RePresenting Magic, UnDoing Evil: Of Human Inner Light and Darkness

RePresenting Magic, UnDoing Evil: Of Human Inner Light and Darkness
Author: Alexandra Cheira
Publisher: BRILL
Total Pages: 148
Release: 2020-04-14
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1848881444

This volume was first published by Inter-Disciplinary Press in 2012. The chapters assembled in this e-Book are a taste of an ongoing discussion on evil and magic which promises to last as long as ‘the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing’ and while the realisation that ‘magic is believing in yourself: if you can do that, you can make anything happen’ does not become a global motto. The first group of chapters, collected in Part I, addresses the ethics and effects of translating magic into literary representations, as well as real-life current practices, of creativity and personal change on the one hand, and of the harmful, malevolent infliction of pain on a third party on another, thus challenging the boundaries of the cultural binary constructions of magic as either good or evil. In Part II, the second group of chapters examines several philosophical, theological, historical, literary, political and pop culture attempts towards understanding different meanings, and kinds, of evil, thus broadening our perception of what evil is and how it has been theorized from Plato to contemporary international politics. This is our time, our call, our responsibility, to undo evil by carrying the magical torch of good to the next station – so that good, as if by magic, can also become contagious among the human kind.

Afrikaners and the Boundaries of Faith in Post-Apartheid South Africa

Afrikaners and the Boundaries of Faith in Post-Apartheid South Africa
Author: Annika Björnsdotter Teppo
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 169
Release: 2021-09-30
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1000441687

This book examines the shifting moral and spiritual lives of white Afrikaners in South Africa after apartheid. The end of South Africa’s apartheid system of racial and spatial segregation sparked wide-reaching social change as social, cultural, spatial and racial boundaries were transgressed and transformed. This book investigates how Afrikaners have mediated the country’s shifting boundaries within the realm of religion. For instance, one in every three Afrikaners used these new freedoms to leave the traditional Dutch Reformed Church (NGK), often for an entirely new religious affiliation within the Pentecostal or Charismatic churches, or New Religious Movements such as Wiccan neopaganism. Based on long-term ethnographic fieldwork in the Western Cape area, the book investigates what spiritual life after racial totalitarianism means for the members of the ethnic group that constructed and maintained that very totalitarianism. Ultimately, the book asks how these new Afrikaner religious practices contribute to social solidarity and integration in a persistently segregated society, and what they can tell us about racial relations in the country today. This book will be of interest to scholars of religious studies, social and cultural anthropology and African studies.

A New Gnosis

A New Gnosis
Author: David M. Odorisio
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 263
Release: 2023-01-01
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 3031201272

Superhero phenomena exploded into 20th- and 21st-century popular culture by way of the visual medium of comic books. In an increasingly secular (yet spiritual) culture that has largely renounced “the gods” (and even religion), what does the return of the superhero through our own pop cultural mythologies say to us—or even about us? This collection of essays from leading and up-and-coming scholars in the fields of comparative mythology and depth psychology considers the return of the superhero as representative of our own unique emergent modern mythology: a wildly diverse pantheon that reflects back to us our most far-reaching hopes and (im)possible (super)human desires. In placing the interpretive tools of comparative mythology and depth psychology alongside the comic book phenomenon, a super-powered palette emerges that unveils the hidden potential of modern readers’ own heightened imaginations. The essays in this anthology examine select comic book and superhero characters from the “Silver Age” 1960s through contemporary 21st-century adaptations and innovations, as readers are invited to discover and uncover what the (re)emergence of these perennial gods and goddesses have to say about our own secret super selves today.

The Farthest Shore

The Farthest Shore
Author: Ursula K. Le Guin
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 288
Release: 2012-09-11
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 144245993X

When the prince of Enlad declares the wizards have forgotten their spells, Ged sets out to test the ancient prophecies of Earthsea.

Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft

Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
Author: Raymond Buckland
Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide
Total Pages: 344
Release: 1986
Genre: Body, Mind & Spirit
ISBN: 0875420508

"This complete self-study course in modern Wicca is a treasured classic - an essential and trusted guide that belongs in every witch's library."---Back cover

Light

Light
Author:
Publisher:
Total Pages: 642
Release: 1902
Genre: Parapsychology
ISBN:

Dimensions of Deceit

Dimensions of Deceit
Author: Richard Dudgeon
Publisher: eBookIt.com
Total Pages: 223
Release: 2024-06-14
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1456652265

Dive Into A Dystopian Odyssey In a not-so-distant future, the world you know teeters on the edge of chaos. What if history's darkest moments and forbidden prophecies all pointed toward one inevitable doom? Welcome to "Dimensions of Deceit: A Dystopian Nightmare", where reality unravels into an interwoven tapestry of secrets, revolutions, and cosmic intrigue. Embark on a gripping journey through a world shaped by clandestine rituals, shadowy alliances, and extraterrestrial machinations. From the ominous summoning by the Daimonic Circle, through the perilous whispers of revolution, to the dire revelations of forbidden knowledge, each chapter peels back layers of deception. This is a realm where psychological warfare blends with trans-dimensional conflicts, and where mighty nations fall under the sinister rise of a new world order. Picture grim landscapes where corrupt power bastions are breached, and humanity's last hope rests in a tenuous resistance. Witness the extraordinary as ancient prophecies materialise, revealing cosmic battles and alien conspiracies that stretch beyond the veil of our reality. Engage with the dark night of the soul, as heroes and villains are forged in the crucible of a world on the brink. As the Resistance finds footing, guerrilla tactics spark a flicker of hope amidst relentless despair. Through intricate deception and intense battles, will truth and redemption prevail? Dive deep into this meticulously crafted dystopian saga where every chapter lurks with suspense and a revelation awaits behind each page. "Dimensions of Deceit: A Dystopian Nightmare" is not just a novel; it is an experience that challenges your perception of reality and questions the very fabric of human existence. Dare to uncover the legacy within, and venture into a narrative where the stakes are immeasurable, and the journey unforgettable.

The Tombs of Atuan

The Tombs of Atuan
Author: Ursula K. Le Guin
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 208
Release: 2012-09-11
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1442459905

"With a new afterword from the author"--Jkt.

I Love Jesus, But I Want to Die

I Love Jesus, But I Want to Die
Author: Sarah J. Robinson
Publisher: WaterBrook
Total Pages: 257
Release: 2021-05-11
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0593193539

A compassionate, shame-free guide for your darkest days “A one-of-a-kind book . . . to read for yourself or give to a struggling friend or loved one without the fear that depression and suicidal thoughts will be minimized, medicalized or over-spiritualized.”—Kay Warren, cofounder of Saddleback Church What happens when loving Jesus doesn’t cure you of depression, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts? You might be crushed by shame over your mental illness, only to be told by well-meaning Christians to “choose joy” and “pray more.” So you beg God to take away the pain, but nothing eases the ache inside. As darkness lingers and color drains from your world, you’re left wondering if God has abandoned you. You just want a way out. But there’s hope. In I Love Jesus, But I Want to Die, Sarah J. Robinson offers a healthy, practical, and shame-free guide for Christians struggling with mental illness. With unflinching honesty, Sarah shares her story of battling depression and fighting to stay alive despite toxic theology that made her afraid to seek help outside the church. Pairing her own story with scriptural insights, mental health research, and simple practices, Sarah helps you reconnect with the God who is present in our deepest anguish and discover that you are worth everything it takes to get better. Beautifully written and full of hard-won wisdom, I Love Jesus, But I Want to Die offers a path toward a rich, hope-filled life in Christ, even when healing doesn’t look like what you expect.