I have been researching the Lutheran alchemists again, this time Heinrich Khunrath (1590 – 1605). He was a German physician, hermetic philosopher, and alchemist whose most famous work was Ampitheatrum Sapientae Aeternae (Ampitheatre of Eternal Wisdom). John Warwick Montgomery has pointed out that Johann Arndt (1555 – 1621), who was an influential author of LutheranContinue reading “The Christian alchemy of Heinrich Khunrath”
Tag Archives: alchemy
A spotters guide to alchemical symbols
These are some of the most common symbols in Alchemy and consequently the ones you’ll most likely encounter, if you keep your eyes open. In my experience they come up, not only in explicitly magickal contexts, but also in movies, gaming, music videos, and other expressions of pop culture. It is worth noting that theContinue reading “A spotters guide to alchemical symbols”
Where Wisdom Is Found
I was thinking this interlude from Job sounds a bit alchemic 🙂 There is a mine for silver and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore. Mortals put an end to the darkness; they search out the farthest recesses for ore in the blackestContinue reading “Where Wisdom Is Found”
Kabbalistic Speculation in Rennaisance Christianity
An unusual diagram don’t you agree? It shows a Christian appropriation of the Kabbalistic ideas of Ein-Soph and the Sephiroth which I found buried in an article on Jung and Western Mysticism where the author, Dr. J. Glenn Friesen, suggests Jung owed more to Kabbalah and Alchemy than Gnosticism.
Christian Art for Alchemists?
I am not sure who the artist was who put this image together but I find it very intriguing. It’s an image of the Pantocrator, that is, of Christ represented as the ruler of the universe. But some of the symbolism would seem to be straight out of alchemical artwork.
Luther on Alchemy
In researching Christian Hermeticism in general, and Christian explorations of Alchemy and Tarot in particular, I came across this fascinating comment by Martin Luther, yes, the father of the Protestant Reformation: “The science of alchemy I like well, and, indeed, ’tis the philosophy of the ancients. I like it not only for the profits itContinue reading “Luther on Alchemy”
Meditations on Sol and Luna
I have been meditating on sacred symbols a lot lately. Symbols serve important functions in many cultures. In Understanding Folk Religion the authors write: “Nondiscursive signs do not refer to things directly – they point towards things that cannot be expressed in ordinary words. They go beyond the limits of discursive language to speak indirectlyContinue reading “Meditations on Sol and Luna”
Palingenesis: to be reborn
A movie I was watching the other day mentioned palingenesis in reference to alchemy. Essentially it means born again. It has got me thinking on how this may be used in conversations with contemporary alchemists in explaining the resurrection and its life implications. Now I recognise my Christian readers may be under the impression thatContinue reading “Palingenesis: to be reborn”
Curious Christian 