Curious Christian

Exploring life, art, spirituality, and the way of Jesus

Qabalah and the Christ

Published by

Matt Stone

on

2017-01-31

I wonder how many Qabalists have uncovered this ancient prophecy regarding the Messiah: And the Spirit of YHWH shall rest upon him, the Spirit of CHOKMAH and BINAH, the Spirit of counsel and GEBURAH, the Spirit of DA’AT and the fear of YHWH. (Isaiah 11:2) I take it as a…
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Cultivating Visions through Biblical Meditations

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Matt Stone

on

2017-01-20

The following extract comes from, “Cultivating Visions through Exegetical Meditations” by Dan Merkur, an article from “With Letters of Light: Studies in the Dead Sea Scrolls, Early Jewish Apocalypticism, Magic, and Mysticism” by Daphna V. Arbel and Andrei A. Orlov (Eds.) What I found fascinating in this article is Merkur’s suggestion of…
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Even where we disagree, could we agree on which issues are less important?

Published by

Matt Stone

on

2016-12-07

I think most Christians recognize that not all beliefs they hold are of equal of importance. Firstly there are those beliefs that Christians throughout history have considered essential to authentic Christianity. Consider, for instance, that the New Testament Canon and the Nicene Creed are affirmed for the most part by…
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Coincidentia Oppositorum In Nicholas Of Cusas Sermons

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Matt Stone

on

2016-11-13

I just finished reading a fascinating paper on Coincidentia Oppositorum In Nicholas Of Cusas Sermons by Jasper Hopkins. The closest thing I can compare it to is the philosophy of the Buddhist sage Nagarjuna, with its echoes of Nagarjuna’s teachings on co-dependant origination. Those familiar with Zen or Taoism may get…
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Evelyn Underhill on the difference between mysticism and magic

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Matt Stone

on

2016-11-13

Here’s an interesting perspective from Evelyn Underhill (Mysticism, 12th ed, p.70-71): “The fundamental difference between the two is this: magic wants to get, mysticism wants to give —immortal and antagonistic attitudes, which turn up under one disguise or another in every age of thought. Both magic and mysticism in their full…
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The hermit and the hunter

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Matt Stone

on

2016-11-03

A hunter in the desert saw Abba Anthony enjoying himself with the brethren and he was shocked. Wanting to show him that it was necessary sometimes to meet the needs of the brethren, the old man said to him,”Put an arrow in your bow and shoot it.” So he did.…
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Strangely warmed

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Matt Stone

on

2016-10-27

Symeon of Daibabe had this saying, When you throw a nail into a fire, it gets hot and starts to glow like fire. In the same way you, when you listen to divine teachings and live accordingly, will become like God.
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The hermit and the thieves

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Matt Stone

on

2016-10-20

Once some thieves came to an old hermit and said, “We are taking everything in your cell.” He answered, “Take whatever you need, my children.” They took almost everything in the cell and left. But they missed a little bag of money that was hidden. The elder picked it up…
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What is a god?

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Matt Stone

on

2016-10-15

A problem with classifying world views as polytheistic or monotheistic or atheistic is that we’re not always using the word theos, that is, god, in the same way. Monotheistic worldviews that emphasise the oneness of God have rarely excluded concurrent belief in angels. Which begs the question: how exactly do…
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Taste it for yourself

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Matt Stone

on

2016-10-13

St Basil the Great once said, As it is impossible to verbally describe the sweetness of honey to one who has never tasted honey, so the goodness of God cannot be clearly communicated by way of teaching if we ourselves are not able to penetrate into the goodness of the…
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