Sethian Luminaries in the Texts of Ritual Power and Related Coptic Compositions
Several texts of ritual power in Coptic contain the names of four spiritual powers known in the Sethian sources as luminaries. The article explores the relations between luminaries of the Nag Hammadi works and the “magical” and related texts. Two aspects are analysed. First, the sequence of luminari...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Brill
2023
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| In: |
Gnosis
Year: 2023, Volume: 8, Issue: 1, Pages: 102-125 |
| Further subjects: | B
Sethians
B Ancient Magic B texts of ritual power B Nag Hammadi B luminaries |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | Several texts of ritual power in Coptic contain the names of four spiritual powers known in the Sethian sources as luminaries. The article explores the relations between luminaries of the Nag Hammadi works and the “magical” and related texts. Two aspects are analysed. First, the sequence of luminaries, which is highly standardised in the Nag Hammadi Sethian dossier, and deviations from this standard in other texts help assess relations with original Sethian sources. Second, the texts of ritual power portray luminaries singing and playing musical instruments. The article traces the elements of the heavenly concert already in the Sethian texts. It also presents a development of this motif under the influence of the common Christian concept of the angelic concert in heaven. |
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| ISSN: | 2451-859X |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Gnosis
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1163/2451859X-00801006 |