Synthemata and Symbola

”Living Theurgy” is a fascinating but extremely difficult book authored by Jeffrey S Kupperman, a member of the so-called Apostolic Johannite Church, a “Gnostic” group based in the United States. The book deals with Neo-Platonism, but is unusual in the sense that Kupperman, although a scholar, claims that Neo-Platonist theory and practice form a viable spiritual path. Since many Neo-Platonist writings are lost, Kupperman attempts to reconstruct the path by using widely divergent sources and his own creative imagination. Thus, this is not a scholarly book but rather a kind of Neo-Platonist re-imagining for advanced seekers.

Kupperman's interpretation of Neo-Platonism is centered on Iamblichus, but also draws inspiration from Proclus, Julian the Philosopher (otherwise better known as Julian the Apostate, the last pagan emperor of Rome), the so-called Greek Magical Papyri (PGM), Pseudo-Dionysius and Marsilio Ficino. Kupperman sounds “pagan”, but believes that Neo-Platonism can be combined with Christianity, Judaism and Islam. He doesn't sound particularly Gnostic in the ancient sense of that term, rejecting notions such as strict dualism or an evil Demiurge.

As indicated by the title, “Living Theurgy” is a book about the much-maligned Neo-Platonist practice of theurgy, often seen as a form of ritual magic. To the author, theurgy is rather a path to divinization. Its highest form entails the calling forth of the theurgist's personal daimon or guardian angel. Other forms include possession, the animation of sacred statues and talismanic magic. A large part of “Living Theurgy” consists of descriptions of elaborate rituals, including long prayers and hymns. Many of the rituals are “freely based” on ancient sources. It seems that the original theurgic rituals have been irretrievably lost. The material on talismans is taken from Ficino's writings. Kupperman emphasizes that theurgy is impossible without prior philosophy and “theology”. The soul is purified through philosophical insights and religious worship. Even political activity on behalf of the community can be a form of prior purification. (Here, Kupperman takes a cue from the extremely interesting study “Platonopolis” by Dominic J O'Meara.) Thus, while theurgy is in a sense an esoteric practice, the exoteric practices are equally necessary, not in order to dissimulate in front of the dumb multitude, but as preliminary spiritual steps towards the esoteric goal.

Although “Living Theurgy” is primarily about ritual worship and magic, the chapters on the philosophical and theological aspects of Neo-Platonism are just as extensive. The author deals with such issues as the problem of evil, incarnation and reincarnation, the relationship between Fate and Providence (hint: they are the same), the different kinds of gods and daimons (described in surprising detail), and microcosm/macrocosm. The philosophy chapter also includes meditation exercises. Kupperman admits that the Neo-Platonist sages didn't always agree, and when they don't, tends to side with Iamblichus. It's interesting to note that Iamblichus was more positive towards matter than other Platonists, and that he seldom attacked Christianity. Otherwise, I get the impression that the author is enamored with Ficino, to the point of treating his talismanic-astrological magic as a form of theurgy, while admitting that this isn't the standard view (since Ficino attempts to “pull down” divine energies rather than “raise up” his own soul).

As already indicated, this is not a book for the general reader, and I admit that I only skimmed some sections. Here is an example of how Kupperman can sound like: “The Paradigm is also Aion, lion-headed Eternity, the vertical extension of the One-Being in the noetic realm. This association places the Father of Demiurges at the summit of the noetic realm, as an intelligible aspect of the One, hence the first Demiurge’s pre-essential nature. In this respect, Proclus’ interpretation of Aion encompassing the whole of the noetic realm has some merit. Aion is the three noetic moments existing at the noetic, noetic-noeric, and noeric levels, as well as the encompassing monad and henad, the unifying divinity, of the noetic realm.” (Kindle Locations 2771-2777). This is actually a relatively easy passage!

Personally, I nevertheless found the work intriguing, and even “meditated” (well, sort of) on some of its ideas, including Fate-Providence. For that reason, I give it four stars. If the Philosophia, Theologia and Theourgia (or Synthemata and Symbola) contained herein will, fatefully or otherwise, bring us closer to God, is, alas, not a question I can answer at the present time…