Del 0 - SUNY series in Western Esoteric Traditions

Trithemius and Magical Theology

A Chapter in the Controversy over Occult Studies in Early Modern Europe

Häftad, Engelska, 1998

519 kr

Tillfälligt slut

An examination of Trithemius's "magical theology," which argued for the compatibility of magic and Christian doctrines, and its influence during the Renaissance and Reformation.Through an examination of the Benedictine abbot Trithemius (1462–1516), this book explores the intersection of the early modern debate over occult studies with a number of contemporaneous developments: late medieval mysticism, the revival of ancient letters, the Catholic and Protestant reform movements, the witch hunts, and the scientific revolution.A Benedictine living to the threshold of the Reformation period, Trithemius excelled for most of his career in the fields of monastic reform, mystical theology, and Christian Humanism, and then, suddenly, announced himself to the world as an advocate of magic.In many ways paralleling the life of his more famous contemporary Faustus, Trithemius, in contrast, left to posterity a body of theoretical work in support of his magical operations. Formulated to justify his own specialty, cryptography, Trithemius's occult theory goes beyond establishing the compatibility of magic with orthodox Christian doctrine. Its basic thrust, on the model of mystical theology, is to present magic as an appropriate vehicle to convey the soul from the finite to the infinite.

Produktinformation

Utgivningsdatum1998-12-03
Mått152 x 229 x 20 mm
Vikt517 g
FormatHäftad
SpråkEngelska
SerieSUNY series in Western Esoteric Traditions
Antal sidor372
FörlagState University of New York Press
ISBN9780791439623

Tillhör följande kategorier

Acknowledgments 1 Introduction: The Theoretical and Biographical Ingredients The Theological-Magical NexusThe Biographical Setting 2 The Magical Inheritance Patristic and Medieval DemonologyThe Medieval and Early Renaissance Defense of Magic 3 The Demonological Vision The Monastic RudimentsSorcery Sin and Divine ProvidenceThe Problem of Accommodating Magic to MiracleThe Witch IssueThe Problem of Learned SorceryThe Distinction Between Sorcery and Exorcism 4 The Occult Vision The Making of the Magical LegendThe Personal DefenseThe Divine Revelation and the Esoteric RuleThe Special Appeal to PrincesPelagius and LibaniusThe Theoretical PreceptsFrom Occult Theory to Cryptographical PracticeTrithemius and Agrippa 5 The Debate over Trithemian Magic during the Renaissance, Reformation, and Age of Reason Agrippa's Later AmbivalenceThe Monastic ApologistsThe Protestant ReactionThe Catholic ReactionThe Cryptographical and Alchemical RevivalsThe "Jesuit Labyrinth" and Demonological ResponseThe Cryptographical VogueThe Rosicrucian DebateThe Skeptical Shift and the Scientific Revolution 6 Conclusion: Trithemian Magic in Later PerspectiveThe Persisting Scholarly ConundrumThe Trithemian Will Notes Bibliography Index

"Noel Brann has chosen a controversial and little understood historical figure as the focus of this book. Although Trithemius has been treated before in biographical studies, this is the first exhaustive treatment of Trithemius's magical theology, the most elusive and most provocative aspect of his contributions. Brann's presentation is cautious, original, and persuasive. He strikes out into areas that have not been treated before. Brann is able to interpret Trithemius by revealing the background of his views, by reconstructing their contexts, and by tracing their impact." — Frank Baron, University of Kansas