This is a review of The Infancy Narratives by Joseph Ratzinger. Since the story is, or should be, very familiar, we want to instead focus more on the exegetical methods used by Fr. Ratzinger than on the story itself. He writes that good exegesis involves two stages. Historical component. What … Continue reading
So the first task is to begin observing and transcending the misconceptions of the first stage. A temporary “I” develops that integrates the three lower centers. This is still a transitional, or psychological, state, often represented as the lower Ego. Continue reading
It’s October, and I am thinking, inexorably, of the Protestant Reformation, where my spiritual roots lie. In order to do those roots justice (it does no good to saw them in two), I have to understand the contention made against the Church of the West, the Latin Roman Catholic Church. … Continue reading
Before we proceed along the Arcana of the Meditations, it might be helpful to point out a link between “gnosis” and the “arcana”. In the very first chapter of his Meditations Tomberg highlights the truth that arcana represent “enzymes” or “ferment” which make the soul fruitful by awakening the deeper, … Continue reading
Cologero has beautifully highlighted the central paradox of “he who wishes to rise” or “the aspirant”: It is clear in fact that if persuasion sharpens itself to a pure, unrelated sufficiencyy—i.e., to a statey—rather than to sufficiency as denial of an insufficiency—i.e. to an act, to a relationy—the antithesis certainly … Continue reading
I will assume, for this, a basic familiarity with the text, as well as perhaps some of the items and discussions on the mailing list. Rather, we will look at several prisms or aphorisms or anecdotes from this chapter, to help elucidate in precise detail what quarry Tomberg is hunting. … Continue reading
Valentin Tomberg (as any reader of this blog by now knows) plays a not insignificant role in linking Christianity with esotericism, even paganism (of the older kind). It would be easy to just go through and cherry pick random quotes from Tomberg: this would actually turn out much better than … Continue reading
What we’ve got on our throne is a collective demon or elemental force, generated by centuries of passions and muddled thought. Satan is a man of Law, and wouldn’t dream of having dinner with revolutionaries. He’d rather joust with a man of the Right. Continue reading
The highest life is contemplation. Ignorance is the cause of suffering and ignoranceis removed by knowledge of the self. Continue reading
The mission of Christ and Mary is to reverse the effects of the Fall and restore the creation to its original perfect state when the Logos and Sophia brought it forth (Proverbs 8 22:31). Each of the seven miracles of St. John’s Gospel corresponds to the reverse day of Genesis … Continue reading