Examine a rich history of spiritual interpretations from antiquity to the present Since the sixteenth century CE, the field of biblical studies has focused on the literal meaning of texts. This collection seeks to rectify this oversight by integrating the study of esoteric readings into academic discourse. Case studies focusing on the first three chapters of Genesis cover different periods and methods from early Christian discourse through zoharic, kabbalistic and alchemical literature to modern and post-postmodern approaches. Features: Discussions, comparisons, and analyses of esoteric appropriations of Genesis 1–3 Essays on creation myths, gender, fate and free will, the concepts of knowledge, wisdom, and gnosis Repsonses to papers that provide a range of view points

motw/Hidden Truths From Eden_ Esoter - Caroline Vander Stichele.pdf

Semeia Studies, Volume 76 : Hidden Truths from Eden : Esoteric Readings of Genesis 1–3

Caroline Vander Stichele and Susanne Scholz (Editors)

Susanne Scholz; Caroline Vander Stichele

Vander Stichele, Caroline(Editor)

Society of Biblical Literature. Semeia studies -- number 76, Semeia studies -- no. 76., Georgia, 2014

Semeia studies, number 76, Atlanta, GA, 2014

United States, United States of America

First, First Edition, FR, 2014

Semeia Studies, 2015

producers:
Adobe PDF Library 9.0

Memory of the World Librarian: Slowrotation

Includes bibliographical references and indexes.
Internet Archive - 2
Internet Archive 2

Part 1: Early Christian explorations. Adam, Eve, and the serpent in the acts of Andrew / Anna Rebecca Solevig
Imperial propaganda in paradise? Christ as eagle in the Apocryphon of John Tuomas Rasimus
A fitting portrait of God: Origen's interpretations of the "Garments of Skin" (Gen 3:21) / Peter W. Martens
Part 2: Zoharic, Kabbalistic, and alchemical speculations. Bifurcating the androgyne and engendering sin: a Zoharic reading of Gen 1/3 / Elliot R. Wolfson
The Genesis of Christian Kabbalah: early modern speculations on the work of creation / Peter J. Forshaw
The mystery of Mysterium Magnum: Paracelsus's alchemical interpretation of creation in Philosophia ad Atheniensis and Its early modern commentators / Georgiana (Jo) Hedesan
Part 3: From modern to post-postmodern (re- )visions
Beyond postmodernism? esoteric interpretations of Gen 1/3 / by E. Swedenborg, R. Steiner, and S.D. Fohr, Susanne Scholz
Restoring a broken creation during times of Apocalypse: an essay on the analogical symbolism of fall and integrity in the metaphysics of Bila Hamvas (1897/1968) / Lszl-Attila Hubbes
The Bible and Africana esoterism: toward an architectonic for interdisciplinary study / Hugh R. Page Jr.
Part 4: Responses. Strategies of esoteric exegesis / Elaine Pagels
Esotericism and biblical interpretation / Samuel D. Fohr.

Contents 6
Preface 8
Abbreviations 10
Introduction 12
Part 1: Early Christian Explorations 18
Adam, Eve, and the Serpent in the Acts of Andrew 20
Imperial Propaganda in Paradise? Christ as Eagle in the Apocryphon of John 40
A Fitting Portrait of God: Origen’s Interpretations of the “Garments of Skins” (Gen 3:21) 66
Part 2: Zoharic, Kabbalistic, and Alchemical Speculations 96
Bifurcating the Androgyne and Engendering Sin: A Zoharic Reading of Gen 1–3 98
The Genesis of Christian Kabbalah: Early Modern Speculations on the Work of Creation 132
The Mystery of Mysterium Magnum: Paracelsus’s Alchemical Interpretation of Creation in Philosophia ad Atheniensis and Its Early Modern Commentators 156
Part 3: From Modern to Post-Postmodern (Re)Visions 178
Beyond Postmodernism? Esoteric Interpretations of Gen 1–3 by E. Swedenborg, R. Steiner, and S. D. Fohr 180
Restoring a Broken Creation during Times of Apocalypse: An Essay on the Analogical Symbolism of Fall and Integrity in the Metaphysics of Béla Hamvas (1897–1968) 208
The Bible and Africana Esotericism: Toward an Architectonic for Interdisciplinary Study 230
Responses 246
Strategies of Esoteric Exegesis 248
Esotericism and Biblical Interpretation 258
Contributors 280
Index of Sources 284
Index of Authors 292

Examine a rich history of spiritual interpretations from antiquity to the present
Since the sixteenth century CE, the field of biblical studies has focused on the literal meaning of texts. This collection seeks to rectify this oversight by integrating the study of esoteric readings into academic discourse. Case studies focusing on the first three chapters of Genesis cover different periods and methods from early Christian discourse through zoharic, kabbalistic and alchemical literature to modern and post-postmodern approaches.
Features:
Discussions, comparisons, and analyses of esoteric appropriations of Genesis 1–3
Essays on creation myths, gender, fate and free will, the concepts of knowledge, wisdom, and gnosis
Responses to papers that provide a range of view points
Caroline Vander Stichele is universitair docent at the Faculty of Humanities of the University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Her publications include the co-edited Creation and Creativity: From Genesis to Genetics and Back (Sheffield Phoenix).
Susanne Scholz is Professor of Old Testament at Perkins School of Theology in Dallas, Texas. She is the author and editor of numerous works, including most recently Sacred Witness: Rape in the Hebrew Bible (Fortress).
**

"This unique volume features case studies and examples of diverse esoteric interpretive approaches and methodologies focusing on Genesis 1-3 and covering different periods from early Christian discourse through Zoharic, Kabbalistic and alchemical literature to modern and post-postmodern approaches"-- Provided by publisher

"This unique volume features case studies and examples of diverse esoteric interpretive approaches and methodologies focusing on Genesis 1-3 and covering different periods from early Christian discourse through Zoharic, Kabbalistic and alchemical literature to modern and post-postmodern approaches"--Résumé de l'éditeur

2025-10-27