What do you think?
Rate this book
The Astronomico-Theological Lectures: by the Reverend Robert Taylor
These Lectures by the Reverend Dr. Robert Taylor (1784-1844) are a set of his explorations of many aspects of Christianity including the astronomical and astrological origins of Christian and other ancient mythology. Taylor delivered these lectures in the 1820s and 1830s facing repeated arrests for vocally questioning religious orthodoxy.
This version has been corrected, annotated, and typeset in a more modern form to bring his insights to a new audience.
This version has been corrected, annotated, and typeset in a more modern form to bring his insights to a new audience.
414 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 12, 2013
5 people are currently reading
17 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 25, 2018
Eye Opener
There are so many different versions, and stories about what is stated in the bible that nothing ever seems to mske sense; however, Rev. Taylor puts together a strong case. Impossible to dismiss. Highly recommend this book. It's time to waje up!!!
There are so many different versions, and stories about what is stated in the bible that nothing ever seems to mske sense; however, Rev. Taylor puts together a strong case. Impossible to dismiss. Highly recommend this book. It's time to waje up!!!
January 8, 2025
I read the older Charles Blanchard version as a free pdf here: https://archive.org/details/astronomi...
This is some of the most important work I have have read, and it helped me truly close the gap in my questions on how the Bible could be a truly sacred text, encapsulating sacred wisdom.
We are typically given two options when approaching the Bible, historical fact, or allegory/ parables. Neither have made complete sense to me. The historical reading into it has never felt authentic, and yet, as allegories or parables, neither did many of these stories line up with principles it supposedly taught. Neither worked for me, and both seemed awful.
Reverend Taylor offers a third option - celestial allegory. That is, characters and scenes in the Bible all can be understood to refer to the heavens, and describe heavenly objects, their movements, and/or scenes. He is able to summarize and explain some basic structure and examples due to his extensive research, and his understanding of Greek and Hebrew.
I am thankful for his research and his boldness to share his lectures and sermons. He was jailed for speaking out, and yet he continued to do so.
As another Goodreads review has pointed out, the Reverend does have a tendency to go on at length about those that preach and consume the literalistic version of this text. I'd say it's possible up to a 3rd of his writing is this. Some of it is defensive, or on the offensive, about how the literalist or historic interpretation cannot possibly be correct, if one truly examines the Bible with an open mind. He also condems those who have wielded the literalist interpretation as a weapon, and have continued to preach the fear and hatred confusingly taught as God's love. I do not find his writing unnecessary as the Bible has been used as a tool of fear and oppression for millenia. His sermons and lectures are fighting against this and appealing to the listener's reason.
I am not confident that all of his interpretations of the word and their celestrial counterparts are 100% correct, but there was enough that I could follow and understand that there is a system in place. A system that can be studied, understood, and reveal itself in the text through further study done on one's own.
I have been reading this in addition to others on celestial allegory and myths. I would additionally highly recommend David Warner Mathisen and his series Star Myths of the World.
This is some of the most important work I have have read, and it helped me truly close the gap in my questions on how the Bible could be a truly sacred text, encapsulating sacred wisdom.
We are typically given two options when approaching the Bible, historical fact, or allegory/ parables. Neither have made complete sense to me. The historical reading into it has never felt authentic, and yet, as allegories or parables, neither did many of these stories line up with principles it supposedly taught. Neither worked for me, and both seemed awful.
Reverend Taylor offers a third option - celestial allegory. That is, characters and scenes in the Bible all can be understood to refer to the heavens, and describe heavenly objects, their movements, and/or scenes. He is able to summarize and explain some basic structure and examples due to his extensive research, and his understanding of Greek and Hebrew.
I am thankful for his research and his boldness to share his lectures and sermons. He was jailed for speaking out, and yet he continued to do so.
As another Goodreads review has pointed out, the Reverend does have a tendency to go on at length about those that preach and consume the literalistic version of this text. I'd say it's possible up to a 3rd of his writing is this. Some of it is defensive, or on the offensive, about how the literalist or historic interpretation cannot possibly be correct, if one truly examines the Bible with an open mind. He also condems those who have wielded the literalist interpretation as a weapon, and have continued to preach the fear and hatred confusingly taught as God's love. I do not find his writing unnecessary as the Bible has been used as a tool of fear and oppression for millenia. His sermons and lectures are fighting against this and appealing to the listener's reason.
I am not confident that all of his interpretations of the word and their celestrial counterparts are 100% correct, but there was enough that I could follow and understand that there is a system in place. A system that can be studied, understood, and reveal itself in the text through further study done on one's own.
I have been reading this in addition to others on celestial allegory and myths. I would additionally highly recommend David Warner Mathisen and his series Star Myths of the World.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews