Michael Williams on the Trouble with 'Gnosticism'
Professor Michael Williams leads us on a tour of ‘Gnosticism’, both as a term (used and misused by ancient heresiologists, Reformation-era polemicists, modern scholars, and even modern ‘Gnostics’) and as a group of late-ancient religious texts which are very, very interesting, but which should proba
Primary Sources
Pistis Sophia
The 'Pistis Sophia' is a profound 4th-century Gnostic gospel that challenges traditional narratives, presenting a transfigured Jesus who reveals 'higher mysteries' to disciples like Mary Magdalene and Martha. This edition, meticulously preserved by scholars like Petermann and Woide, serves as a gate
Demotic Magical Papyrus of London and Leiden
The Demotic Magical Papyrus of London and Leiden represents a landmark in Egyptology, serving as the latest known manuscript written in the Demotic script. Editors Griffith and Thompson argue that while its contents of magic and medicine are inherently fascinating, the text’s true value lies in its
Demotic Magical Papyrus of London and Leiden, Vol. 3
This third volume of Griffith and Thompson’s seminal work serves as the ultimate philological grimoire, providing the essential linguistic framework for interpreting one of history’s most significant magical texts. It doesn't just translate; it decodes the 'Voces Magicae'—magical words of power—and
Pistis Sophia: A Gnostic Gospel
G.R.S. Mead’s translation of the Pistis Sophia offers a profound window into Gnosticism, presenting a cosmic drama of fall and redemption that centers on the suffering and thirteen repentances of Sophia. Mead argues that these texts are not mere 'libertine' heresies, but sophisticated philosophical
Greek Magical Papyri (Papyri Graecae Magicae)
Karl Preisendanz’s monumental edition of the Greek Magical Papyri offers an unfiltered gaze into the 'working library' of the ancient magician. Far from mere superstition, these texts present a sophisticated theurgy where practitioners employ 'voces magicae,' animal sacrifice, and solar liturgies to
Papyri Graecae Magicae (Complete)
The 'Papyri Graecae Magicae' offers an unparalleled window into the 'lived religion' of late antiquity, presenting a gritty, practical manual of sorcery far removed from abstract philosophy. This collection assembles a dizzying array of rituals—ranging from the high theurgy of self-deification to th