From Poimandres to Jacob Böhme
Gnosis, Hermetism and the Christian Tradition
Editors: Roelof van den Broek & Cis van Heertum
Series: Pimander. Texts and Studies published by the Bibliotheca Philosopica Hermetica 7
The fourteen essays in this volume deal with ancient, medieval and early modern forms of Gnosis – the inner experience of ultimate reality – and the diverse expressions of its myths, rites, ideas and expectations. The gnostic movement of the first three centuries CE was much more variegated than the polemical writings of the Church Fathers suggest. There was a broad range of ‘gnostic’ ideas which ran from emphasis on Gnosis as an individual liberating knowledge to elaborate systems that explained the nature of God and man, the origin of evil and the way of salvation through Gnosis. Nor did gnostic ideas disappear with the ancient world. They have remained an active religious and cultural force in the western world to the present day. Several essays testify to the vitality of this tradition, up to the theosophy of Jacob Böhme and the magic romanticism of Novalis.
The volume was published in honour of Professor Gilles Quispel, an expert in the field of gnosis.
Keywords: Hermetism, gnosis, magic, alchemy, apocalyptic visions.
Year of Publication: 2000
Number of pages: 432
Publisher: in de pelikaan
Language: English
Cover: Hardback
E-book available: No
Available in other languages: No