. Lap ; 5. Sources, Sects, and Scripture: The Book of Satan in The Satanic Bible ; Eugene V. Gallagher ; 6. Hidden Persuaders and Invisible Wars: Anton LaVey and Conspiracy Culture ; Asbjorn Dyrendal ; The Legacy of Dr. LaVey: The Satanic Milieu Today ; 7. Conversion to Satanism: Constructing Diabolical Identities ; James R. Lewis ; 8. The Carnival of Dr. LaVey: Articulations of Transgression in Modern Satanism ; Jesper Aa. Petersen ; 9. The Making of Satanic Collective Identities in Poland: From Mechanic to Organic Solidarity ; Rafal Smoczynski ; Post-Satanism, Left-Hand Paths and Beyond: Visiting the Margins ; 10. The Left-Hand Path and Post-Satanism: The Temple of Set and the Evolution of Satanism ; Kennet Granholm ; 11. Luciferian Witchcraft: At the Crossroads between Paganism and Satanism ; Fredrik Gregorius ; 12. Secret Identities in The Sinister Tradition: Political Esotericism and the Convergence of Radical Islam, Satanism and National Socialism in the Order of Nine Angles ; Jacob C. Senholt

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

Book SynopsisExplains how to identify the many species of demons, where to find them, and the traditional ways of appeasing or dispelling them.

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less