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Issue-05-Clear BESHARA MICHAEL SHALLlS Science, Religion and the Symbolic World ROBERT MULLER the United Nations BRIAN KEEBLE the Poetry of Vernon Watkins TED PAWLOFF the Gaia Hypothesis· PETER YOUNG Ibn 'Arabi's Sufis of Andalusia' JANE TOWNES Peter Brook's Mahabharata . MICHAEL COHEN the Ghost in the Atom' CHRISTOPHER RYAN Suleyman the Magnificent and more ... Ismail Hakki Bursevi's translation of and commentary on FUSUS AL-HIKAM by Muhyiddin Ibn 'Arabi rendered into English by BULENT RAUF with the help of R. Brass and H. Tollemache The Fusus al-Hikam is one of Ibn 'Arabi 's most important works. It consists of twenty-seven chapters, each treating a unique aspect or 'bezel' of the Divine Wisdom as exemplified in a particular prophet in the line from Adam to Muhammed. Volume 2, just published, includes chapters on Noah, Idris (Enoch), Abraham, Isaac and Ishmael. Volume 1, consisting of Ismail Hakki Bursevi's Introduction and chapters on Adam and Seth, is still available. "This book is beyond ordinary measure. It is beyond the general run of mystical writings and it is more than just a book of meanings. It is to do with the very meaning of meanings, with the meanings, the realities and the knowledges of God ... " fr om Rosemary Brass's Foreword to Vo/ume 2 Hardback £40.00 (including postage worldwide) A vailable from all good bookshops and from the Muhyiddin rbn 'Arabi Society, 23 Oakthorpe Road, Oxford OX2 7BO, England BESHARA THE MAGAZINE OF THE BESHARA TRUST Issue 5 Spring 1988 NEWS FEATURES THEATRE 2 11 33 1000 Years of Christianity in Science, Religion and the The Mahabharata Russia Symbolic World Jane Townes reviews Peter Brook's The Millenium celebrations coincide Dr Michael Shallis considers the world staging of this great Indian epic with a new attitude to religion. view presented by the traditional, in Los Angeles A report by Jane Clark. sacred, sciences and their relationship to our modem science. 4 Able, reverent men 19 Martin Notcutt reports on the Gifford The United Nations Lectures, which celebrate their Robert Muller, former Assistant Secre­ centenary this year. tary-General, assesses the achievements of the UN in its first 40 years. 6 Can't we Make Mankind feel 22 EXHIBITIONS Grand? Time's Glass Breaks 35 Peter Yiangou comments on the Brian Keeble writes on the metaphysics architectural views of of vision in the poetry of Vernon Siileyman the Magnificent HRH The Prince of Wales. Watkins. Christopher Ryan reports on the Ottoman golden age as presented at the 8 British Museum. Gaia Comes of Age Ted Pawloff assesses a new scientific BOOKS BESHARA theory. 26 24 Sidney Street, Oxford OX4 3AG. Sufis of Andalusia Telephone: <?xford (0865) 243406 Fax: Oxford (0865) 722103 Peter Young introduces Dr R. ISSN 0954-0067 W. J. Austin's translation of Muhyiddin Ibn 'Arabi's work. EDITOR: Jane Clark. ASSISTANT EDITORS: Alison Yian­ 28 gou, Cecilia Twinch. The Ghost in the Atom ART EDITOR: Lesley Abadi ILLUSTRATIONS: Julie Dry, Ruth Michael Cohen reviews this introduction Kenner, Evelyn Morrison to the phenomenon of 'non-locality' ADMINISTRATION: Judy Keams The Dalai Lama addresses the Global which is causing consternationamongst COVER DESIGN: Lesley Abadi after a Survival Conference in Oxfo rd. See page 7. physicists. < painting by Mondrian 31 BESHARA is published by the Regular Features Beshara Trust, a registered educational The Spiritual Hunger of the News in Brief 7 charity, No.296769. Modern Child Letters 25 Beshara Trust News 38 Extracts from 10 lectures introduced by Copyright on all articles is held by The Beshara Trust. Permission for multiple Notes on Contributors 40 J.G. Bennett, reviewed by Cecilia Twinch. photo-copying and reprinting is required. BESHARA 1000 Years of Christianity in Russia NEWS The Holy Trinity Monastery o/St Sergius at Zagorsk. Courtesy of KeslO1I College 1000 Years of Christianity in Russia n 1988, millions of Christians in the describe it. We know only that God dwells her duty to protect the Christian fa ith and I ". USSR and throughout the world will there among men ... the Orthodox tradition. The power and celebrate the thousandth anniversary of So it was that Vladimir decided to be influence of the Church grew and in 1589 the baptism of Grand Prince Vladimir of baptised into the Greek Orthodox church. it was able to declare itself a patriarchate. Kiev - an act symbolic of the beginnings Shortly afterwards, his choice was veri­ The 19th and early 20th centuries espe­ of Christianity in Russia. fied by a miraculous event. He went to cially saw a great flowering - both in Vladimir ('The Saintly') was prince of war, and on capturing the Greek town of terms of territorial expansion, with mis­ the medieval Slavic state of Rus to which Chersonese in Crimea, demanded of the sionaries reaching Siberia, Alaska, Cali­ three modern states - Russia, Ukraine and Byzantine Emperors' the hand of their forn ia and Japan, and in the development Byelorussia - trace their history. The sister, Anne, in marriage. Whilst waiting of Russian spirituality through exponents story of his conversion is recounted by the for his bride to arrive, he became blind, such as Saint Seraphim of Sarov and Saint monk Nestor of Kiev (late I I th century) but his sight was miraculously restored on Tikhon of Zadonsk. in his celebrated Chronicle. He tells how his baptism by the bishop of Chersonese. The revolution of 1917 saw the radical the prince, wishing to choose a religion, Completely converted, he returned to separation of Church and State and harsh invited delegations from the re ligions of Kiev with his new wife and commanded suppression of re ligious practices, with all his neighbouring peoples and how, that the pagan idols should be destroyed the closure of the majority of churches, consequently, representatives from Is­ and that the entire population should be monasteries and schools. The official lam, the Latin Christians, the Jews and a baptised in the Dnieper. teaching in schools condemned the role of 'Greek Philosopher' travelled to Kiev to This legend, which is clearly based on the Church in history and encouraged state their case. historical fact (although the date of 888 is atheism. Interestingly, the emigration of When they had returned home, Vladi­ only approximate), contains a number of many Russians during this period contrib­ mir retired to reflect on all that he had elements which have remained dear to the uted to an increasing awareness of Rus­ heard, then sent out embassies to inquire Russian church to this day; the deliberate sian Orthodox spirituality in the West, in­ how the Muslims and' the Christians choice of Orthodox Christianity, the cluding the art of icon painting which, prayed. Unimpressed by the worship of importance of prayer and the emphasis on derived originally from Byzantium, has Islam and the Latin Christians, the em­ the beauty of the liturgy. survived as a living tradition in Russia. bassy eventually visited Constantinople, The position of the Church began to where they witnessed a service in the improve after the second world war, and great church of the Hagia Sophia. Through Rus, Christianity s�read to other in 1943 the election of a patriarch was There, they were overwhelmed by the nations in EasternEurope, and beyond, as once again allowed. Soviet citizens are splendour of the Divine Liturgy, and re­ far as the northernterritories of the Asian guaranteed freedom of conscience under ported, on their return,that they knew not continent. Afterthe fall of Constantinople article 52 of the Constitution, but many if they were "In heaven or on earlh,for on in 1453, Russia became the last major activities, such as propagating or teaching earth there is no such splendour or beauty independent Orthodox State and, regard­ religion, are still forbidden. The official to equal this and we are at a loss how to ing Moscow as the 'Third Rome', saw itas endorsement of the Millenenium celebra- 2 ISSUE 5 1000 Years of Christianity in Russia BESHARA The Virgin of tions marks a further change of attitude. Vladimir. The policies of glasnost and perestroika Known as 'Our have given impetus to tolerance (the Lady of Tender­ peace-making role of the church is much ness', this fa mous emphasised) and new legislation, which icon was commis­ will substantially improve religious free­ sioned }i'om an un­ doms, is expected this year (I). known artist in Constantinople hy Prince I:yaslov of Kiel' around J 132. Details of the celebrations themselves Now kept in the have only been partially made known. Trelyakol' Gallery Announcements have indicated that there in Moscow. it has will be a special Sabor (meeting of the exercised a Church's national council) in early June powelful influence at the Holy Trinity Monastery of St Ser­ over Russian icon gius at Zagorsk. This, only the third since painters and the the revolution and the first since 1917 greatest of them, which is not concerned with the election including Andrei Ruhlel', have of a new Patriarch, will include discussion produced their own on foreign relations, peace-making ef­ I'ersions of it. forts, publishing and the canonisation of saints. The Sabor will be preceded by a liturgy in the patriarchal cathedral of the Epiph­ any in Moscow on June 5th. On 10th and 12th June there will be official celebra­ tions, to which foreign guests are invited, in the Cathedral of the Resurrection in the Danilov Monastery in Moscow, and also in Kiev, Leningrad, Vladimir and other cities. Jubilee services and meetings will also be held in all the dioceses and par­ ishes. The Millenium coincides with what seems to be a religious revival in Russia, upbringing of children, in prayers fo r ter'.
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