Gnostic Philosophy

Tobias Churton is a filmmaker and the founding editor of the magazine Freemasonry Today. He studied theology at Oxford University and created the award-winning documentary series and accompanying book The Gnostics, as well as several other films on Christian doctrine, mysticism, and magical folklore. He lives in England.

• Gnostic Philosophy From Ancient Persia to Modern Times Foreword by Christopher McIntosh Acknowledgments Introduction Part one--Antiquity 1--Before the Gnostics Also Sprach Zarathushtra The Wise Lord That Old Devil Time Mithra the Mediator Enter the Demiurge 2--From the Magi to St. Paul Jewish Themes The Anthropos: Man Sophia The Unknown God and the Demiurge Philo of Alexandria The Essenes The Book of Enoch Life at the Dead Sea Jesus Stone Theology Paul 3--The First Gnostics Gnosticism Hans Jonas: The Gnostic Religion The Irresistible Character of Gnosis; or, “The Spirit Is Willing” Being Is Seeing Clement of Alexandria: The Gnosis Truly So-called? Part two--The Middle Ages 4--Magic in the Middle Ages Neoplatonic Theurgy Celestial Hierarchies Light Metaphysics After the Pact Kabbalistic Magic Roger Bacon 5--The Sufis The Insights of Sufism Sufis and Philosophy Maulana Jalal-ud-din Rumi: Sufi Master Interesting Times 6--The Troubadours Prologue: The Two Worlds What Is a Troubadour? Miraval The Ladies in His Life Loba The Rules of Love: Miraval’s Guide to Successful Courtship Was the Fine Love a Spiritual Love? The Allegory of Love Troubadours and Cathars The Last Song The Joy That We Have Lost Creation Is the Product of Pain Were the Troubadours Sexual Mystics? 7--The Knights Templar Templars and Cathars The Templars and the Gral Baphomet Templars in Search of the Stones Kilwinning Conclusion: Gnostics in the Temple? Part three--Enlightenment 8--Jacob Böhme’s Theosophick Cosmos Böhme’s Life Elements of Böhme’s Theosophy The Influence of Jacob Böhme William Law Romantic Philosophy The Neo-Rosicrucians William Blake 9--Germany 1710-1800: The Return of the Rosy Cross The Gold und Rosenkreuzers Masonry in Germany Radicals Under Attack: Gold und Rosenkreuz vs. the Illuminati A Real Rosicrucian King (on the Throne of Prussia) Rosicrucians in Poland Russia The Asiatic Brethren Romanticism 10--Freemasonry in France The Elect Cohens Éliphas Lévi Zahed: A Great Socialist Magician and Occult Revivalist Lévi’s Legacy Magic Revives in France Part Four--The Modern Age 11--A New Aeon: Aleister Crowley Aiwass: Messenger of the Gods The Book of the Law The Crisis Aleister Crowley: Sex Magician Sexual Alchemy 12--Light in the Jar Carl Jung 13--Gnosis and the New Physics The Copenhagen Interpretation 14--Gnosis Today: A Personal View Rudolf Steiner Gnosis and Ecology Neo-Gnostics Cinema Hipgnostics: Popular Music The Arts Notes Bibliography Index

"Recommended for upper-level academic collections that specialize in early Christianity, religion, or philosophy."