Some Characteristics of the Interior Church
Some Characteristics of the Interior Church

Author: I. V. Lopukhin

Publisher: Scriptoria Books

Published: 2009-04-17

Total Pages: 164

ISBN-13: 1442140100

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Some Characteristics of the Interior Church, is I.V. Lopukhin's account of his exploration of the "inward spiritual man." Ivan Vladimirovich Lopukhin (1756-1816) was a Russian statesman, writer and philanthropist. He was one of the leading Freemasons and Rosicrucians in Moscow during the late 18th century and published many mystical, Masonic, and alchemical books through his "I.V. Lopukhin Free Press." Lopukhin was not only a printer and publisher, but also an accomplished author. The idea of a spiritual "inner church" was a prominent theme in many of his writings. Arthur Edward Waite, provides a lengthy Introduction to this book and analyzes Lopukhin's work and his contribution to Hermetic literature. The first Russian edition of Some Characteristics of the Interior Church appeared in 1798. A French translation was made by Lopukhin and published in 1799. A German translation followed. The first English version was published by the Theosophical Publishing Society, London, 1912. Scriptoria Books has transcribed this edition word for word from the 1912 English translation by D.H.S. Nicholson. It was then edited, formatted, typeset, and proofread through each revision. This book is not a facsimile, nor does it contain OCR interpreted text. This is a carefully created new edition of a classic work.

Symbols of Sacred Science
Symbols of Sacred Science

Author: René Guénon

Publisher: Sophia Perennis

Published: 2004

Total Pages: 478

ISBN-13: 9780900588778

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In Symbols of Sacred Science, Guénon, a master of precise, even 'mathematical' metaphysical exposition, reveals himself as a consummate exegete of myth and symbolism as well, superior in many ways to Mircea Eliade, and comparable perhaps only to his respected friend Ananda K. Coomaraswamy. This extraordinary text unveils the cosmological meanings of root symbols organized under such general headings as: The Center of the World, Cyclic Manifestation, Symboic Weapons, Axial Symbolism and the Symbolsim of Passage, The Symbolism of Building, and The Symbolism of the Heart. Far more than a simple catalogue of myths and symbols from many traditions, Symbols of the Sacred Science lays the foundation for a universal esoteric symbology. In this work, Guénon demonstrates the fundamental unity-across all cultures and ages-of the images with which the Absolute clothes itself in its cosmic self-revelation.

Russian Bible Wars
Russian Bible Wars

Author: Stephen K. Batalden

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2013-03-14

Total Pages: 399

ISBN-13: 1107355435

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Although biblical texts were known in Church Slavonic as early as the ninth century, translation of the Bible into Russian came about only in the nineteenth century. Modern scriptural translation generated major religious and cultural conflict within the Russian Orthodox church. The resulting divisions left church authority particularly vulnerable to political pressures exerted upon it in the twentieth century. Russian Bible Wars illuminates the fundamental issues of authority that have divided modern Russian religious culture. Set within the theoretical debate over secularization, the volume clarifies why the Russian Bible was issued relatively late and amidst great controversy. Stephen Batalden's study traces the development of biblical translation into Russian and of the 'Bible wars' that then occurred in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries in Russia. The annotated bibliography of the Russian Bible identifies the different editions and their publication history.

Inner Christianity
Inner Christianity

Author: Richard Smoley

Publisher: Shambhala Publications

Published: 2002-10-08

Total Pages: 305

ISBN-13: 1570628106

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An eye-opening introduction to the complex world of esoteric Christianity—perfect for the general reader This guide to mystical and esoteric Christianity speaks from a nonsectarian point of view, unearthing insights from the whole of the Christian tradition, orthodox and heretical, famous and obscure. The esoteric tradition has traditionally searched for meanings that would yield a deeper inner knowledge of the divine. While traditional Christianity draws a timeline from Adam's Fall to the Day of Judgment, the esoteric often sees time as folding in on itself, bringing every point to the here and now. While the Church fought bitterly over dogma, the esoteric borrowed freely from other traditions—Kabbalah, astrology, and alchemy—in their search for metaphors of inner truth. Rather than basing his book around exponents of esoteric doctrine, scholar Richard Smoley concentrates on the questions that are of interest to every searching Christian. How can one attain direct spiritual experience? What does "the Fall" really tell us about coming to terms with the world we live in? Can we find salvation in everyday life? How can we ascend, spiritually, through the various levels of existence? What was Christ's true message to humankind? From the Gospel of Thomas to A Course in Miracles, from the Jesus Prayer to alchemy and Tarot, from Origen to Dante to Jung, Richard Smoley sheds the light of an alternative Christianity on these issues and more.

The Cloud Upon the Sanctuary: Esoteric Classics
The Cloud Upon the Sanctuary: Esoteric Classics

Author: Arthur Edward Waite

Publisher: Lulu.com

Published: 2020-01-10

Total Pages: 104

ISBN-13: 1631184385

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Karl von Eckhartshausen was an 18th-century German mystic. The Cloud upon the Sanctuary is Christian mysticism veiled in hermetic code and often considered a classic among Rosicrucians and Theosophists. Eckhartshausen was briefly a member of Adam Weishaupt's Bavarian Illuminati but left for spiritual reasons. In this work, he cryptically mentions a "society of the Elect" that has existed from the very beginning of time as "the invisible celestial Church". He predicted that "it is the society whose members form a theocratic republic, which one day will be the Regent Mother of the whole World." This book would later become a strong influence on the 19th-century members of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Arthur Edward Waite offers an informative, historical introduction.

The Cloud Upon the Sanctuary by Karl Von Eckartshausen
The Cloud Upon the Sanctuary by Karl Von Eckartshausen

Author: Karl Von Eckartshausen

Publisher: BEYOND BOOKS HUB

Published: 2021-01-01

Total Pages: 79

ISBN-13:

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♥♥ The Cloud Upon the Sanctuary by Karl Von Eckartshausen ♥♥ Karl von Eckhartshausen was an 18th century German mystic who wrote extensively on esoteric topics. This work, The Cloud Upon the Sanctuary, is Christian mysticism veiled in hermetic code. Eckhartshausen was briefly a member of the Bavarian Illuminati, but left for spiritual reasons. ♥♥ The Cloud Upon the Sanctuary by Karl Von Eckartshausen ♥♥ He cryptically mentions a 'society of the Elect' which has existed from the very beginning of time, 'the invisible celestial Church.' ♥♥ The Cloud Upon the Sanctuary by Karl Von Eckartshausen ♥♥ He predicted that 'it is the society whose members form a theocratic republic, which one day will be the Regent Mother of the whole World.' This book later influenced the Order of the Golden Dawn, and most notably, Aleister Crowley.

Doubt, Atheism, and the Nineteenth-Century Russian Intelligentsia
Doubt, Atheism, and the Nineteenth-Century Russian Intelligentsia

Author: Victoria Frede

Publisher: University of Wisconsin Pres

Published: 2011-09-08

Total Pages: 316

ISBN-13: 0299284433

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The autocratic rule of both tsar and church in imperial Russia gave rise not only to a revolutionary movement in the nineteenth century but also to a crisis of meaning among members of the intelligentsia. Personal faith became the subject of intense scrutiny as individuals debated the existence of God and the immortality of the soul, debates reflected in the best-known novels of the day. Friendships were formed and broken in exchanges over the status of the eternal. The salvation of the entire country, not just of each individual, seemed to depend on the answers to questions about belief. Victoria Frede looks at how and why atheism took on such importance among several generations of Russian intellectuals from the 1820s to the 1860s, drawing on meticulous and extensive research of both published and archival documents, including letters, poetry, philosophical tracts, police files, fiction, and literary criticism. She argues that young Russians were less concerned about theology and the Bible than they were about the moral, political, and social status of the individual person. They sought to maintain their integrity against the pressures exerted by an autocratic state and rigidly hierarchical society. As individuals sought to shape their own destinies and searched for truths that would give meaning to their lives, they came to question the legitimacy both of the tsar and of Russia’s highest authority, God.

Western Esotericism
Western Esotericism

Author: Antoine Faivre

Publisher: SUNY Press

Published: 2010-02-01

Total Pages: 139

ISBN-13: 1438433786

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An overview of Western esoteric currents since late antiquity, with an emphasis on the last six centuries. Widely received in France, this brief, comprehensive introduction to Western esotericism by the founder of the field is at last available in English. A historical and pedagogical guide, the book is written primarily for students and novices. In clear, precise language, author Antoine Faivre provides an overview of Western esoteric currents since late antiquity. The bulk of the book is laid out chronologically, from ancient and medieval sources (Alexandrian Hermetism, Gnosticism, Neoplatonism), through the Renaissance up to the present time. Its coverage includes spiritual alchemy, Jewish and Christian Kabbalah, Christian theosophy, Rosicrucianism, Illuminism, “mystical” Freemasonry, the “occultist” current, Theosophical and Anthroposophical Societies, the Traditionalist School, and “esotericism” in contemporary initiatic societies and in New Religious Movements. Faivre explores how these currents are connected, and refers to where they appear in art and literature. The book concludes with an annotated bibliography, which makes it an essential resource for beginners and scholars alike. “A characteristically erudite, sweeping brief survey of the field of Western esotericism, at once accessible and bristling with details. This is a valuable overview, from the inimitable perspective of the field’s founder, for those who wish to delve into this fascinating and thriving area of contemporary scholarship.” — Arthur Versluis, author of Restoring Paradise, Wisdom’s Children, and Magic and Mysticism “The classic survey of Western esotericism by the most knowledgeable and influential scholar of his generation is now finally accessible to English readers, in an updated edition that takes account of current developments. This small but precious volume will be indispensable for anybody who wishes to be well informed about the historical backgrounds and development of esoteric currents from antiquity to the present.” — Wouter J. Hanegraaff, University of Amsterdam