Let's Talk Religion

Sources/Recomended Reading: Asgeirsson, Jon (2005). "Thomasine Traditions in Antiquity The Social and Cultural World of the Gospel of Thomas". Brill. Brakke, David (2012). "Gnostics: Myth, Ritual, and Diversity in Early Christianity". Harvard University Press. Carlson, Stephen C. (2014). "Origen's use of the Gospel of Thomas". Uppsala University. King, Karen (2003). "What is Gnosticism?". Harvard...

In this episode, we explore the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Qumran community and ask the question whether or not this group can be identified as the Essenes. Sources/Recomended Reading: Klawans, Jonathan (2016). "The Essene Hypothesis: Insights from Religion 101". Brill. Magness, Jodi (2021). "The Archaeology of Qumran and the Dead Sea Scrolls". Second Edition. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. Vermes, Gez...

In this episode, we explore the fascinating life of Apollonius of Tyana, a Neopythagorean philosopher whose life in many ways mirror that of Jesus. Sources/Suggested Reading: Dzielska, Maria (1986). "Apollonius of Tyana in Legend and History". L'Erma Di Bretschneider. Kirk, G.S., J.E. Raven & M. Schofield (1983). "The Presocratic Philosophers". Second Edition. Cambridge University Press. Huffm...

This has been one of the most requested subjects, it is finally time to talk about Mulla Sadra. Sources/Recommended Reading: Adamson, Peter (ed.) (2005). “The Cambridge Companion to Arabic Philosophy”. Cambridge University Press. Chittick, William (1998). "The Self-Disclosure of God: Principles of Ibn al-'Arabi's Cosmology". State University of New York Press. Kalin, Ibrahim (2005). “Knowledge in...

We continue our exploration of Sufi poetry by looking at one of the greatest poets to write in the Turkish language. Sources/Suggested Reading: Smith, Grace Martin (1993). "The Poetry of Yunus Emre: A Turkish Sufi Poet". University of California Press. Soileau, Mark (2018). "Humanist Mystics: Nationalism and the Commemoration of Saints in Turkey". The University of Utah Press. #yunusemre #sufism #...

The translation of this sermon is taken from: Walshe, Maurice O'C (ed.) (2009). "The Complete Mystical Works of Meister Eckhart". The Crossroad Publishing Company. For more information about Eckhart, suggested reading includes the following: McGinn, Bernard (2003). "The Mystical Thought of Meister Eckhart: The Man from Whom God Hid Nothing". Independent Publishers Group. McGinn, Bernard (1992). "M...

In this episode, we finally explore the vast and important religious tradition of ancient Mesopotamia! Sources/Suggested Reading: Bottéro, Jean (2004). "Religion in Ancient Mesopotamia". Translated by Teresa Lavender Fagan. University of Chicago Press. Michalowski, Piotr (2012). "The Mortal Kings of Ur: Short Century of Divine Rule in Ancient Mesopotamia". In Religion and Power: Divine Kingship in...

In this episode, we explore the history of music in Jewish mysticism, from the ancient prophets to the Hasidim of today. Sources/Suggested Reading: Idel, Moshe (1987). "The Mystical Experience in Abraham Abulafia". State University of New York Press. Idel, Moshe (1988). "Studies in Ecstatic Kabbalah". State University of New York Press. Idel, Moshe (1988). "Kabbalah: New Perspectives". Yale Univer...

In this episode, we explore the life and teachings of the Senegalese Sufi saint and social reformer Ahmadou Bamba (d. 1927), who led a movement of resistence against French colonialism through nonviolence. Thank you to Brahdamon for kindly allowing me to use his footage. Check out his channel here: https://www.youtube.com/c/Brahdamon Videos used: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ovb44sbHR8&t=2...

A healthy level of speculation is required this time as we dive into the fascinating Eleusinian mysteries and its transformative rituals of consciousness-alteration. Sources/Suggested reading. Bowden, Hugh (2010). "Mystery cults in the Ancient World". Thames and Hudson Ltd. Burkert, William (1982). "Greek Religion". Harvard University Press. Burkert, William (1988). "Ancient Mystery Cults". Harvar...

We're finally doing Buddhism! In this episode, we explore the teachings of the Buddhist philosopher Nagarjuna and his school, known as Madhyamika, or "The Middle Way". Sources/Suggested Reading: Siderits, Mark & Shoryu Katsura (Translated by) (2013). "Nagarjuna's Middle Way: The Mulamadhyamakakarika". Classics of Indian Buddhism. Wisdom Publications. Westerhoff, Jan (2009). "Nagarjuna's Madhya...

In this episode, we explore the famous persian sufi poem "Mantiq al-Tayr" or The Conference of the Birds, written by Fariduddin Attar. Sources/Suggested Reading: 'Attar, Fariduddin. "The Conference of the Birds". Translated by Afkham Darbandi & Dick Davis. Penguin Classics. 1984. "Farid ad-Din 'Attar's Memorial of God's Friends: Lives and sayings of Sufis". Translated by Paul Losensky. Classic...

In this episode, we explore what little we know of the mysterious group of Jewish Christians known as the Ebionites. Sources/Suggested Reading: Brakke, David (2012). "Gnostics: Myth, Ritual, and Diversity in Early Christianity". Harvard University Press. Chilton, Bruce & Craig A. Evans (ed.) (1998). Studying the historical Jesus: Evaluations of the state of Current Research. Brill. Ehrman, Bar...

In this episode, we explore the history and key features of the movement known as Salafism, which has become a significant force in modern Islam. Sources/Suggested Reading: Crawford, Michael (2014). "Ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab". Oneworld Academic. Hamid, Sadek (2016). "Sufis, Salafism and Islamists: The Contested Ground of British Islamic Activism". I.B. Tauris. Hoover, Jon (2019). "Ibn Taymiyya". Oneworl...

In this episode, we explore whether or not we can find the conception of a single, absolute god in ancient Egyptian theology. Sources/Suggested Reading: Assmann, Jan (2001). "The Seach for God in Ancient Egypt". Translated by David Lorton. Cornell University Press. Copenhaver, Brian P. (ed.) (1995). "Hermetica: The Greek Corpus Hermeticum and the Latin Asclepius in a New English Translation, with...

In this episode, we explore the life and movement of Pythagoras and the Pythagoreans, and discover that the common image of him as an ancient mathematician isn't entirely supported by the evidence. Sources/Suggested Reading: Huffman, Carl A. (2008). "Philolaus of Croton: A Commentary on the Fragments and Testimonia with Interprative Essays". Cambridge University Press. Huffman, Carl A. (ed.) (2017...

This episode explores the life, teachings and movement of Abraham Maimonides, the son of the much more famous Jewish philosopher Moses Maimonides (d. 1204). Sources/Suggested Reading: Idel, Moshe (1987). "The Mystical Experience in Abraham Abulafia". State University of New York Press Kraemer, Joel L. (2010). "Maimonides: The Life and World of one of Civilization's Greatest Minds". Doubleday &...

In this episode, I attempt to give you an overview of the vast and complex Twelver school of Shi'ism across history. Sources/Suggested Reading: Abdulsater, Hussein Ali (2017). "Shi'i Doctrine, Mu'tazili Theology: Al-Sharif al-Murtada and Imami Discourse". Edinburgh University Press. Amir-Moezzi, Mohammad Ali (1994). "The Divine Guide in Early Shi'ism: The Sources of Esotericism in Islam". Translat...

WARNING: This episode contains depictions of violence, references to sexual acts and mild nudity. In this episode, we explore the often misunderstood tradition of Tantra or Tantrism. Sources/Suggested Reading: Bharati, Agehananda (1965). "The Tantric Tradition". B.I. Publications. Bhattacharyya, N.N. (2005). "History of the Tantric Religion". Second Revised Edition. Manohar. Dyczkowski, Mark S.G....

In this episode, we continue our explorations of Daoism by studying its later developments into organized movements and the fascinating practice of Neidan, or "Internal Alchemy". Sources/Suggested Reading: Graham, A.C. (1999). "Disputers of the Tao: Philosophical Argument in Ancient China". Open Court. Kohn, Livia (1991). "Early Chinese Mysticism: Philosophy and Soteriology in the Taoist Tradition...

In this episode, we explore the most (in)famous book of occult sciences in the history of the Islamicate World: the Shams al-Ma’arif (Sun of Knowledge). WARNING: I am quoting from the book in this episode. Those concerned about its dangers might want to avoid listening to this episode. Sources/Recomended Reading: Al-Buni, Ahmad ibn ‘Ali. “The Sun of Knowledge (Shams al-Ma’arif): An Arabic Grimoire...

We continue this year's Shocktober with an exploration of demons and exorcism in Ancient Mesopotamia. Sources/Recomended Reading: Abusch, I. Tzvi (2020). "Babylonian witchcraft literature: case studies". Brown Judaic Studies. Scholars Press, Atlanta, Georgia. Abusch, I. Tzvi (2020). "Mesopotamian Religion". In Essays on Babylonian and Biblical Literature and Religion, Vol. 65: 5-23. Brill. Abusch,...

In this episode of Shocktober 2022, we explore the creature(s) known as "Mare" in Northern European folklore. #mare #folklore #halloween Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We continue our exploration of the Occult Sciences by taking a look at some of the earliest theories and practices surrounding astrology in the Islamicate World. Sources/Suggested Reading: Adamson, Peter & Richard C. Taylor (ed) (2004). "The Cambridge Companion to Arabic Philosophy". Cambridge University Press. Adamson, Peter & Peter E. Pormann (ed) (2012). "The Philosophical Works of al-K...

We continue our exploration of the Occult Sciences by looking at the theory and use of Talismans in the Islamicate World. Sources/Suggested Reading: Melvin-Koushki, Matthew & Noah Gardner (2017). "Islamicate Occultism: New Perspectives". Brill. Saif, Liana (2015). "The Arabic Influences on Early Modern Occult Philosophy". Palgrave Macmillan. Saif, Liana; Francesca Leoni; Matthew Melvin-Koushki...