Wisdom's Children: A Christian Esoteric TraditionThe first book in English to provide an in-depth introduction to the Christian theosophic tradition that began with Jacob Bo¬hme, Wisdom s Children brings us into a startling new world of experiential spirituality that is in fact the Christian equivalent of Sufism and Kabbalism. With biographic introductions to major theosophers and detailed discussions of theosophic authors such as John Pordage, Jane Leade, Dionysius Freher, and Johann Gichtel as well as a survey of their major theosophic cosmological and metaphysical teachings this book is an indispensable guide to the hidden history of Protestantism and its ramifications today. With chapters discussing theosophy in relation to Gnosticism, magic, astrology, alchemy, and other Western esoteric traditions, Wisdom s Children is situated solidly in its historical context using primary works from the tradition itself. The book also provides unexpected insights into how this modern gnostic tradition speaks to us today, and suggests how this tradition could spark a new Renaissance to link spirituality, the arts, and the sciences in a new and encompassing vision. |
Contents
1696 | 34 |
Jane Leade the Philadelphians and the Doctrine | 57 |
Dionysius Andreas Freher Allen Leppington and William Law | 79 |
Johannes Kelpius and Pennsylvania Theosophy | 93 |
Christopher Walton and His Theosophic College | 113 |
PART | 127 |
The Divine Emanation of Worlds | 135 |
Spiritual Regeneration | 142 |
Theosophy and Gnosticism | 219 |
Alchemy and Theosophy | 235 |
Theosophy and Chivalry | 247 |
Theosophy Herbal Medicine Magic and Astrology | 259 |
Theosophy and Modern Science | 277 |
Toward a New Psychology | 283 |
Hierohistory and Metahistory | 293 |
Revelation Authority and the Apostolic Tradition | 309 |
The Science of Imagination | 157 |
The Eye in the Heart | 169 |
Awakening Man from Gichtel Eine kurze Eröffnung 1696 | 175 |
Frontispiece from Böhme The Way to Christ from Theosophia | 176 |
The Physiology of the Soul | 177 |
Turning Wrath into Love | 197 |
Penetrating the Merely Astral | 207 |
CONCLUSION | 319 |
327 | |
Angelology and Paradise | 339 |
353 | |
367 | |
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Common terms and phrases
According to Böhme affirm alchemy angelic apocatastasis archetypal astral astrological Beissel body Böhme Böhmean theosophy Breckling Bromley century chivalric Christ Christian circle cosmology cosmos creation dark death demons divine doctrine earth Ephrata esoteric esotericism eternal nature evil Feirefiz Freher German Gichtel wrote Gnosticism God's heart heavenly hell Hermeticism hierohistory Holy Spirit human Ibid illumination illustrations images imagination individual Jacob Böhme Jane Leade Johann Georg Gichtel Johannes Kelpius Johannes Tauler John Pordage Kabbalism Kabbalist Kelpius Kelpius's Leade's letters light live Lucifer magical manifestation Mars means medieval metahistory modern science mysticism Orthodox outward paradise Parzival Pennsylvania Philadelphians planetary planets Pordage's practice prayer principles Raedt realm reflected religious represents revelation Sachse Saturn sect soul soul's spiritual discipline spiritual realization Sufism symbolism Tauler theo theoso theosophers things tincture tion tradition transcendent transmutation treatise understanding Venus Virgin Sophia vision visionary experiences Walton William Law Wisdom wrath world Zurvan