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The Gnostic World

Garry W. Trompf, Gunner B. Mikkelsen, Jay Johnston

Gnostics and temporality: from myth to macrohistory

Publication details https://www.routledgehandbooks.com/doi/10.4324/9781315561608-4 Garry W. Trompf Published online on: 11 Oct 2018

How to cite :- Garry W. Trompf. 11 Oct 2018, Gnostics and temporality: from myth to macrohistory from: The Gnostic World Routledge Accessed on: 03 Oct 2021 https://www.routledgehandbooks.com/doi/10.4324/9781315561608-4

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Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 01:52 03 Oct 2021; For: 9781315561608, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315561608-4 H (cf. Casadio1993;Quispel 1996). received modernrehabilitations, moststrikingly through The Theosophical Society and Toynbee (Scharmer1997: 90– rated amongmacrohistorians, orexponentsof “big history” likeGibbon, Spengler, 15) – cosmo- ally conceivedbyrelevantparties, from Antiquity’s Gnosticmyths – recurrence) (Trompf 1979a: 71). Transformation, forexample, oran “open future,” whether ofprogress, regress or eye,” often including a senseof where humanity is heading (to an imminent End or visioning ofthehumanpastasawhole, ingod- non- Already incipientasfarback asthe temper ofthoughtand “ways toimmortality” introducedinthepreviouschapters. eric termusedtoday(yetwithrootsinancientappellations) thatcoversapersisting and accommodated. Macrohistory, asaheuristicconcept, capturestheadventurous isjustthatmattersof historicity becomemoreaddressed remains pronounced: it Despite thisslowandspecialhistoricizingprocess, though, themythicelement attention to “received, knownhistory” increases inthistrajectoryofthought. chapter analyzesthisgeneraltendency, althoughitalsoshows that, overcenturies, of merehappenings)getbundledandexplainedwithin “overarching visions.” This or in a cosmically significant, patterned frame in which all human temporalchange, then, almostalwaysenshroudsthepastinsome for theirownsake. The literaryandsemanticqualityofGnosticapproaches to outworkings ratherthanmattersofdetailedinterestandnarratologicalexpression ical materials are typically extensions of cosmogonic unfoldings and cosmological seeking adeepknowledgeofcelestialarrangementsandthepathtoeternally GNOSTICS ANDTEMPORALITY: FROM Macrohistory isthetermthatcanbestcoverhowhuman affairsaresynoptic ​ contingent. down anarrativeorderofhumaneventsisrarelykeyconcernthose ow historyisconceivedinGnosticstrainsofthoughtenigmatic. Setting tothetimewhenamodernGnosticalthinker ​ ​ ormyth- MYTH TO MACROHISTORY Gnostics’treatmentsofwhatarenormallyrecognizableashistor histories, ​ ormythicalnarrations(Heehs1994;Perkins1993: 14– Garry W. Trompf CHAPTER THREE 7). ​ Upanishad “Gnostic,” foritspart, isacceptedasagen 43 like panoramicregardor ​ s andpre- , suchasRudolfSteiner, canbe ​ Socratic Orphism, ephemerides (the myriad ​ otherwise called “the mind’s mythos ithas - - - ​

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Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 01:52 03 Oct 2021; For: 9781315561608, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315561608-4 vant pre- events werealready(relatively)accessible. Ifdiverse, onemaysummarilylistarele realizing notallcanescape – in rejectingthisevilrealmofthesoul’s andin bodilyentombment(Bianchi1982: 228) initiates are “acosmic” orradically “anti- filling outofa the spaceinwhich encapsulated asacosmic “U- results from the time- reascent, in Macrobius’s terms( ability aswellmateriality, andan “overwhelming ofsouls motion of “issuing out” and “returning to” formsabrokencircle, marredbychange views (thoserebutted in Patristic writing as heresy and thosedominant in NHC), the reintegrates thesoulintodivineprocess. 94– in materiality(e.g., above andarecapableofreascending, unlesstheyhavebecomecompletelytrapped Artificer (Christie- lesser aeonicemanations), andretainadivinesparkagainstthewishesofbaleful select humans are the farthest extensions of adivine unfolding (through increasingly about thehumancondition(e.g., Desjardins1990: 131; Havrda2007). Inthatatleast saving fromsinisadmitted(asin Valentinianism), itisfromthesinof willfulignorance of escape. Gnosticsoteriologyisthusmostlyasavingfroman “alien cosmos” and, if tially inimicaltohumans’Return- hidden, highestBeing, bypassingandthwartingthreatsofheavenlypowerspoten Jews). Jesus/ false deity responsible for creating a bad world (often identified asthe God of the brought aboutbya “cosmic mistake” inthelowerheavensbyademiurgicfigure, a need to be saved by a Redeemer out of the world of matter and physical corporeality, lation fromthesecondcentury Platonism andHermetism). With “classic” (mostoftenChristianizing) Gnosticspecu Gnostic Myth;itissharedbyanumberofschoolsthoughtin Antiquity (including capable ofascendingandreturningtotheirtrueHome. This wenametheprimary as refractionsoftheheavenlySource, humanbeings(oratleastsomeofthem)are ation from higher tolower cosmic states of being, the material worldis formed, and, universe issues from theDivine (typically aOneorFather), andinstagesofeman Gnostic approaches to human events: that of cosmic descent and then (re- In whatcanservehereasakeysignpost, onemythicstructuremostcharacterizes • each

Now, oneshouldnotforget that “mental toolkits” forhandlingsuchterrestrial Because celestialeventsaredisturbedbytemporalcontingenciesinclassicGnostic ) Te redeemer The ​7). claim itsown “light oftruth” (Livy, Aburbecondita1.prolog.10). Graeco- Historia as the kind of historiographical writing we find in classical Hebrew and psychē ​existing repertory thus: , unfortunatelycastoutintocosmicdis- ​Roman literature(e.g., ​ Christ/ history. ​Murray 1989: narrating thehumanpredicamentcanoccur, indeedpotentiallythe ​ Son isalmostinvariablythenecessarysavior Hypostases ofthe Archons mythos fulfillsandeaseswhatisalreadypotentialorforgottenin IntheclassicGnosticcase, mindyou, thisisanawfulspace – lapse ​ THE GNOSTIC MYTH andyetthealienconditionnecessarilyhastobeaddressed. ​ — Garry W. Trompf — between eternity and recovered everlastingness is best between eternity and recovered everlastingness is best curve” ​ Commentarium in SomniumScipionis CE itcomeswithrecognizabledistinctness. Humans ​ to- 21– theDeuteronomistsorHerodotus), which can (Trompf 2013: 388): the temporal gap provides temporalgapprovides (Trompf 2013: 388): the ​ the- ​2), cosmic” ​ theyaresoulswhichhavedescendedfrom ​Source, 44 [NHC = Nag HammadiCodicesII.4], (Jonas1963: 264– andteachingthemonearththepath ​ location, andthussalvificaction for atime” beforetheir , descendingfromthe ​ 5; Tröger 1981: 88) 1.12.17). What )ascent. ​ The - - - - - ​

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Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 01:52 03 Oct 2021; For: 9781315561608, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315561608-4 Christ, figuresoftheFloodNoahandShem getsometreatment, withlighttouches from evilprincipalities(NHC V.5; cf. Tardieu 1974: 100– their idealspiritualexistence, escapingthecontaminationbefalling theearthlycouple mating eventofChrist’s Coming. Adam and Eve, expectedly, canbecontemplatedin primal family, especially Adam and EvetheirthirdsonSeth, andontheconsum tive, Biblicalmaterialisembraced, buttheoverwhelmingconcentrationison cosmic powerrelationsistaught(usuallybyJesus). IfweusetheNHCsasindica a cosmo- that itfallssubservientto “a cosmicframing,” orstandsasamereappendageto • • • •

The recognizableclassicGnosticresponsetotemporality istomythologizeit, so 165– 92– toriography divineProvidencewasupheld(Trompf 1979b: commonly projected, andinthesetogetherwithHellenisticphilosophyhis Judaism climacticrewardstotherighteousandpunishments toevildoerswere recorded human labor (1 Enoch 9:4; 3 Enoch 45:1– Redeemer (e.g., Dan 7:13) from “the Lord over all the Ages” and all heaven- (Jubilees 4:20, 24b;4Ezra5:41– election, as all divinely ordered “human generations” pass toward Judgement different heavens), andShem(Noah’s blessedson)takentoforeshadowspiritual ures as Adam, his son Seth (who makes up for Cain’s evil), Enoch (who can visit Jewish speculativeandapocalypticbeliefs, withtherolesofsuchkeyGenesisfig usually heldtoholdarchaicmaterials, Boyce1989: 285– savior (Sayoshant) (esp. [Greater]Bundahishn toward resolutioninGood’s favor, tobeheraldedbythecomingofaspiritual these beingchallengedtochooserightoverbad. The cosmicprocessismoving (Gayomard), whohastobesacrificedmakethecreationofallhumanspossible, Angra Mainyu) battle for supremacy over the cosmos, again with a Primal Man greater cosmic Ages), GoodandEvil(orthetwogreatspirits Ahura Mazdaand Zoroastrianism, inwhich(overtwelve successive Ages ofequallength, orthree years”), yethopeinacosmicrestoration(Ascelpius the world and “heaven’s image” shown in Egypt is expiring (after “millions of “primeval matter- ideas ofthe Platonism (withcertainOrphicandPythagoreanframesaffectingit), including their Return(Poimandres in whichprimordial, “mythic” Manhaspresenceinallearthlyhumans, askeyto Alexandrian Hermetism, itselfaGnosis, perhapswith Jewishmysticaltouches, logical ideas, somealsoinMithraism(Ulansey1989: 60– changing World- being strongoncosmic descent butweaker on ascent, throughstressinganever- no redeemer- of generalcosmicemanation, descentandreturntotheDivineSource, but with reincarnation oftheworthy(69B;Gorgias523A), andMiddlePlatonicvisions one’s divineoriginsand “returning backtotheoriginal” ( Antro Nympharum soul fallingfromthehighestheavens(Phaedrus ​96). ​history demiourgos bridgingtheidealandmadeworldsbutnotovercoming of emanations, or as the terrestrial setting inwhich the story of figure involved(e.g., ​ ​ Soul). ​ connected evils” — Gnosticsandtemporality — 22– Cf. Manilius, 8 Alcinous, ​28; 24– 12– ​16, 2), ​ NumeniusandCroniusapudPorphyry, ( atimeofcosmiccrisisneedingtheultimate Timaeus 45 ​ 6; cf. Astronomica Epitome doctrinaePlatonicae Holzhausen1994), withsadnessthat 41A- 30, 34[alate- 1, 3– 245C- ​42D; 2 107– 2: 25– 4, ​ 22). ​ 2). ​ ​6). In Zoroastrianism and ​ 7]) [Seealsoch. Politicus 273B), ofthe ​246E), ​3). Inbetween Adam and ​ 8 forrelatedastro Phaedo ofunforgetting ​ 111, 71B- ) (Plotinus ​ dated text 116–

23.]. ​72C), ​18, De - - - - -

​ ​

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Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 01:52 03 Oct 2021; For: 9781315561608, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315561608-4 “each onebythepowerat workwithinhim,” sometimes “as if” throughtheSavior Tractate (TT[byHeracleon?]), avoidedthemisguidedDemiurge’s “Law” andspoke “The righteousonesandprophets” of “the Hebrewrace,” accordingto manner wasveryschematic. Biblicalcharacters afterMosesaretreatedasmarkers. detailing orcelebratingculturallyirrelevantevents. mythicizing attitudes, orresistingpopularwaysofphilosophizingthathad nouseof to imagineallearlyHellenisticChristianitiesascapable ofavoidingthepressure 644– evangelizers of Christ’s salvificrole(Trompf 1989: shift inthecollectiveconsciousnessofpositivehuman temporality, notonlybeing tive Christians” became “the evangelistsofhistory,” beginningacrucialcross- into theNew, fromnomad Abram tovoyaging “apostle” PaulinRome, the “norma- Against this difficulty, and in accepting Scriptural continuity from the Old Testament historical baggage” – the Christianmessagecouldnotbeexpectedtoinvolve thereadyimbibingof “Jewish poetry) wasnotaschoolsubject among Gentileelites, andHellenistic responses to the recentcomingofRedeemer. OutsideJewry, history(asagainstmythologyand and purposesenshroudingeverythingfrom “just backaroundthecorner” intime) and events sit squashed as in a retracted telescope between a Primordium (to all intents long- 5– Christians thannot(Culianu1983: chose aBiblical- sibly Alexandrian theologians, andpartlyadaptingtheiroutlookstothem, Gnostics out their positions beside Hermetists, Platonists, astrological magicians, evenpos “journey of the soul [back] to heaven” (Bousset 1901; Colpe 1967), and in working “Gnosticism” isbutoneHellenisticgroupingofbeliefandritualconcernedwiththe alities toosimple, alternativefactorshavetobeconsidered. As insistedearlier, classic ceptual approachestotimebyclassic(mainlyChristian)Gnosticsmakethesegener transpire (e.g., Faessel2006: 27). However, sincedegreesofattentionanddiversecon dreams disappointedandtheParousia(Christ’s SecondCominginglory)didnot the imagined “continually presentpredicament” becauseBiblicaleschatological evil Demiurge(e.g., Bayme1997: 122); orthatGnosticsconcentratedonovercoming while takingtheaccountofJewishaffairsinbetweenasaboutapeopleserving 76– 1951: history” wasa other Biblicalprotagonistsareuniformlyarchetypal. in whichthepersonae areneverconvincingly and “historistic” (Barrett1972: 67), happens with the Gnostics’Jesusthatheacts as “the climax of aplay” orsome drama John’s Prologueandyethisnarrativeswithgeographicalaccuracy.) Italmostalways 1:15–2:23 yet his genuine interest in historical details in Gal 2; 4, or of the Evangelist historical detail, asintheNew Testament. (PonderthehighChristologyofPaulinCol Resurrection (cf. Acts 1:3). Itisnotasifthereamixtureofmythos andconcernfor the Mother, MaryMagdalene, Thomas, John, andJudas, andalmostalwaysafterthe canonical) interactionsbetweenJesusandhisdisciples, mostnoticeablyPeter, Mary the prophets, though “at theotherendofstory” comevarieddetailsof(extra- of Sodom and Gomorrah, Moses, and Solomon, and barely anything on David and Insofar asGnosticizingwriters faceduptothehistoricalemphasisinBibletheir Different explanationsaregivenfortheseproclivities – ​argued view ​ 113); thatGnosticsrewroteBiblebeginningsanditsChristichighpoint pseudos, abeareroffalsehoodconcernedwithmutability(e.g., Puech ​affected pathostensiblytoberecognizedbyothercampsmoreas , Gnosticapproachestohistoryare “unacculturated,” andearthly theproductofanalien, ​ — Garry W. Trompf — 15; ​ 46 evhua21: 177– Tervahauta 2015: ifstillattractivelymysterious “tribe.” thatforGnostics ​ 8). ​ Butitwouldbehard 99). ​ The Tripartite Inmyown “ordinary cultural ​ - - - ​

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Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 01:52 03 Oct 2021; For: 9781315561608, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315561608-4 etc. – ities – Ophites and/ Himself (NHCI.5.111, 113, cf. 105, 113.5);whileIrenaeusinformsusthatforthe really brokenrelationswith Jesus;thefaithfulfleeingJudeaattimeofJewish helping anddyingforthePharaoh againstMosesattheRedSea;JohnBaptist’s unfortunately self- die andgotoheaven;Shem bravelyholdingonoutsidethefloating Ark; Abraham “macrohistory” filling out newnarrative details – cosmo- Some interestingshiftsoccurwiththeMandaeans. Certainlytheyteach anelaborate standard, lessmythicizedhumanhappeningsinthe “Judeo- dénouement onearth, onlycomethroughgreaterseepagefrom(oracceptingof)more Signs of “more rootednessinhistoricalreality,” andalsohopesofafutureapocalyptic predicament. thetic forces” (seeKnox1961: 46– world isevil(aconcernsharedearlywithMarcionism), howitisaffectedby “sympa The Christ, whomostoftenavoids embodiment (e.g., Gilhus1985), explainswhythe heavenly Redeemer, simply dominates (reflect on Evans, Webb, and Wiebe 1993). narrative ofthemythic not clarifiedthatinclassicGnostictextswhatwearecallingcosmo- or Sethian “salvation history” (Stroumsa1984: 81– cf. Turner 2001: 93– heavens) affectshappeningsonearth(NHC V.5.70– and Sodomic Conflagration, as if what is worked out among the aeons (in thirteen their unfoldingover “thousands ofyears” seemmoresupernal, includingtheFlood The GospeloftheEgyptians “kingdoms”) allusivelycoveredinrelatedtexts, suchas to come( resurrected Christtoexplainsuchsignificantmacrohistoricalshiftsforanewtime impart the saving seed to Seth so as to help Noah during theFlood, and then send the appears, forwelearnof “three missions” ofthedivineBarbelotoenlighten Adam, VII.2.62– demiurgic Ptahil. However, they make moreofBiblicalandwiderhumanaffairs, their Kasia) andtheearthlyone(AdamPagria), thelatterbeingpartlyputtogether bythe guish strongly(asdovariousNHCtexts)betweenthe primal heavenly Adam (Adam diose conceptofworldhistory” thiscouldbemisleadingifitis (Quispel1992: 4), Moses (misplaced)andJohntheBaptist)( history offered (Adam, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, Solomon, the prophets, with III.6) in atextnot convincingly Christian anyway. hasaskeleton of Israel’s A rarity Exegesis oftheSoulitismorefororaculareffectbesideHomer’s Even when Jeremiah, Hosea, Ezekiel, Isaiah, the Psalms, and Paul are quoted in When wefindtalkthenofthe Valentinian “theologyofhistory” (Marrou1967), thecontentsoftheirmessagesbeingunimportant( ​ Moses, ​ ​history ofemanations(esp. ​64]) butonlythat. Apocryphon ofJohn or Sethiansspecificprophetsworkedbythepowerofspecifiedprincipal ​ THE INCIPIENCE AND EMERGENCEOF Amos andHabakkukfromIaldabaoth, SamuelandMicahfromIao, ​circumcising becauseof leprosy; theNasoraianMandaeans ​6; cf. — Gnosticsandtemporality — GNOSTIC MACROHISTORY Urzeit (veryaffectedbyJewishGenesistraditions)andofthe

ch. 10). With Sethian , onecanneverbeconvincedthattheyareterrestrial; [II.1]20–

54, ​ Ginza Rba 61– ​ 31). ism (seech. 47 ​5), Second Treatise oftheGreatSeth Butonfurtherstupendousevents(even andhowthesoulcanescapecosmic GYIII[Lidzbarski66– of ​ ​ 103), 11 ​ 82; III.2.56– Shitil (Seth), the first human to The Apocalypse of Adamand The Apocalypse ) some Age- orthat TT presentsa “gran Adversus haereses1.30.11). ​ Christian” ​65, ​ like periodization ​ 70]), esp. 56.10– Odyssey (NHC ​ history

anddistin tradition. , orthe [NHC The 25; ​ - - - -

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Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 01:52 03 Oct 2021; For: 9781315561608, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315561608-4 “Beginning, Mixture, andEnd” (apud Augustine, Mainyu (e.g., Bundahishn1.29;Zātspram 34.52). Manitalkedof Three GreatDaysof Light andDarkness, withafinalvictoryfor AhuraMazdainthebattleagainst Angra great Moments of separateness, intermingling, and the return of separation between occur (EznikofKolb, back toZurvanist, evenMazdaistideasofprimordialsacrificebefore Creationcan 7; Theodore bar Konai, verse fromfallingintoeviluntilthefinalresolution(esp. Mani, Light andDark, givingHimselftoallowfortheascentofsoulsandholdinguni- fice, withthePrimalMan(theeternalChrist)preparedtobridgechasmbetween view ofcosmicunfolding, admittedly, isenshroudedinthemythofcosmicsacri was initially moreZoroastrian- historical perspectivesandtheseventh- reflecting ZoroastrianandChristianapocalypticsources)toaccommodatematuring of pastkings(especiallyPersian)wasapparentlyinjected(intoGinzaRbaXVIII, (esp. their Gabriel- order akin to Jewish- denies reincarnationandalsoteachesaneschatology, aslidingintocorruptionanddis- forapartfromthevaryingfateofsoulsdown herethewholematerialorder (e.g., Epiphanius, eventually drawsbackintothedivine. U- (1978) thatGnosticsystemsreflectacyclicframingakintoourformulation ofthe the Baptist)(seech. earth through regular baptizing (this still surviving Gnostic tradition extolling John is thesavingelementinuniverse, circulatingLifeforsoulsbetweenheavenand If matterislookedonnegatively, asinmostotherearly “Gnosticisms,” Living Water betweenfireanddeluge(Nasoraia 100,000 years Trompf 2010– (in thefuture)air, afterCreation, forexample, thefirstcoming216,000 years with long drawn- And while some attention is paid to astro- worlds andthenseparatingoutintostreamsthatruntonamednationsoftheearth. a great pictograph of the cosmic Jordan (Yardna War; etc. Indeed, theMandaeans’intriguing and his disciples’ missions (Cologne Mani Codex against Cohn2001: 96– Zoroastrianism thecosmic consummation isputafaroff(Schweizer1956: 485– Jewish/ (Satan, Samael, etc.)canbemutedamongotheraeons. Yet Manichaeismismore the dualcosmicconflictinZoroastrianism, whereasinclassicGnosticism theDevil stressing finalvictory. ThegreatSatan- (esp. [Coptic] the “Great King,” andtheLastJudgementtoseparate “the sheepfromthegoats” coming ofthe “False Mithra,” victoryfortheManichaeanrighteous, thecomingof ​curve, By comparisonwithMandaeism, thecosmo- Such circulationisalsosuggestedinGnosticsystemsacceptingmetempsychosis Manichaeans definitelypaid attentiontoterrestrialevents, asinwritingonMani’s Harran Gawaita ​Christian thanZoroastrian forexpectinganimminentEnd, ​out ​ figure endingwiththeDarktriumphantandonlyNasoreanssurviving Homilies Ages, punctuated by four great catastrophesofsword, fire, flood, and Panarion 16 ​ Christian [Drower], [pp.]14– ). Suchinter- [Polotsky]28;with Widengren 1965: 66– Refutationes 2.1;cf. ​9, Liber Scholiorum 102– NHC II.1.26; VIII.1.45– 26.1– — Garry W. Trompf — apocalyptic visions, a 50,000- influenced, ​ ​4). ​ 10; ​connectedness bywaterpersuadedKurtRudolph ​ century Islamiceruption(cf. ​ figure loominginManichaeantextsmirrors 48 ​ 21). their [Scher, [pp.]235– pt. 1] ​ zodiacal Rivers Scroll(Diwan Nahrawata) offers As theEndwasdelayed, thelonglisting Bundahishn 4.20)aswelltothree ​ andmacrohistoryoftheManichaeans Endzeit pictures lookingto the over [Koenen and Römer], pp. 107– ) running from the celestial Light- Contra Felicem Manichaeum influences, greater focus falls on 6). ​ ​year Mandaeism, however, Psalm 219;Kephalaia ​ 7). earthly reign under earthly reign under Shapira 2010). whileinstandard The Manichaean ​ 41). 11: ​ This relates 399– 1.6), 423). ​ 91]), ​ 501; ​ - -

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Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 01:52 03 Oct 2021; For: 9781315561608, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315561608-4 tory and planetary movement ( ofworldhis- allegedly influencedtheManichaeans, whenhecalculated6,000 years developing Hermetic, Neoplatonic, and Theosophic speculation toourowntime, the the entrancetodevilsonearth(cf. Gen. 6:4). ForManiJewishhistorywasthatofa Mani’s Homilies 3.20). Serious usage of Jewish story materials, though, relates to Genesis, wished (“Hippolytus,” Refutatioomniumhaeresium the Jewish- professedly asthepromisedParaclete(esp. incarnating Persia’s Zoroaster, theBuddhainIndia, andJesus, Manithentaughtself- but mostfamouslyonasuccessionof “God’s Apostles” invariouslands. Allegedly historical issues(e.g., Contra Celsum the OldandNew Testament Godinhiscommentaries, andforlearnedtreatmentof is renownedforhisacceptanceofthewholeBible, foracceptingthe continuity of Rua, being “rehabilitated” ( (3.6.6), paralleltoaGnosticmotifofSophiaortheMandaeanQueen ofDarkness, 9). Underthisvisionofan “overall progress,” eventheDevilcanultimatelybesaved final RestorationandReturnintoGod( can require purging by rebirth into many worlds (not the same one as this) until the Creation, sufferfromtheFall, andareofferedredemptionthoughtheIncarnation, but Christian systematictheology( (e.g., Festugière1949: 125– evil, andMiddlePlatoniststookthedescentofsoulsinworldverypositively verse werereadasmoretodowithmutabilityandirregularitythananyintrinsic conceits inthesetraditionswasadmissiblebecausetheproblemsofmaterialuni- despite earthlyvicissitudesandhumanweakness. Adopting PlatonicandHermetic goodness ofGod’s (initial)Creation( Judaism, Christianity, andIslamisthattheselatteraccepteddefendedthedefinite macrohistory andthoseemergentwithinsettlingtrajectoriesofZoroastrianism, Epistolae Day amillennium(Trompf 1979b: 207– orthodox ChristiansforframingallhumanaffairswithinaGreat Week, witheach cols. 611– to Hell(Mani, helping theElecthavetoreincarnatecontinually, and “the Sinners” aredoomed throughwhich soul”“the Elect” (Gardner2010: 334) canbesaved, the “Soldiers” process (cf. Luttikhuizen1997: 96– andeventheprophetsare all devils(Hegemonius, “mythopoeic” andtiedintoanidiosyncraticallyconceived(“esoteric”)cosmologic 1963: 226– Nadim, devil- through thehelpofJews JosephusandPhilo Alexandrinus (e.g., Vita Mosis). Mosaic legislationisplaced longbeforePlato, withveryancienteventsrecountable History istelescopedoutfully, notjustwrappedwithin amythicenvelope. The great 8; Keph. 1;cf. Jn. 14:16). This modelperhapsderivesfromMani’s backgroundamong In theJewish- The centraldifferencebetweenthesehighlydistinctiveGnosticformsof ​god, Book ofGiants, possiblybasedonaccessto1Enoch, apparentlyexplaining Kitā 15.3– ​15], Christian Elchasites, ​ ​ 31), al- b hewasmorerecognizablyhistoricizingthanMani, indeedusefulto ​80). ismisleading. Ifobviously “macro,” theunfolding dramaishighly Book ofMysteries ​Fihrist Christian- ​ — Gnosticsandtemporality — [970s]9.1). To callallthisa “world history,” mindyou(Jonas ​ 6; Islamic trajectoryfromthen on, ​ Pistis Sophia Turner 2001: 454– ca whohadChristtakinghumanformwheneverhe Coniunctiones astrorum [ . 230), allimmortalsoulspre- 2– ​ 9), Bund 1.16– andintothe “history ofthe[collective]living- au Al- apud ​5 De Principiis 2.74– 49 11; cf. ​ . 2– Shabuhragan ​29; 3; Gen1:31;Jn1:3– ​ ​6; Commentarius inMatthaeum10.7). 2Pet3:8;with[pseudo- ​ 8). ​Nadim, Ginza When Origenpresentedthefirst 1.6.2– 10.29;cf. pseudo- pd Al- apud ButofcourseOrigen V– Fihrist 9.1). IfBardesanes Patrologia Syriaca ​ VI). ​5; 2.3.5;3.1.23– harboring as it has harboringasithas Acta Archelai ​ exist thewonderof ​Biruni, ​ 4; Qur’an32:7– Chronologia ​ Clementine ​]Barnabas, 12; Al- vol. 2, ​ 4, 6.1– ​ 8) ​ ​

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Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 01:52 03 Oct 2021; For: 9781315561608, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315561608-4 idea ofaGreat Week (asinRavCatina, [Babylonian Talmud] 209, withReeves1996: 11– of truthasHermesandPlato(seeEphremSyriis, by Manichaeanideasofalineaged “prophetic succession” andofsuchancientteachers Eleazar andPhinehas(MemarMarqah[ca. 370s]1.9), couldalsohavebeenaffected “chain” (shalshaloth)ofholyluminariesfrom Adam to Aaron’s priestlydescendants model ofalistprophetfigures, thoughmoreprobablyinspiredby theSamaritan narratives fromthefirsttwobooksofBible( touches. HistoricalmaterialsintheQur’anlookratherunacculturated, withmost earthly defilementandpunishmentwillfinallyend(Lam 3:31;1Enoch10:22). as apoorinferiortotherealEverlasting, bywhom “no oneiscastoffforever” andall The archangelMetatron, originallyconnectedwithEnoch’s translationto denied, but what we call a Gnostic “tendency to near- 16; 18), monitorsallspaceandtime. Greek- andsometimesseenasalesser heaven (Gen5: 24), YHWH (3Enoch[ 365– periods (mostlythreegenerations)(seeesp. Scholem1974: 23– vention, andineachreincarnations( in lengthornumericalweightasifthewholeprocessneededfinalmessianicinter a relevant 49,000 years inaneschatologicalGreatJubilee. Eachcyclewasundertheinfluenceof 7,000- teaching ofgreat Ages (behind equivalent” aslowestintheSefiroth, mediatingbetweenheavenandearth). arose (withMalkhut involved time, discussionoftemporal sequenceinthecreatedmaterialordernaturally chs. making forCreationandthepersistingidealofhumanreunificationwithGod(see is tial Adam,“pro- accompanied bydoctrinesof Ages and/ U- of a readier ascent back to the Divine rather than cosmic imprisoning. Where we find of descentfromabove” as Gnostic cosmo- Indic doctrinesofthevisibleworldasm “acosmic” increasing interestinlong- its highpointinthestudied listing ofprophets(25main, 124,000possible), heralding ment incosmiccycles(as, e.g., inPlotinus, Ennead4.9, orIndickarmicprocesses). Zoroastrian, Hermetic, Platonic, andIlluminist impetuses. ence, andthesearefoundaboveallinShi‘a thought, and from itsallowancesto pose here to introduce forms of distinctly Gnostic macrohistory in the Muslim ambi- (Ein Sof Kadmon (Gen1:26), thefirst(andanthropomorphic)emissionofDivineLight (Sefiroth, ortenemanatory “Utterances outofNothing”), andconcentrateson Adam curve modelsreminiscentofclassicGnosticismstillreappearingtheywillnowbe ​ Islam, fromitsverybeginning, reflectssignsofresidualGnosticmacro- At whateverpointithadformulation(probablyinearlymedievaltimes), Kabbalistic Jewish Kabbalah, whichhasancientrootsinmerkabah speculationabouttheceles- 34, ​ 81). ​ year greatcycles(basedontheplanetaryGreat ). Heisthe “Crown” and “Plan” behindthecosmo- 39). Yet ifitwasdisputedwhethereachheavenly “issuing” ( Sefirah Weltanschauungen withered, keptalivemainlyinManichaeanquarters( andmacro- ​ , eachendedinareturntochaos(beforere- ​ cosmos. , “Queen/ ” The ​historical envisionings, necessary materialization, therebycreatingthepossibility term historyamongIslamic scholars, ​ — Garry W. Trompf — ​ 17; cf. ​ Mother ofCreation” ee ha- Sefer Sefer Yezirah introducesfamous “paths” ofCreation

ch. ) occurred to purify for sin over specified gilgul) occurredtopurifyforsinoverspecified ​ or agreatersenseoftimedepth, 28). This mannerofsignpostingthepasthad ​Temunah ā 50 y ā ). When dealingwithmostpost- ​ philosophical Prose Refutations Taurat) andtheGospels(Injil). The significantly, theyaccept “moments [ . 1250]) went way beyond the went waybeyondthe ca. 1250]) eternalize ​ or Shekhinah Year) thatwouldendafter “eternity oftheworld” is creation), ​ historical Four ​ time” applies, if always ​ 7, 97a) into Sanhedrin 97a)into 43, 120– butitisourpur [Mitchell]2.208– a “good- a , butnotentrap each decreased eachdecreased ca. 500 hamshakhah) ​ 2, ​ historical Antique ​ 343– Worlds ​Sophia ] 4; CE] 4; pace ​ 7, - - -

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Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 01:52 03 Oct 2021; For: 9781315561608, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315561608-4 Ginan lists of the Imams (the Aga Khans) and their ongoing significances arecherished (e.g., school the Twelve Imams) becomes the period ofprophecyorsanctity( a superiorlegislativecyclebyMuhammad. Yet nowthetrulyuniversalbutesoteric Jesus, Muhammad), eachofwhommarkaseparatecycle, withallsixsealedthrough honoring onlysixasteachinganewlaw( framework of “prophetic gnoseology,” acceptingmanystandardprophets( events (seealsoch. imaginal succession ofmysticalimamsafterMuhammadasa “meta- Hamza ibn ‘Ali. The time ofal- – ‘Ali Noah- Seth, Creation), with key prophets and their foundations in the last septenary cycle – also appointedaspersonal guidesthroughthewholesystemfrombeginning of Light andShadow, septenary stages, and talk ofthefiveHudūd(divineprinciples left “delayed.” visible divine “successor” on earth (Trompf 1980: 8– 1955: 61– with Corbin1951: 165– the lasttooriginsinDivine(Idris ‘Imm cosmic processthatisoveralla “progress,” overcomingretardations, andrevertingat need nature and history as mirrors for accessing beauty and moral perfection, in a the Persian(cf. Qur. 62:2). Souls, necessarilydescending(“falling”)intomateriality, Muhammad knewthisesotericmeaningoftheQur’anicrevelationthroughSalman Hā 23 most likeaZurvanist Ahriman, haddisturbedtheoriginalcosmogonicflow( ignorance). ItfacesuntoldcatastrophesandthelastrevoltofIblis(theDevil), who, of the “historical” Adam, is of “total night” (with corruption, fornication, terrible (expressing divineindividualityonearthandangelichelp). Ourpresentcycle, that starts with “a partial Adam,” andexperiencesaguidingImamassociates themodelingisbasicallyoscillatory, greatcyclesofepiphany(“day”)and Everymajorcycle marked byalteredplanetaryconfigurationsover360,000 years. occultation (“night”)negatingeachotherinturn, eachwithsevenfolddivisions 813– ‘Shi’ite FatimidCaliphateinEgyptunderal- reappears strongly in haqīqat Corbin, e.g., 1966: 382– being thelastImamal- first Imam ‘Ali (Muhammad’s cousinandson- returning totheirBeginningin Allah (Ya‘qub alKulayni, Kitā of thecurrentcyclewillbeannounced, witheverythingandall(believers’)soulsthen ). fivestandardoneslistedabove,The cycleishelpedbysixprophets: the plusal- er obn(94 40– Henri Corbin(1964: For the Druze (not strictly Islamic) case (1017– This questforatheosophy, ordivinewisdom( kim, withtheImam- ​), ​ consummatedbytheFatimid Imamateandbyfounder s [Dossa]1, 4– ) expressed macro- hierognosis, consideredmuchtruerthanordinaryrecordingsofhuman , 74– ​3, hm Abraham- ​Shem, 3 87– ​83, 29). Butthisimamologicalsuccessionalsositswithinawider 6, ​ Batiniyyah “heretical” groups triggered by the unprecedented — Gnosticsandtemporality — 9), theKhojasviewing(fromQur. 2:28)the Aga Khanasthe Mahd ​ ​ to- , 102– ​8, ​7). ​ 74, Come presagingthe ​ ​

183– and hiero- ī, throughwhomthefinalImamwillcomeandend ​ 109) hasrightlydescribedShi’iteconcernforthe sme, Moses- ​Ishmael, 2 cf. ​12; wal H ​ ​221; ākim wasthe last station( āyat ch. Abu’l Jorjani[990s], withCorbinandMo’in ) hasunrolled: theImamate(inthedominant ​ historically plērōma, itsuniversalsealbeingtheShi‘as’ 51 31). InNizari(andKhoja)Isma‘ilismlong sharī’at) (Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, n, ādaddīn, H ​ in- ​ “total day” ofeschatologicalepiphany. ā ao, Jesus- ​Aaron, law)anditsparticularMuslimseal ​ kim (996– ), ​ hikmat ilāhīya we also find alternations between or as so- ar al- Zahr 10). ​ Consequently, the End is ​1021). ​ called ​Ma’ maqām), inwhichthe io, Muhammad- ​Simon, al- b orpara- ​ - leader oftheDruze ​ ) andgnosis( ānī InIsma‘ilism( ​K “historiosophy,” 10– , 4, 7– āfi [920s], with ​history” nabīs), yet 8, ​

​ Adam- ‘irfān, of ​ 13, ch. ca. ​

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Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 01:52 03 Oct 2021; For: 9781315561608, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315561608-4 periodic resurrectionsinangelicorderssevenstages( by cosmicdevolution(includinga Adam) toterrestrialitybackupthrough age theoryintohisvisionofagrandcosmiccycle( present, fifth Age, theworstone, minordeities/ He ordained 7,000- Yezidis takethePeacock Angel tomakere- as headofhisangelicheptad(Açikyildiz2014: 15). ClaimingtoworshiponeGod, the 14), Malak Tawus actuallyshowed puremonotheismforhisrefusalandwasreinstated worship Adam (cf. asbackground, with Adam andEve outofheavenlyParadisefornotobeyingthedivinerequestto Though lookinghomologouswithSatanandtheZoroastrian Ahriman, whenfalling of paradoxicalcarefortheFallen Angel (the Yezidi Peacock Angel orMalak Tawus). fearing divineloverstheworldhaseverseen” (SufiRaushan Ali1925: 136– the Arabs, bringingthroughthemthe “Heavenly Light” toengender “the mostGod- al- al- Ibn identifiedwithHermes, andkeptintwo linesoftransmission, one Greco- logically andrevivedbySuhrawardī’s Egyptian, strongerinalchemy, theotherPersian(involvingZoroaster), strongerastro 19: 56– and A’vSawī ānī affected Persian encyclopedist Abū Hā Druze notion of ibn- oration portendingacataclysmicEnd(butnotconvincinglyfinalone!)(Hamza Druze view, history is the playground of Providence and Fate. There is overall deteri- enough timeallowedforthesoul’s choicesthroughreincarnation. According tothe first stageisspirituallyidyllicandlonger, whilethelastoneofcrisisisshorter, with 1981: 189– from theutterlyindescribabledivineOne(see process (DivineIntellect, All- inatotalof343,000,000 years,of 4,900,000 years prefacedbyacosmicemanatory the macrohistorical system, withseven grand aeonic cycles ( Gnosis oftheIslamicmessagewasrealized. Yet thestressisonhugelengthof when Malak Tawas sentdivineemissaries upwards tocreatethesunandmoon, etc. nation avoidable. Hisoriginal descentmarksagoldenage, withourcosmosforming ( known deeplyamong all revealedreligions, radiatedthroughangelslikestarsinthenightsky, andwas was bentondemonstratingthateternaltruthalwaysexistedamongfollowersof also Anon., Mahābhrata 3.312), givenDruzeepistlestoIndianowbeingtranslated. with theIndic the cyclicaltrajectoryfrombesttoworstandbackmayreflectacquaintance pattern. Pythagorean, Platonic, Aristotelian, andHermeticinfluences arestrong, and was acommonSufiacknowledgementthatMuhammad, astheIdeal Man ( al- ​kamil More eclectically, inKurdish Yezidism (andrelatedminorities)wefindthepattern Other non- ḥ ​ ​‘Ali, ka al- ikmat ​‘Arab ​ 7), ), cameattheworsttimeinhistory, tothe mostignorantandwickedpeople, Rasā ​ 93). Chrysia epē ī, i al- ’il standard macrohistoricalvisionsreflectsignificantpropensities. ​ ​laduniyyah Fusūs al yuga pattern(idyllic Ineverygrandcycle(“globe”), separatedbycosmicdissolution, the MartyredPersianSufiandfounder- ], 1.3– al- ​Hikma ​Qiy ​ year ḥakīms (MastersofGnosis). Forhimaccess toDivine Wisdom ​6). Ḥikām). As a means of rooting thismysticismin Islam, there ; Ibnal- āma is a final reintegration of our world into its primordial - ​ long ) wasfirstdisclosedthroughEnoch/ , esp. 12– — Garry W. Trompf — inclusive Soul, ​ “vessels” (one involving a prior Flood), and in this our S ​ d, īd, Vita Adae etEvae 14 [1017– ​ Kitab al- Kṛta Yuga toevil i ar- tim Ishrāqī teaching(Ḥ 52 unity withtheDivinepossible andreincar ​ Word, Precedent, andFollower), issuing ​R ​ Ḥadā’iq; IbnSin, āzī soughttoaccommodate Zoroastrian ​ angels/ ​1020], ch. 32, with Trompf andKasamanie with De Smet 2007: 60– ​ kings establishedsevenmillennia dawr’at a’zamān), withdescent 12– Kali Yuga andback, asinthe Kitā ​ 17; NHCIX.1;Qur ikmat Alm al- A’lam b adwār), each made up ​ Idris (Gen5: Danishnama- IIluminist Suhraward ​ ​ al- ​Ishr ​Nubuwwa āq [1153];cf. ​ 7). ‘ala’i ​i 24; Qur. Isma’ili- Al- . 7;11– 7). ​ ​insan The [Al- 1; - - ī ​ ​

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Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 01:52 03 Oct 2021; For: 9781315561608, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315561608-4 di Fiore, asinJacobBoehme’s new Bahaism) holdingthecyclesoftimetocloseoff “Islamic dispensation” foratotally incarnating as Adam, Jesus, andMuhammad, andfurtheron, Babists(precursoryto Shabakand their ownunusuallineages: the Ahl- through EnochandNoah, whileotherMiddleEasternethno- ( Tawas returns, openlyreinstatedbyGodasvictoraftermillenniaofHell’s threats) (the lastwithhischosenpeople, theKurds, beinggiventheirlanguagebeforeMalak (Isis years tion ofebbandflow” overhugeaeonsintheoveralllength of 4,320 million the worldproceedingincycles, likethephysical one.” There was “a regularalterna ch. the Druze, onto Boehme, Giordano Bruno, even Emanuel Swedenborg (see previous Essenes, Gnostics, the(Mandaean) “Nazarenes,” Origen, Plotinus, Kabbalists, Sufis, truths alive, fromIndia’s ancient arrestingly detailedalineageofconfraternitiesthatkept multi- successive groupsofInitiatesintotheMysteries[Pike1871: 277, 379– wisdom (e.g., FreemasonryontheBuddhaasfirstknown “Masoniclegislator” andon Secret Doctrine(1888). While concedingsecretsocieties hadplottedlinesoftransmitted fundamental textsofmodernGnosticmacrohistory: (Rosicrucians, Martinists, etc.)couldre which someofthosewhokeptsustainingearlieresoteric framesofsynoptichistory Lurianic- Christian Kabbalism(see Trompf 2005: 707– macrohistories, certainlywithinOccidentalChristianthought- Kabbalah followedbythree- Noah. Notealso Trinitarian orthree- event- thought, butusuallytheenvisioningisofbroadestcosmo- natura), andreturnofalltoGod( descent andascentofsouls, theprincipleofdivineprocession(exitus), creation(as Theosophical Society(TS). Relevantcomponentswereadmittedlypresent. We findthe Logos, wecanbarelytalkofanattested “Gnostic macrohistory” inthe West untilthe in Orthodoxy(viaMaximustheConfessor)thatallhumanhistoryincarnates still remainsaliveingnoseologyorsoph[i]ology(chs. If intheIslamicandByzantineworldsreflectiononsuchinterestingframeworks or 35). Earlymodernspositedlineagesofshareduniversalwisdom(of Gnostic thought, itisbettertoreferthemas expositors deployingthesemotifstypicallydissociatethemselvesfrom(“heretical”) theories ofgreat Ages. Yet since, even ifideasofGnosisordeep Wisdom occur, Western [ Mishaf iResh ch. We owetoUkraino- philosophia perennis), fromancientsourceslikeantediluvianEnochandEgypt, or 2). ShealsoleftonethegrandestEuropeanvisions of “the spiritualevolution of , vol. 1, pp. 30– 40 Endzeit (‘Ali MuhammadShirazi, Bayán ​ patterns), ]), theturningpointcomeswithmodern(upper- ​ Kabbalist impactsinthe ; with orelse(aswithBogomilism)ofgreateventstranspiringinheaven( 5), ​ ch. surpassingfiguresofthe Druze – — Gnosticsandtemporality — MODERN DEVELOPMENTS Russian HelenaBlavatsky ​ 33). The Yezidis believetheyoriginatefrom Adam ( staged humanhistory ​ Sechs mystische Puncte rishis throughHermetists, Zoroastrians, Orphics, to reditus), especiallyinHermeticandPlatoniclinesof West [ ​ staged visionsofcosmicunfoldingaffectedby - ​read theminteraliaas chs. 53 34, [1847]). ​ 13, ​ e Haqqbothhonoring ] or such Masons as De Pasqually 39] orsuchMasonsasDePasqually with , co- medieval Cistercian Gioacchino à lamedievalCistercianGioacchino esoteric (1620); and we see various other (1620);andweseevariousother founder ofthe ​ ch. Isis Unveiled (1877)andThe 37, withwhomsheoutrageously ​ or(lower- 39). Exceptionsaside(e.g., 38), itbecominga ​ religious minoritieshave case) ​ “Gnostic.” ​ modes, history (notterrestrial ​ ​ millennia- Theosophy, after ​ case prisca theologia TS (1875– even including evenincluding 90]), ​ ‘Ali forearlier ​ old Gnostic theosophic) Blavatsky not Eve!), gnō ), ​ the ch. sis -

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Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 01:52 03 Oct 2021; For: 9781315561608, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315561608-4 of civilizationsin “our historicalorder” – reincarnations (Theosophie1922), Steinerpaidmuchmoreattentiontothesuccession civilizations ( TS version)andthemarginalizingofChrist. Overandaboveexpositionsofthelost basic “Akashic” macrohistory, butreactedagainstthefavoringofBuddhism(inits famously, Austrian Rudolf Steiner, founder of Anthroposophy (1923– tothe macrohistories inbreakawaymovementsandthinkers requirerecognition.Absolute, Most butlike Vishnu’s mightyex- on forever(Trompf 2013: 383– U- young KrishnamurtiafterBlavatsky’s death). The cycling alwayswindsback, asina Aryan superiority, andtheprospectofa “messianic” Maitreya- (as “primitives”), withsignsofamorehighlyspiritualSixthemerging(markedbythe “Over- Druze motif) to facilitatenirvanicescapes from theroundsandre- reincarnations, Spirit “Masters” movingthroughthecourseofthingsasguides(a 3– Enoch [Laurence 1883] Ethiopic Enoch, acceptedasindicativeofantediluviantruthandforesight(e.g., [1] a true spiritual science was legitimated by the newly accessible translation of the current state, whichispreliminary to areturning Ascent. That the TS hadaccess to pitri history ofhigher(althoughincreasinglymoreproblematic)civilizations – to ourworld(aDruzefeature), thecosmicDescentinvolvedavastlylongproto- produced thebodilyoutcomeseenthrivinginustoday. Inthe “globe” pertaining alization, beforethemeetingofhigherandlower- where heexpoundedtheideaofhugeBuddhist- master- their myopiathrough a long- crisis inhertime, anditwasaclaimof back intimeastoembarrassthenewlypopularDarwinists(Trompf 1998: 270– religion toIndia” ( and, joiningthecurrent “Indo- numbers, however, clearlyderivedfromnewresearchesintotheIndian Popul Vuh Ages ofGreece(takenseriously), theEgyptian by myths about greattime- claimed membership(Letter110[Algeo]). The generalframeworkseemedconfirmed radicallymodified Theosophicalcosmology byrevivingancientMiddle- (1921– 1984: 172– (McDermott and Greco- highest etherealplanes, inhabitingincreasinglysolidbodiestowardnecessarymateri slowly progressed, fromstonestohigherorganisms, humanitydevolvedfromthe The essenceofBlavatsky’s finallydisclosed “Gnosis” wasthat, while materiallifevery lating cycles(thoughstillgivingthemsuchHindunamesas logical positionbycompetitor Alfred Sinnettin ​curve, Apart fromshiftsofrelevantviewpointsinthelong- Blavatsky hatedmodernmaterialisticevolutionistsforcausingamassivespiritual Greco- s,” Hyperboreans, Lemurians, and Atlanteans, andtheir “Root Races” – ​Soul. ​), ​ work, ​Armenian GeorgesGurdjieff, , aby- ​Roman- ” InourtimetheFifthRootRaceprevails, remnantsoftheFourthsurvive divergingfrom u dr Akasha- der Aus ​ then betterunderstoodMayantext. 71) and detectvestigesofveryancientcivilizationssofar Letter 71) and ​ Christian epochs ​3). 6). ​ passages taught ​ — Garry W. Trompf — lost ​ Within thewholecosmicprocesssoulsweretestedby Isis, answerspressurestosystematizethe TS cosmo mania, ​ ​Chronik ​ 90; French2000: 192– “akashic” text. The alternative visioninthissecond – ” shesoughtto “trace” virtually “every ancient withChristbecomingtheconsummating point ​ 10) andrepeatedkarmically- 1904) Christian- The SecretDoctrine 54 theIndo- ​ around the globe, inthe Golden- nero, andalsopriorworldstoldofin ​ looking andseeminglyendless The MahatmaLetters ​esoteric founderof ​ V edic, Persian, Egypto- natural evolutionaryprocesses ​ Blavatsky’s extravagantlyhigh ​ 235; with ​ andinhalingapparentlygoes term historyofthe ​ manvantaras and thatshecouldconfute ch. 44). figure, ​ absorption intothe ​ kalpas (aeons), ), ​ (1880– identifiedas accepted the “The Work” appropriate ​ ​ Chaldean, of ​ TS itself, ​ toour to- ​ yugas). ​1884), “great undu- Asian ​ ​ 6). ​Iron - - ​

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Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 01:52 03 Oct 2021; For: 9781315561608, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315561608-4 Evola the Greek Golden Age (the Indic moderno) (1934)andtherestorationanewMithraismtopreservelost of Italy’s occult Druidism, a residual Arctic “Boreal” culture being also celebrated by Giulio Evola primordial wisdomwerenorthern(Hyperborean), fragmentarilyavailableinCeltic (1927) andthe West’s processes broughtaboutincreasedmaterialization, orthe honored Blavatsky’s frameworksof René Guénon, paradoxically, whilerenouncing Theosophy asa “pseudo- states isthepurposeofsubtlecosmiccycles(Pecotic2004). French Traditionalist ours that can be re- civilizations, includingthepyramid- increasingly lessrarifiedina “totallymaterialuniverse.” Membersofearlyandlost teaching abouttheRayofCreation, throughwhichdivineLightand Tonality become Religious Movements(NRMs). ContemporaryLatter- [Shabdists]), andfeaturesinvarious New Rosicrucians]; Johnson[1939] 1980: 175 of new- ious crisestowardthesupramental stateof “Gnostic Being” (Varma 1976: 134– on adeclining West, illustratesthegrandspiralofhumanity’s advancethroughser to Civilization, andthemeetingofcultures, asintheimpactof(Veda- divinely guidedby “Christ- Friedrich Rittelmeyertofurtherspiritualevolution in thewholecosmicprocess and the Templars. Traditionalists andPerennialistsso- connection withhistoricfact,” fromRosicrucians, ProvençalCatharpaper- secret signsof “Gnosis orsecret Wisdom ofthe Ancients,” oftruthsneeding “no Wilber’s 1983title “Up from Eden.” (e.g., NHCII.7.94.15), theJungianimplicationisexploredmacrohistoricallyinKen 1951). Though ancientGnosticswerenotaversetoreferringtheultimate “Root” recover contactwiththeinner, unconsciousDeepthrough dreamsandsymbols(Jung atic situationof “exteriorized” over- humanity’s veryslowascentfromthe with CarlJungimpliesanapparentinversionoftheGnosticU- for example, asidefromSigmundFreud’s possibleKabbalizing, depthpsychology threads inthecomplexarrayofrelatedmacroscopicoutlooks. Inpsychoanalysis, capital Thule) where Atlanteans survived(cf. ch. 45). Aryan descentandaccessto Wisdom from “Hyperboraea” (Arktogaa/ 171; Trompf 1998: 292– and imperialsuccession, aftergodsmatedwithhumans(Gen6:2)(Godwin2011: 88– from distantgalaxies,” withtheFallhappening, andconsequent “cycles ofdecadence” statues – possible allthemysteriousmonuments – Gnostic strand(see Anthroposophically inspired stressed continuityofthesamedeepwisdominall greatreligioustraditions. The Deep wisdom passed on through adepts and Masters is of course a characteristic 7– Symbolist HaroldBayley(1912: These better- ​ esoteric andNew ​ asan “eternal racethatlivesineternalcycles, …travellinginflyingsaucers Ur ​ known modernGnosticoverviewswillrecallmanyandvaried - ​group (1927– ch. attained, ​ — Gnosticsandtemporality — Reign ofQuantity 56), Culture, “based onthetruthsoflife,” isalwayssuperior ​ 5). Age thought(e.g., Atkinson [?] Helios” ​ Germanic “Ariosophical” linesofthoughtstressedpure Christengemeinschaft while themaintenance and recovery of higher- ) astheprimalbasisfora ​ yugas andlostcivilizationsforunderstandinghow ( builders, ​ Christus, 1936). InSri Aurobindo’s alternative done conscious ​ depths oftheunconscious, intoaproblem Kṛta Yuga) was that of the gods, who made 9) taughtthatFreemasonryinheritedthe ​ ​ pyramids, 55 (1945). Forsolutionsthebestremnantsof possessedasuperiorconsciousnessto is proclaimed by founder (1922– megalithichenges, EasterIsland life that needs to probeand ​ day Saints, called ( ​ ‌ [1908]2003: ) ​ Crise dumondemoderne Rivolta controilmondo chs. forexample, see curve bypositing ​ Arktos, ​ 48, Gnosis. For ​ based) East 3 [forneo- 49) have ​ religion, ​ makers, andits being ​ ​ 65). ” - - ​

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Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 01:52 03 Oct 2021; For: 9781315561608, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315561608-4 [e.g., Nation ofIslam, “the whitedevils” (notthehellish “black devils” ofoldGnosticizers inine HolySpirit, toprepareforextraordinarytimesahead(Trompf 2012: 69). recently fully expoundedby Sri Mataji NirmalaDevi, asMother, true Eve andfem “the KnowledgeofReality” thatwasconveyedbythe(divine)SerpentinEdenand Kali Yuga isfollowedbytheintermediateSatya Yuga (nottheGolden Age), allowing modify the tive macrohistoriesofnewreligionswithstrongGnosticfeatures. SomeIndianNRMs chapters ahead. “ordinary history”features, usuallytakenasoflittle interestcomparedtosuccessions hopefullyusefultoguidethosewantingnegotiatecomplexterrain inthe (Kant 1990). Butwehavediscernedamajorpatternandfamilyof characteristic of masters, prophets, avatars, etc. bespeakinghowDivinity “descends onearth” affairs – Obviouslyvariables comeintothevisioning, whetherreincarnation, for origin- interestingly, andother Traditionalists, atleastasaliteraltruth). Differencesover instance, expressesfutility, orapossibility toprogress, oris justdenied(byGuénon, a U- to theentanglementsandpredicamentsofmaterialworld, ontoreturnasin in broadcompass, especially the grandcosmic visioning ofdescentfrom on high, and asaclustering, however, providesacrucialwindowinto “the Gnostic World” and lefttoleaders). Forustoscrutinizetheseconstructionsfortheirowninterest special detailsoftheconstructedpastoftenbeingtoohardtorememberanyway, unfoldings andgreatprocessesonly serve toconfirmthecurrentlyofferedgnosis(the benefit “rightnow” attheendofitsstory(yetcf. Matt. 20:16). Therevelationsabout “insider- last shallbefirst,” asinthespecialrealizedeschatologyof nature ofthings. ButthatisquitegenerallytrueofallGnosticmacrohistories: “the itual eliteorlong- of blackredemptionisathand(Walker 1990: 344– ago. InacosmologywarpingIsma‘ili/ 6,800 years way to “clear” ourselvesofthethreat(Rothstein2009: 379– on earthfromverylong- is thatourworldhasbeeninfiltratedbydangerousentitiescalled Thetanstrapped on earthinpriorprophets(Trompf ForScientologists, 2012: 76). theesotericgnosis Indo- is farinferiortothehiddenLordofuniverse(Bracht1990: 97– the DivineCouplepropagatinghumansforourworldfromaminorplanetcalledKolob The BookofMormon themselves heirstoaholyRemnantpassedoninthesupplementaryBiblicalstories Ali, Raushan. 1925. “Sufism.” William Hare (ed.). Açikyildiz, Birgül. TheHistory ofaCommunity, 2014. The Yezidis: CultureandReligion The typicalsalvific purportofthesenewermacrohistories isthatablessed spir Some Living Religions withintheEmpire Some Living London: Tauris. ​curve. ​Persian MeherBabaholdhimtobetheGod- Acta Thomae ​points, ​ ​listeners” yuga systemtoallowinthe Theosophical framework, sothatthepresent emanations, and ofthemyth- ​deserving oppressedgrouparenow 55])resultedfromevilFrankenstein- aboutIsraelitetribesreaching America, whilealsoteachingthat ​ passed galactictensionsandRonHubbardhasrevealedthe — Garry W. Trompf — teloi canapply, andovervalues placedonhuman history ​ REFERENCES , from the persuasive “Spinners of Time,” London: Macmillan: 135– . 56 Religions of the Empire: A Conferenceon Religions oftheEmpire: A ​ Man forourtime, Druze cyclicalparadigms, ​ ​ 6; “truly- ch. Pistis Sophia(2.87), because ​ like engineeringin 51). These areallalterna ​ 83, in- ​ ​the- and ​47. ​ 133). butalsoas ​know” ch. Followers of Followersof 59). Forthe aboutthe the time thetime Arabia Arabia avatar - - - .

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