
Exploring the forgotten and rejected story of Western thought
| Publishes | Monthly | Episodes | 215 | Founded | 8 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Category | Education | |||

In Part II we explore two of Stephanos' works: the astrological piece entitled Apotelesmatikē pragmateia, with its katarchic ‘Horoscope of Islam’, and his influential, vexing, and beautiful alchemical work, On the Great and Holy Art of Gold-Making.
We speak with Maria Papathanassiou about Stephanos of Alexandria: the last known Platonist/Aristotelean philosopher trained at Alexandria, a politically-connected courtier at Herakleios' Constantinople, a Christian, an astrologer, an alchemist, and m... more
We head back to Constantionple with Jonathan Greig at the controls, to discuss the quintessentially Orthodox mystic, Maximus the Confessor. Late-Platonist apophasis meets hard-core ascesis, and Maximus follows the theology where it wants to go, somet... more
Christopher Bonura introduces us to the Apocalypse of Pseudo-Methodios, a seventh-century Syriac prophetic universal history. Come for the Arab conquests reflected in Christian revelation, stay for the apocalyptic Roman emperor.
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Fantastic stuff! I'm not really into esotericism but when something is told so well, not reductive and appeals to intellect then I will listen obsessively. Thanks.
I would give it 5* except for the blind adherent to Edward Said's now much maligned, massively simplified and inaccurate view of the perception of the East. It's time that everyone moved on that considerable mistake and historical blindness in academia and the nonsense that has been created in its wake. It's harmful tosh.
And unsurpassed. And shwepervescent. Offers a level of detail that warrants multiple listens. Be certain to visit episode web pages with their extensive notes and structured bibliography. Make room on your bookshelf, for some of these tomes will surely call out to you.
I have done a really bad job of staying esoteric in the years I have been listening to this podcast. I can't get through an episode without running to tell someone about some fascinating thing I heard about in it. Any advice on developing a flair for apophasis would be much appreciated.
The hidden history of religious thought that helps make (some) sense of the world we live in today.
Wonderful podcast covering a much deserved topic. Highly recommend and very much appreciate this offering. Thank you!
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This show offers rigorous, scholarly explorations of Western esoteric thought across historical periods and religious traditions. Episodes frequently center on key figures, texts, and schoolings—from Maximus the Confessor and early Christian orthodoxy to apocalyptic writings, Zoroastrianism in late antiquity, Shi'ī esotericism, and Qur'anic textual history. The host steers conversations toward historical context, textual transmission, and intellectual lineage, often pairing textual analysis with broader cultural and political dynamics. Listeners can expect deep-dive discussions with university-affiliated guests, a strong emphasis on primary sources, and nuanced debates about how esoteric ideas intersect with mainstream religion, philosophy,... more
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this podcast launched 8 years ago and published 215 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
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Recent guests on this podcast include:
1. Maria Papathanassiou
2. Jonathan Greig
3. Christopher Bonura
4. Martha Himmelfarb
5. Touraj Daryaee
6. Ahab Bdaiwi
7. Fred Donner
8. Matthew Melvin-Koushki
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