Philosophy and Theurgy in Late Antiquity

by Algis Uždavinys, John F. Finamore (Foreword)

The Ancient Philosophy, in its original Orphico-Pythagorean and Platonic form, is not simply a way of life in accordance with the divine or human intellect (nous), but also the way of alchemical transformation and mystical illumination achieved through initiatic “death” and subsequent restoration at the level of divine light. As a means of spiritual reintegration and unification, ancient philosophy is inseparable from the hieratic rites. The theurgic “animation” of statues appears to be among the main keys for understanding how various royal and priestly practices, related to the daily ritual service and encounter with the divine presence in the temples, developed into the Neoplatonic mysticism of late antiquity.

Genres: Philosophy, History, Religion, Nonfiction, Ancient History, Spirituality, Metaphysics

326 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Was a prolific Lithuanian philosopher and scholar.
His research included works on hellenic philosophy , especially Platonism and Neoplatonism as well
a pioneering hermeneutical comparative study of Egyptian and Greek religions, especially their esoteric relations to Semitic religions, and in particular the inner aspect of Islam

Reviews

[Monty Milne · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading this, I now think about the roots of western philosophy in a completely different way. The author’s startling premise (startling to me, anyway) is that the philosophy of the ancient Greeks was essentially a development of ancient Egyptian religion:

“Plato’s contribution to western philosophy was that he put into terms understandable to his contemporaries, and thereby made accessible, teachings that were essentially esoteric and hitherto had been wrapped in secrecy, under the protection of the Egyptian priesthood.”

Ancient Greek philosophy, certainly when I first encountered it at school, was presented as a kind of foreshadowing of Victorian Anglo Saxon achievements in science and rationality. Even as a youth I felt that was a partial and unsatisfactory presentation – the images flickering in Plato’s cave were too poetic and mysterious to be fully accessible to the cold light of reason. In this book the philosophers are presented primarily as poets and mystics.

I found this intriguing and fresh, and I can see the connections between the wisdom literature of ancient Egypt and the Near East, including the Bible, and the Greeks. This is no easy read, and I felt stretched as I struggled with some of the text, but it was worthwhile. Wisdom, according to the author, is the exercise of our intellectual capacities by focusing on that which is eternal and unchanging. Alas, the author himself is no longer with us to share his insights: he died of a heart attack in 2010 at the age of only 48, a great loss to the western wisdom tradition in general, and Lithuanian academia in particular.

[Hagar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Traditional myth (as the Neoplatonists believed) is a symbolic expression of metaphysical truths, just as metaphysics is a means of interpreting myth. Greek philosophy is not a standalone phenomenon as its roots lie in shared philosophical and religious themes of ancient civilizations, like those of the Near East, Mesopotamia, India, and predominantly Egypt. And, Platonic philosophy is only one aspect of a broader system of theurgy.

[Ryan Denson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is quite a challenging read. It is certainly not intended to be an introductory text to the principles of theurgy, as the simplistic title might suggest. Instead, it is a dense academic read with a multitude of Greek, Sanskrit, and Egyptian terms that one would need to understand. One of the author’s main premises is that philosophy in antiquity was originally a deep, usually mystical, way of living, rather than merely the antecedent of what we would now call philosophy. The author thoroughly examines the similarities between Neoplatonism in Late Antiquity and the ancient Egyptian religion. Again, there is lot of material here and I think even after several readings of this, one would still find something new each time. I suppose it’s an excellent work for anyone interested in hard to comprehend metaphysics, but it’ll be quite a headache for anyone else.

[Maan Kawas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book by Algis Uždavinys!

[HVNVDI · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a refreshing read and a proper historical rundown of the origins of philosophy as we know it today.
The authors choice for opening up the book with the premise that Ancient Greek philosophy in antiquity was a development of ancient Egyptian philosophy was absolutely phenomenal.
But It’s not an introductory to theurgy but rather an academical perspective on how philosophy was a mystical way of living compared to what we have today, would recommend to those of you who want to understand metaphysics but find it difficult to comprehend.

[Jack The Heathen Castellano · Rating 5 out of 5]

While definitely not a "beginner" book, it is one of the best on late antique Platonism. With refreshing admiration and inspiring depth, this book can create a very real sense of connection and reverence for the holy intertwined world of the late antique pagan world-view.

[Michael Neal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like all of his books - they are more inspirational and contextual than fact-heavy. A lot of what I have already learned about Theurgy, Orphism etc is often brought into focus in his odd, vaguely trance-inducing prose.