The Sacred Mushroom and the Cross


Book Description

This book is the first published statement of the fruits of some years' work of a largely philological nature. It presents a new appreciation of the relationship of the languages of the ancient world and the implication of this advance for our understanding of the Bible and of the origins of Christianity.




Hidden Truths from Eden


Book Description

Examine a rich history of spiritual interpretations from antiquity to the present Since the sixteenth century CE, the field of biblical studies has focused on the literal meaning of texts. This collection seeks to rectify this oversight by integrating the study of esoteric readings into academic discourse. Case studies focusing on the first three chapters of Genesis cover different periods and methods from early Christian discourse through zoharic, kabbalistic and alchemical literature to modern and post-postmodern approaches. Features: Discussions, comparisons, and analyses of esoteric appropriations of Genesis 1–3 Essays on creation myths, gender, fate and free will, the concepts of knowledge, wisdom, and gnosis Repsonses to papers that provide a range of view points




Magical Christianity


Book Description

Coleston Brown—scholar and expert on the esoteric Christian traditions—reaches far beyond any other book of its genre to bring us a truly experiential form of Christianity. Drawing on the myths, legends, lore, and symbols inherent in the Christian tradition, Brown reveals the potential in all of us to use, as he does, Magical Christianity as a practice for healing and regenerating the spirit. Brown combines the insights he gained as a student under Gareth Knight, a renowned authority on Kabbalistic magic, with his own study of ancient texts and practice of the esoteric Christian tradition, developing this new work, the official text and formal course of training in what is now known as the Western Magical Tradition. Readers will be captivated by the symbols Brown covers in this book, including the sphere, the holy fire, the wheel of life, and the planes of being. He even details the magical power of sacred architecture rich in the Christian tradition as a basis for magical practice. This revised edition also includes an experiential meditation at the end of each chapter and a CD of guided meditations to bring readers more deeply into the transformative power of Christian symbolism.




Misreading Judas


Book Description

This book received The New Pinnacle Award The Gospel of Judas is the most important discovery in history. It bridges the gap between Eastern mystic teaching, Gnosticism, and the three Middle Eastern Abrahamic religions, informing all of them. Unfortunately, the Christianity-biased scholars assigned to its interpretation and those who have followed them do not understand it -- at all. They miss that Judas is the gnostic sacrifice, and that there is no traditional orthodox Jesus sacrificed - in the Gospel of Judas or in the Bible. Therefore, they miss the most important revelation of all time: that 'Jesus' didn't die to save anyone, and that he was in truth preceded and succeeded by other Masters of equal stature. Here from gnostic texts that only just recently arose from the desert sands of Egypt, phoenix-like, is the detailed story of how the New Testament canonical 'Betrayal of Jesus' became the inversion of the gnostic mastership installation story of James the Just, first-century savior. The true origin of the Christian message and its nullification of mystic Truth can now, at long last, be fully told. Connecting verses from the Gnostic Apocalypse of James to the New Testament narrative showing that Judas was James in the Canonical Inversions: First Apocalypse of James "I have given you a sign" (NHC 24:10) "gave them a sign" [the "kiss"] (Matt. 26:48). "Cup of bitterness to the sons of light" (25:15) "let this cup pass from me" (Matt. 26:39). "This is the second Master" (30:25) "Those who seek enter through you" (Second Apoc. 55:1) "I know whom I have chosen." (John 13:18). "Then the disciples dispersed, but James remained in prayer" (30:25) "he withdrew and prayed" (Luke 22:41). "I am he who was within me" (31:15) "I know whom I have chosen" and "I am he" (John 13:18-19). "You have embraced and kissed me" (32:5) "He said 'Hail Master!' and kissed him" (Matt. 26:49). "You are aware and stopped this prayer" (32:5) "Sit here while I pray" (Matt. 26:36). "The flesh is weak" (32:20) "the flesh is weak" (Matt. 26:41). "It will receive what has been ordained for it" (32:20) "thy will be done" (Matt. 26:42). "A multitude will arm themselves against you" (33:5) "band of soldiers with weapons" (John 18:3, Mark 14:43). Also by the author: The Bible says Saviors - Obadiah 1:21 from Xlibris Publishers




The Sworn Book of Honorius


Book Description

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




Misusing Scripture


Book Description

Misusing Scripture offers a thorough and critical evaluation of American evangelical scholarship on the Bible. This strand of scholarship exerts enormous influence on the religious beliefs and practices, and even cultural and political perspectives, of millions of evangelical Christians in the United States and worldwide. The book brings together a diverse array of authors with expertise on the Bible, religion, history, and archaeology to critique the nature and growth of "faith-based" biblical scholarship. The chapters focus on inerrancy and textual criticism, archaeology and history, and the Bible in its ancient and contemporary contexts. They explore how evangelicals approach the Bible in their biblical interpretation, how "biblical" archaeology is misused to bolster distinctive views about the Bible, and how disputed interpretations of the Bible impact issues in the public square. This unique and timely volume contributes to a greater understanding and appreciation of how contemporary American evangelicals understand and use the Bible in their private and public lives. It will be of particular interest to scholars of biblical studies, evangelical Christianity, and religion in the United States.




Metaphysical Bible Dictionary


Book Description

A key to Charles Fillmore's original form of religious expression, this volume is a core text of the Unity movement and interprets the hidden meanings of the Bible's names, places, and events.




Esoteric Symbols


Book Description

In this pioneering scholarly work on occult symbols in literature, the reader is offered a vivid look into how W.B. Yeats, T.S. Eliot, and Franz Kafka--three masters of symbolic expression--utilized Tarot cards in their poetry and prose. Focusing on the Tarot's ancient associations with divine knowledge, its pictorial representation of both the Jewish and Christian Cabala, and the Tarot's more recent pedestrian affiliation with the occult, June Leavitt skillfully demonstrates how Yeats, Eliot, and Kafka align themselves in their uniquely individual ways with the Tarot symbols' mapping of reality. Paying close attention to the mystical nuances of the Tarot, Ms. Leavitt shows how Tarot symbols allow for radically new readings of the texts in which they are situated, and play a transformative role in the three writers' search for God. This search remained indecisive for Kafka, resulted in Eliot's conversion to Anglo-Catholicism, and went hand in hand with Yeats' passion for pagan gods and angels. Visit the author's website at http: //www.spiritualityteaching.com.




Scholarship Reconsidered


Book Description

Shifting faculty roles in a changing landscape Ernest L. Boyer's landmark book Scholarship Reconsidered: Priorities of the Professoriate challenged the publish-or-perish status quo that dominated the academic landscape for generations. His powerful and enduring argument for a new approach to faculty roles and rewards continues to play a significant part of the national conversation on scholarship in the academy. Though steeped in tradition, the role of faculty in the academic world has shifted significantly in recent decades. The rise of the non-tenure-track class of professors is well documented. If the historic rule of promotion and tenure is waning, what role can scholarship play in a fragmented, unbundled academy? Boyer offers a still much-needed approach. He calls for a broadened view of scholarship, audaciously refocusing its gaze from the tenure file and to a wider community. This expanded edition offers, in addition to the original text, a critical introduction that explores the impact of Boyer's views, a call to action for applying Boyer's message to the changing nature of faculty work, and a discussion guide to help readers start a new conversation about how Scholarship Reconsidered applies today.