Category Archives: Apocalypticism/Mysticism

In God’s Image and Likeness: An Interview with author Jeffrey M. Bradshaw

By David Larsen | Published: December 8, 2009
In God’s Image and Likeness: Ancient and Modern Perspectives on the Book of Moses is a newly published work by Senior Research Scientist and LDS author Jeffrey M. Bradshaw, PhD.  I have, in the past couple of years, come to know Dr. Bradshaw and his excellent work in religious studies, and am very excited about [...]
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SBL Notes 2009: Daphna Arbel — Religious Experience in Early Judaism and Early Christianity

By David Larsen | Published: December 3, 2009
Daphna Arbel (read by Robin Griffith-Jones) Moshe Idel and Religious Experience in the Hekhalot Literature Moshe Idel’s research features an open methodology – a pluralistic/interdisciplinary approach His work is  representative of a new scholarly view of Judaism – based on experiential orientation The focus of his research principally covers Judaism of the 4th to 9th [...]
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Society of Biblical Literature: New Orleans

By David Larsen | Published: November 24, 2009
Well, another SBL annual meeting has come and gone.  I had a great time this year here in New Orleans.  For some reason, the conference was not as well attended as in past years, but it was still an enlightening experience. Despite the fact that my connecting flight from Atlanta was delayed two hours (which [...]
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Huchel’s “The Cosmic Ring-Dance of the Angels: An Early Christian Rite of the Temple” Released!

By David Larsen | Published: August 18, 2009
Back in June I posted the text of Frederick M. Huchel’s powerful presentation at the 2nd UK Temple Studies Group Symposium, entitled “The Cosmic Ring-Dance of the Angels: An Early Christian Rite of the Temple.” (If you missed that, click here. It’s an enlightening read!) I have now received word that Frithurex Press has just [...]
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Introduction from Dr. Andrei Orlov’s “Divine Manifestations in the Slavonic Pseudepigrapha”

By David Larsen | Published: August 9, 2009
As promised in my last post, with Dr. Orlov’s permission, I am posting a link to the full introduction to his new book Divine Manifestations in the Slavonic Pseudepigrapha . Click here: Orlov Introduction The intro is over 20 pages long, but it is well worth your time to take a look at it.  Dr. [...]
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St. Seraphim and the Fruits of the Holy Spirit

By David Larsen | Published: February 19, 2009
For my History of Theology course, we were required to read a text which focused on the teachings of a Russian Orthodox monk known as St. Seraphim of Sarov (1759-1833).  After living much of his live as a hermit and then in seclusion in a monastery, towards the end of his life, he opened his [...]
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New Materials to Explore

By David Larsen | Published: June 25, 2008
Great Book on Deification I recently received an e-mail from my Church Educational System (CES) supervisor, Thomas F. Olmstead–I will soon be starting my second year as a volunteer early-morning seminary teacher–who informed me of a great book that deals with the doctrine of deification as it was passed on in the Greek Orthodox tradition. I [...]
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Angelomorphic Holy Spirit

By David Larsen | Published: June 12, 2008
The Form of the Holy Spirit  In my last post on the Ascension of Isaiah, I noted how in that document, Isaiah, while in the highest Heaven, sees a figure standing near God’s throne, which his angel guide informs him is “the angel of the Holy Spirit.” Isaiah sees him as a glorious standing figure comparable to the [...]
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