05.11.2020

“Demonology and Devil Lore: The Mythology of Evil” by Moncure D. Conway

Magick Matters
"Demonology and Devil Lore: The Mythology of Evil" by Moncure D. Conway
"Three Friars, says a legend, hid themselves near the Witch Sabbath orgies that they might count the devils; but the Chief of these, discovering the friars, said—‘Reverend Brothers, our army is such that if all the Alps, their rocks and glaciers, were equally divided among us, none would have a pound’s weight.’ This was in one Alpine valley. Any one who has caught but a glimpse of the world’s Walpurgis Night, as revealed in Mythology and Folklore, must agree that this courteous devil did not overstate the case. Any attempt to catalogue the evil spectres which have haunted mankind were like trying to count the shadows cast upon the earth by the rising sun....>>
View
05.11.2020

“Witch, Warlock, and Magician” by William Henry Davenport Adams

Magick Matters
"Witch, Warlock, and Magician" by William Henry Davenport Adams
"Alchemy, Magic, Witchcraft--how exhaustively they have been investigated will appear from the list of authorities which I have drawn up for the reader's convenience. They have been studied by 'adepts,' and by critics, as realities and as delusions; and almost the last word would seem to have been said by Science--though not on the side of the adepts, who still continue to dream of the Hermetic philosophy, to lose themselves in fanciful pictures, theurgic and occult, and to write about the mysteries of magic with a simplicity of faith which we may wonder at, but are bound to respect."...>>
View
05.11.2020

“Queer Spiritual Spaces: Sexuality and Sacred Places” by Kath Browne, Sally R. Munt and Andrew Kam-Tuck Yip

Magick Matters
"Queer Spiritual Spaces: Sexuality and Sacred Places" by Kath Browne, Sally R. Munt and Andrew Kam-Tuck Yip
"Drawn from extensive, new and rich empirical research across the UK, Canada and USA, Queer Spiritual Spaces investigates the contemporary socio-cultural practices of belief, by those who have historically been, and continue to be, excluded or derided by mainstream religions and alternative spiritualities. As the first monograph to be directly informed by 'queer' subjectivities whilst dealing with divergent spiritualities on an international scale, this book explores the recently emerging innovative spaces and integrative practices of queer spiritualities. Its breadth of coverage and keen critical engagement mean it will serve as a theoretically fertile, comprehensive entry point for any scholar wishing to explore the queer spiritual spaces of the twenty-first century."...>>
View
04.11.2020

“Dangerous Religious Ideas: The Deep Roots of Self-Critical Faith in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam” by Rachel S. Mikva

Magick Matters
"Dangerous Religious Ideas: The Deep Roots of Self-Critical Faith in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam" by Rachel S. Mikva
🕵️🐷🕵️ zero-day🕵️🐷🕵️ "Reveals how faith traditions have always passed down tools for self-examination and debate, because all religious ideas--not just extremist ones--can cause harm, even as they also embody important moral teachings. Scripture's abiding relevance can inspire great goodness, such as welcoming the stranger and extending compassion for the poor. But its authority has also been wielded to defend slavery, marginalize LGBTQ individuals, ignore science, and justify violence. Grounded in close readings of scripture and tradition in Christianity, Islam, and Judaism, religious scholar Rachel Mikva shows us that the Abrahamic religions have always been aware of their tremendous power both to harm and to heal. And so they have transmitted their sacred stories along with built-in...>>
View