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33-503: Theurgy means "divine working". The first recorded use of the term is found in the mid-second-century neoplatonist work the Chaldean Oracles (Fragment 153 des Places (Paris, 1971): 'For the theourgoí do not fall under the fate-governed herd'). The source of Western theurgy can be found in the philosophy of late neoplatonists , especially Iamblichus . Although the neoplatonists are often considered pagan polytheists , they embraced

66-545: A magical organization or tradition is a necessary preliminary. The word "adept" is derived from Latin adeptus 'one who has attained' (the secret of transmuting metals). A. E. Waite recounts the use of the term in alchemy in his 1926 book, The Secret Tradition of Alchemy . Madame Blavatsky makes liberal use of the term adept in her works to refer to their additional function as caretaker of ancient occult knowledge. She also mentions their great compassionate desire to help humanity and also documents other powers of

99-502: A Latin translation, and this is the basis of most later scholarly work, including the study by Hans Lewy (1956), a Greek-French edition of the Oracles by Edouard des Places in 1971 and the currently standard (though not critical) edition in Greek and English by Ruth Majercik in 1989. None of these purport to be a reconstruction of the original poem but only of the surviving fragments. Summaries of

132-608: A form of monism . In late neoplatonism, the spiritual universe is regarded as a series of emanations from the One . From the One emanated the Divine Mind (Nous) and in turn from the Divine Mind emanated the World Soul (Psyche). Neoplatonists insisted that the One is absolutely transcendent and in the emanations nothing of the higher was lost or transmitted to the lower, which remained unchanged by

165-537: A more ritualized method of theurgy that involved invocation and religious, as well as magical, ritual. Iamblichus believed theurgy was an imitation of the gods, and in his major work, On the Mysteries of the Egyptians, Chaldeans, and Assyrians , he described theurgic observance as "ritualized cosmogony " that endowed embodied souls with the divine responsibility of creating and preserving the cosmos. Iamblichus' analysis

198-674: Is achieved by an ascent through the planetary spheres, casting off the various baser aspects to become pure intellect. Beneath the Intelligible Triad of Father, Magna Mater or Hecate, and Intellect lie the three successively descending worlds, Empyrean, Ethereal, and Elemental, respectively governed by a Second, Third, and Fourth Demiurgic Intellect. An additional Elemental World is ruled by Hypezokos or Flower of Fire. The Chaldean Oracles were first translated into English by Thomas Stanley in 1662, and popularized by Thomas Taylor in 1797 and Isaac Preston Cory in 1832. They were taken up in

231-564: Is an individual identified as having attained a specific level of knowledge, skill, or aptitude in doctrines relevant to a particular occult discipline, such as alchemy or magic . According to magical tradition, adepts stand out from others due to their enhanced abilities. All human qualities are developed in them, including intelligence and spirituality. According to Theosophist Charles Leadbeater , anyone can become an adept through spiritual development and self-improvement, though others insist that initiation or esoteric transmission into

264-635: The Oracles as "the Bible of the Neoplatonists". Hellenistic civilization fused a Hellenic core of religious belief and social organization with Persian-Babylonian (" Chaldean "), Israelite and Egyptian cultures, including their mystery cults and wisdom-traditions. Hellenistic thinkers philosophized and harmonized this polyglot mythology, cult tradition, oracular utterance, and initiatory lore. The philosophy attributed to these Babylonian, Persian, and Semitic cultures

297-768: The Persian Gulf . It is not known whether Julian the Chaldean was actually of Eastern descent, or whether the term "Chaldean" had by his time come to mean "magician" or practitioner of mysterious arts. His son, Julian the Theurgist, served in the Roman army during Marcus Aurelius ' campaign against the Quadi . Julian claimed to have saved the Roman camp from a severe drought by causing a rainstorm. At least four other religious groups also claimed credit for this rainstorm. The circumstances surrounding

330-651: The 19th-century esoteric Order of the Golden Dawn , which in 1895 published Taylor's translation in William Wynn Westcott 's edition under the title 'The Chaldaean Oracles of Zoroaster', as part of the Golden Dawn's 'Collectanea Hermetica' series. The original poem has not come down to us in any connected form, and is known through quotations in the works of the neoplatonists, especially Damascius . Wilhelm Kroll published an edition, De oraculis Chadaicis in 1894 arranging all known fragments in order of subject with

363-550: The 3rd to the 6th century CE. While the original texts have been lost, they have survived in the form of fragments consisting mainly of quotes and commentary by Neoplatonist writers. They were likely to have originally formed a single mystery-poem, which may have been in part compiled, in part received via trance, by Julian the Chaldean, or more likely, his son, Julian the Theurgist in the 2nd century CE. Later Neoplatonists, such as Iamblichus and Proclus , rated them highly. The 4th-century emperor Julian (not to be confused with Julian

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396-658: The Chaldean or Julian the Theurgist) suggests in his Hymn to the Magna Mater that he was an initiate of the God of the Seven Rays , and was an adept of its teachings. When Christian Church Fathers or other Late Antiquity writers credit "the Chaldeans", they are probably referring to this tradition. The Chaldean Oracles show an affinity with gnostic teachings of their time. They describe

429-528: The Father from the material fire of the cosmos, and mediates all divine influence upon the lower realm. From Hecate is derived the World-Soul , which in turn emanates Nature, the governor of the sub-lunar realm . From Nature is derived Fate, which can enslave the baser human soul. The goal of existence is to purify the baser soul from all contact with Nature and Fate by a life of austerity and contemplation. Salvation

462-463: The Father, whose Power produces Intellect. This Intellect contemplates purely intellectual Forms in the realm of the Father, and dually creates and governs the material realm. This dual aspect of Intellect is the Demiurge. The Oracles further posit a boundary between the intellectual and the material realms, personified as Hecate . As a barrier or membrane, Hecate separates the purely intellectual fire of

495-462: The Oracles, all lost. The most extensive surviving commentary was written by the Christian philosopher Michael Psellus in the eleventh century, useful for interpreting the surviving excerpts from the Oracles. Whether or not they were composed by Julian himself, or whether Julian compiled them from actual Chaldean originals, the oracles are mainly a product of Hellenistic syncretism as practiced in

528-474: The adept such as being able to take active control of elemental spirits as well as the physical and astral conditions of non-adepts. In Alice Bailey 's body of writing she outlines a hierarchy of spiritual evolution and an initiatory path along which an individual may choose to advance. In her works an Adept is defined as a being who has taken five of the seven initiations . Those who practice esoteric arts such as theurgy and Kabbalah are familiar with

561-535: The cultural melting-pot of Alexandria , embodying the principal features of "Chaldean philosophy". They were held in high esteem throughout Late Antiquity, and by the later followers of neoplatonism , although frequently disputed by Augustine of Hippo . Some doctrines of the Oracles have been attributed to Zoroaster . The Chaldean Oracles were considered to be a central text by many later neoplatonist philosophers, nearly equal in importance to Plato 's Timaeus . Scholars, beginning with F. Cumont, have described

594-433: The degree of Magus or Adept after a certain level of spiritual attainment. In a traditional and magical sense, theurgy is seen as the opposite of Goetia , even though many argue that they overlap. John Milbank , founder of radical orthodoxy , asserts that theology "encourages a theurgy which aims at a liberation of nature from terror and distress and at a fully harmonious and beautiful interaction between humans and

627-458: The divine light alone. Theurgy in this hermetic sense stresses the need for the individual to separate and analyze the individual components that constitute everyday consciousness and reunite them in a way that changes one's personal awareness into a state that understands and partakes in spiritual grace. Chaldean Oracles The Chaldean Oracles are a set of spiritual and philosophical texts widely used by Neoplatonist philosophers from

660-473: The hold mainstream Christianity had over the empire at the time, this was ultimately unsuccessful, but he did produce several works of philosophy and theology , including a popular hymn to the sun. In his theology, Helios , the sun, was the ideal example of the perfection of the gods and light, a symbol of divine emanation. He also held the mother goddess Cybele in high esteem. Julian favored ritual theurgy, with an emphasis on sacrifice and prayer . He

693-467: The lower emanations. For Plotinus and Porphyry the emanations are as follows: Plotinus urged contemplations for those who wished to perform theurgy, the goal of which was to reunite with the Divine (called henosis ). Therefore, his school resembles a school of meditation or contemplation . Iamblichus , a student of Anatolius and Porphyry (the latter himself was a student of Plotinus ), taught

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726-436: The material level, with physical symbols; at the higher level, with mental and purely spiritual practices. Starting with correspondences of the divine in matter, the theurgist eventually reaches the level where the soul's inner divinity unites with the One. The Emperor Julian (332-363) embraced neoplatonic philosophy and worked to replace Christianity with a version of neoplatonic paganism . Because of his untimely death and

759-598: The natural world". He continues by stating that theology equally "encourages a theurgy which is a social work of maximising democratic participation and socialist sharing". Some organizations, such as the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn , teach a type of theurgy that would help one ascend spiritually as well as understand the true nature of the self and its relation to the Divine and the Universe. This tradition holds that theurgists are usually solitary practitioners who seek

792-619: The oath of the 5–6 grade and has been granted the title Adeptus Minor. Symbolically this degree represents a spiritual aspirant who, having mastered the union of the four elements under an upright and balanced spirit, is allowed passage from the Portal of the Vault of the Adepti into the tomb of Christian Rosenkreutz in the center of the Rosicrucian Mountain of Initiation, Abiegnus, at the center of

825-431: The poem (and of the related "Assyrian Oracles", not known from elsewhere) were composed by Michael Psellos , and attempts have been made to arrange the surviving fragments in accordance with these summaries: Westcott's translation (above) is an example of such an attempt. These reconstructions are not generally regarded as having scholarly value, but sometimes surface in theosophical or occult use. Adept An adept

858-482: The soul from the confines of matter, and to defend it against the demonic powers lurking in the realms between Gods and mortals. The exact origins of the Chaldean Oracles are unknown, but are usually attributed to Julian the Theurgist and/or his father, Julian the Chaldean. Chaldea is the classical Greek term for Babylon , transliterating Assyrian Kaldū , which referred to an area southeast of Babylonia near

891-740: The transcendent First Paternal Intellect which includes the mediating World-Soul, a female Power Hecate similar to Sophia . Fiery emanations from the First Intellect produce the Second Intellect, the Demiurge , who comprehends the cosmos as well as himself, and creates Matter. Farthest from the Highest God (First Father / Intellect) is a dense shell of matter from which the enlightened soul must emerge, shedding its bodily garments. A combination of ascetic conduct and correct ritual are recommended to free

924-598: The universe. The grade of Adeptus Minor and subsequent grades, Adeptus Major, and Adeptus Exemptus form the Second Order of the Golden Dawn, also called the Rosæ Rubeæ et Aureæ Crucis (The Ruby Rose and Golden Cross). These grades correspond to the kabbalistic sephirah of Tiphereth , Geburah , and Chesed respectively. The oath of the Adeptus Minor includes a provision to "unite myself with my higher and Divine Genius",

957-402: The word 'adept.' In the traditions of esoteric Christianity and ceremonial magic , an adept is one who is skilled or profound, but not a master in these arts. Various magical organizations have steps in which an initiate may ascend in their own system. Some call these steps degrees or grades. In the initiatory system of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn , an adept is one who has taken

990-503: The writing of the Oracles are also mysterious, the most likely explanation being that Julian uttered them in poetic stanzas during a trance, suggesting divine inspiration. No original documents containing the Oracles are extant, and what we know of the text has been reconstructed from fragments and quotes by later neoplatonist philosophers, as well as Christian philosophers influenced by Platonism. Neoplatonists including Porphyry , Iamblichus , and Proclus wrote extensive commentaries on

1023-464: Was believed to preserve the most ancient traditional wisdom. Another Alexandrian attempt to philosophize and synthesize ancient religion produced the writings attributed to Hermes Trismegistus . The Chaldean Oracles are a parallel endeavour on a smaller scale, to philosophize the wisdom of Chaldea. The metaphysical schema of the Chaldean Oracles begins with an absolute transcendent deity called

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1056-581: Was heavily influenced by Iamblichus ' ideas. Esoteric Christianity accepts theurgy as a tradition that could greatly benefit a person. The main feat of Esoteric Christianity is to learn the mysteries of God (see Raziel ) and to rise to higher consciousness in the understanding of God's relationship to individual consciousness. Theurgy, in the esoteric tradition, uses this knowledge to heighten one's own spiritual nature. Some branches of Esoteric Christianity hold that if an Esoteric Christian, Rosicrucian , or Theosopher practices it they could potentially rise to

1089-423: Was that the transcendent cannot be grasped with mental contemplation because the transcendent is supra-rational. Theurgy is a series of rituals and operations aimed at recovering the transcendent essence by retracing the divine 'signatures' through the layers of being. Education is important for comprehending the scheme of things as presented by Aristotle, Plato, and Pythagoras. The theurgist works 'like with like': at

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