Living Theurgy: A Course in Iamblichus’ Philosophy, Theology and Theurgy

352 Pages·2014·1.71 MB·English

by  Jeffrey S. Kupperman

LIVING THEURGY
A COURSE IN IAMBLICHUS’
PHILOSOPHY, THEOLOGY, AND
THEURGY

Jeffrey S. Kupperman

Published by Avalonia
www.avaloniabooks.co.uk
Βούλευσαι ἐπιμελέστερον,
γνωθι σαυτόν,
ἀνάκρινον τὸ δαιμόνιον,
δίχα θεου μὴ ἐπιχειρήσης.

Take careful council,
Know thyself,
Consult the daimon,
Undertake nothing without God.
- Delphic Maxim

Joyful Hermes, hoary Djehuti,
God-like Michael, bless this work
with your wisdom and fill us with
a glory that none may shirk.
Living Theurgy: A Course in Iamblichus’ Philosophy, Theology, and Theurgy
Copyright © 2013 Jeffrey S. Kupperman All rights reserved.
First Edition, May 2014
This Kindle Edition September 2014

Original cover art and all other illustrations by Jeffrey S. Kupperman.
Copyright © 2014 Jeffrey S. Kupperman. All rights reserved.
Design by Satori, for Avalonia.

Published by Avalonia
BM Avalonia
London WC1N 3XX
England, UK
www.avaloniabooks.co.uk

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data. A catalogue record for this book is available from the
British Library.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or utilised in any form or by any means,
electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, microfilm, recording, or by any information storage and
retrieval system, or used in another book, without written permission from the authors.
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION
A BRIEF SURVEY OF FIVE IMPORTANT NEOPLATONISTS
PHILOSOPHIA
A LIVING PHILOSOPHY
VIRTUE
ON EVIL
POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY
BEAUTY
LOVE
THEOLOGIA
FIRST PRINCIPLES – THE ONE
THE SPIRITUAL AND NATURAL REALMS
THE DEMIURGE
THE GREATER KINDS, THE GODS, AND THEOLOGY
THE GREATER KINDS, CONTINUED
THE HUMAN SOUL
CULTUS
THEOURGIA
ON THEURGY
MEDICINE, TALISMANCY, AND THE PNEUMATIC VEHICLE
ANIMATED STATUES & DIVINE POSSESSION
THE INVOCATION OF THE PERSONAL DAIMON
APPENDICES
AN APOPHATIC THEORIA
GUIDE TO PRONOUNCING HIERATIC NAMES
GLOSSARY
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Acknowledgments
To my family: Gretel, Ilyana, and Evelyn. To the Gnostikoi who encouraged
me to not stop writing: Bishop +Shaun McCann, Bishop +William Behun,
Bishop +Martin Jacobs, Bishop +Laine Petersen, Monsignor Scott Rassbach,
Rev. Tony Silvia, Rev. Donald Donato, Rev. John DiGilio, Rev. Michael
Strojan, and especially Monsignor Jordan Straford, who graciously allowed me
to steal the name of one of his books. To my other friends who have supported
this work with their interest and encouragement: Shilo Orellana, Glenda
Shephard, Damon Lycourinos, Christopher Plaisance, Dean Wilson, Paul
Hardacre, Sibylle Leon, Alex Rivera, Perigrin Wildoak, Candice Bundy,
Stephanie Austin, Al Billings, John Griogair Bell . . . and an angelic choir of
others who simply won’t all fit here.
Abbreviations General Abbreviations AJ: Apocryphon of John
CO: Chaldean Oracles
ETH: The Emerald Tablet of Hermes
Jn: Gospel of John
PGM: Papyri Graecae Magicae (Greek Magical Papyri) Aristotle:
Nich: Nichomachean Ethics

Dionysius the Areopagite
CH: Celestial Hierarchy
DN: Divine Names
EH: Ecclesiastical Hierarchy
MT: Mystical Theology

Ficino, Marsilio
DAm: De Amore
DV: De vita libri tres

Iamblichus
DA: De Anima
DM: De Mysteriis
In Alc: In Alcibiadem
In Phaednm: In Phaedonem
In Phileb: In Philebum
In Tim: In Timaeum
In Soph: In Sophistam
L2: Letter Two – To Anatolius, On Justice
L3: Letter Three – To Arete, On Self-Control
L4: Letter Four – To Asphalius, On Wisdom
L5: Letter Five – To Dexippus, On Dialectic
L8: Letter Six – To Dyscolius, On Ruling (?)
L8: Letter Eight – To Macedonius, On Fate
L10: Letter Ten – To Olympius, On Courage
L12: Letter Twelve – To Sopater, On Fate
L16: Letter Sixteen – To Sopater, On Virtue
L19: Letter Nineteen – To an Unknown Recipient, On Marriage
Theo Arith: On Ethical and Theological Arithmetic

Plotinus
Enn: The Enneads

Plato
Crat: Cratylus
GHip: Greater Hippias
Gorg: Gorgias
Parm: Parmenides
Phaedr: Phaedrus
Phil: Philebus
Rep: Republic
Soph: Sophist
Symp: Symposium
Theat: Theaetetus
Tim: Timaeus
Porphyry
DAb: De Abstinentia

Proclus
ET: Elements of Theology

Sallustius
CGU: Concerning the Gods and the Universe