Porphyry and the Barbarians: Ethnicity, Religious Practice, and Esoteric Interpretation
Oct 27, 2021
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This podcast explores Porphyry's views on wisdom found in various traditions, his critique of Christianity's use of esoteric hermeneutics, the nuances of 'barbarian' in ancient Greece, Porphyry's interpretation of Homer's works, his views on Jews, Essenes, and Christians, and the battle over interpretation of scripture in late antiquity.
Porphyry explores various ethnic wisdom traditions, acknowledging their teachings and placing them within the broader context of the ancient wisdom tradition.
Porphyry critiques Christianity's use of esoteric hermeneutics, framing it as a case of ideological warfare and offering genuine critical appraisal of their texts.
Deep dives
Porphyry's Approach to Esoteric Wisdom Traditions
Porphyry explores various esoteric wisdom traditions, finding wisdom in both Greek and barbarian sources. He highlights the influence of Plato and Pythagoras, as well as oracles and astrological divination, in his search for wisdom. His reading of ethnic wisdom acknowledges the differences between different peoples and philosophic schools, while also recognizing a discourse of a perennial truth accessible through multiple traditions. He examines the esoteric hermeneutics through which he interprets this multifaceted wisdom tradition, focusing on the cave of the nymphs and its hidden meanings. Porphyry also critiques Christianity's use of esoteric hermeneutics, framing it as a case of ideological warfare and offering genuine critical appraisal of their texts.
Philosophy versus Religion in Porphyry's Perspective
Porphyry distinguishes between philosophy and religion in antiquity. He highlights that traditional religion in ancient times focused on practices aimed at the gods, rather than primarily relying on beliefs. However, he acknowledges the changing landscape with the rise of late-antique religions like Orthodox Christianity, which includes elements of both philosophy and religion. Porphyry argues that all Platonist philosophy can be understood as religion, as it offers a way to interact with higher divine principles. He views philosophical encounters with these divine principles as the true religion, aligning it closely with how reality truly is.
Porphyry's Views on Ethnic Wisdom Traditions
Porphyry explores various ethnic wisdom traditions, including those of the Egyptians, phoenicians, chaldeans, lydians, and hebrews. He acknowledges their teachings and places them within the broader context of the ancient wisdom tradition. Porphyry views the Egyptians as skilled in astrometry but criticizes their hardcore astral determinism. He praises the Persians, particularly Mithraism, for their teachings on vegetarinism and the belief in the reincarnation of human souls. Porphyry respects the Jewish tradition for its monotheism, rejection of lower cult, and staunch adherence to ancestral customs. However, he also criticizes Christians for their departure from Jewish teachings, presenting them as turncoat Jews.
Esoteric Hermeneutics and Porphyry's Attack on Christianity
Porphyry uses esoteric hermeneutics as a weapon against Christianity. He criticizes Christians for their disjointed and inappropriate exegesis of Jewish and Christian scriptures. Porphyry argues that Christians falsely claim that the openly expressed words of Moses are actually riddles and invoke these scriptures as oracles with hidden mysteries. He accuses Christians of enchanting and deluding the critical faculty of the soul through their boastful interpretations. Porphyry engages in a battle of interpretation, asserting that the one who correctly unveils the secret meanings of scriptures possesses the authority of truth. His attack on Christianity includes arguments highlighting their supposed betrayal of ancestral customs and their allegedly unlawful practices.
We get into Porphyry's reception of Greek and non-Greek wisdom, and the ways in which esoteric truth is to be found in various cultural locales. We also discuss the one place where it is most definitely not to be found: Christianity.
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