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Ancient Studies

Select a Category Ancient Studies Atheism Bible bibliography Book of Abraham Book of Mormon Book of Moses Christianity Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Deseret News Column Doctrine and Covenants Documentary Hypothesis Genesis Haram al-Sharif Historicity History Islam Israelite Religion Judaism LDS Mormon Studies Mormonism Mormons Movies Noah Penteteuch Photography Religion Temple Temple Mount Temples Third Temple Movements Uncategorized

Select a Month September 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 February 2014 October 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011

October 2014

October 17, 2014

M&E 20 Hekhalot

Brief discussion of Rabbi Ishmael, Hekhalot Rabbati, 3 Enoch

October 17, 2014

M&E19 Isaac Luria

Discussion of Isaac Luria (ha-Ari; Arizal) and Lurianic Kabbalah

October 13, 2014

M&E 17 Mystical Miscellany

Discussion of various concepts of Jewish mysticism: tzaddik (righteous/saint), sacred sexuality, silence, sacred dance, sacred space,...

October 13, 2014

M&E 18 Zohar; Reincarnation/Gilgul

Origin, nature and impact of the Zohar; Jewish mystical concept of reincarnation (gilgul)

October 09, 2014

Temple and Catholicism

A conference I wish I had been able to attend. Hopefully some of the proceedings...

October 08, 2014

M&E 16 Rabbinic Discussions of Mysticism

Discussion of early Rabbinic accounts of Jewish mystical exegesis and practices, and Rabbinic concerns over...

October 06, 2014

M&E 15 Dead Sea Scrolls and Philo

Jewish proto-mysticism in the Dead Sea Scrolls and Philo

October 03, 2014

M&E 14 Enoch

Discussion of apocalyptic and apocrypha; the background to different biblical versions: Hebrew Bible, Aramaic Targum,...

October 01, 2014

Mysticism and Esotericism Class

I finished reorganizing the recordings of lectures 1-13 from my "Mysticism and Esotericism" class, and placed...

September 2014

September 25, 2014

At least one person out there likes me

Or, I guess, technically, likes an article I've written.

September 23, 2014

Column on the name Jehovah

The Hamblin/Peterson column in the Deseret News on the name Jehovah,

September 16, 2014

Ritual Center in Israel

A 5000 year old (probable) sacred monumental site has been discovered in Israel.

September 14, 2014

Temple 9: Column as Ascent

Columns in antiquity often had a symbolic connotation of ascent into or connection with the...

September 13, 2014

Mysticism and Esotericism 5: Orphism and Pythagoreanism

Class 5: A discussion of the origins of Orphism, Pythagoreanism, and their latter impact on esotericism....

September 12, 2014

Temple 8: Altar of Peace

Augustus' Ara Pacis (Altar of Peace) created to honor the gods for restoring peace by...

September 10, 2014

Mysticism and Esotericism 4: Esoteric and Mystery Religions

Lecture 4 1- Origins and nature of Esotericism 2- esoteric Mystery Religions of Greece and...

September 10, 2014

Mysticism and Esotericism 3: What is Mysticism (pt. 2)

Third lecture exploring different views of mysticism

September 09, 2014

Temple 7: Bull Sacrifice

Roman mural depicting of a bull (wearing crown and garlands) being brought to the sacrificial...

September 08, 2014

Mysticism Class 2: What is Mysticism (pt. 1)

A discussion of the range of meanings to the term Mysticism (part 1)

September 08, 2014

Golden Plates

The closest known parallel the Book of Mormon golden plates in size, script, function and...

September 03, 2014

Temple 6: covenant gesture?

This is the surviving terracotta arm of an early Etruscan statue. The arm is pre-made...

September 03, 2014

Mysticism and Esotericism (ME) 1: Course Introduction

I taught the first class on Mysticism and Esotericism today, and experimented with recording it....

September 02, 2014

Temple 5: Lampstand (Menorah)

Early Roman (or Etruscan?) bronze lamp-stands. One has a built in lamp, and one has...

September 01, 2014

Temple 4: Sacrifice of Semiramis

The legend of Semiramis, queen of Assyria, has many different forms. (Probably to be associated...

August 2014

August 27, 2014

Temple 3: First Fruits

This statue shows a Roman emperor Pontifex Maximus (High Priest), with veiled head in preparation for...

August 26, 2014

Mysticism and Esotericism

I'm teaching a new class at BYU this fall: History 485 "Mysticism and Esotericism." I've...

August 26, 2014

Temple 2: Primordial Sacrifice

This is the most famous and elegant of the representations of the primordial bull sacrifice by...

August 23, 2014

Deseret News: Alexander the God

The Hamblin Peterson column from Deseret News on "Alexander the God."

August 22, 2014

YHWH in Greek scripture

Larry Hurtado's interesting comments on the use of the term YHWH/Yahweh/Jehovah in the Greek OT...

August 15, 2014

Where is the Temple Menorah?

Orthodox Rabbis often claim it has been hidden somewhere the Vatican. They are wrong. The...