Hermeticism, one of humankind’s oldest mystical traditions, has demonstrated a remarkable resiliency over thousands of years of continuous practice. Sometimes relegated to but a few monks in the desert, Hermeticism has also occasionally been swept into broader social acceptance. Residents in Harran, Turkey, the oldest known human city (13,500 B.C.), practiced Hermeticism and honored Hermes Trismegistus, the legendaryRead more
Hermeticism – A Short History
For thousands of years Hermeticism and Judaism coexisted in The Middle East. Hermeticism offered a mystical philosophy in contrast to Judaism’s more practical approach. Hermeticism had widespread acceptance at times but has generally remained a mystical tradition, practiced in remote locations by dedicated adherents. Although respected by Church theologians privately, Hermeticism has also often been seen asRead more
God and Money
Concern for the effect of money on people has been a subject of considerable interest by every major religion. There are over 2,000 Biblical references to wealth, and half of the parables Jesus taught from involved money or possessions. The Bible, the Jewish Tanakh, The Koran, the Buddha’s Sutras and the Hindu Vedas are consistent in the viewRead more
Finding Peace
John Dominic Crossan has written a most interesting book entitled, God and Empire. In the book he premises that although individuals may not always be violent, societies almost always are. Countries have land and resources to guard and the welfare of the people to protect. Then too, there is always the issue of territorial expansion. Look at history –Read more
Soul Loss in A Culture - Part II
In the first article of this series I wrote about the loss of soul that occurred from Western society’s transition from craft to manufactured goods. But there is more. The transition profoundly affects each of us every day. When You create something, as opposed to merely assembling parts on a production line, you engage in a process –Read more