Hermetism Online
The History of Alchemy, Astrology, Magic, Hermetism, Occultism or Theurgy constitute an academic phenomena relatively alien to the vast majority of the mainstream scholars devoted to fields such as the History of Philosophy, Comparative Religions or Science… until now, with the appearance in stage of renewed ways of tackling these usually ignored realities. The so called ‘founders’ of this particular branch of study (if we consider it properly a field of study) were widely recognized scholars though: Louis Ménard (1822-1908), Wilhelm Bousset (1865-1920), Richard August Reitzenstein (1861-1931), Karl Preisendanz (1883-1968), Bouché-Leclercq (1842-1923), Eduard Zeller (1814-1908), Franz Cumont (1868-1947), Lynn Thorndike (1882-1965), Louis Massignon (1883-1962) or Julius Ruska (1867-1949). Therefore the lack of specialization found online is progressively unjustifiable, precisely because of the huge effort in elucidating these obscured fields unfolded in the last decades.
The project ‘Hermetism Online’ (2018-) is an attempt of highlighting the enormous amount of online data regarding our fields of study, particularly from Late Antiquity to Renaissance. In doing so, we hope to achieve a more thorough and thoughtful approach, with the purpose of leading the way to a whole new generation of researchers.
A slight look at the provided list of scholars easily determine where and how has been deciphered this complex reality that we intend to shed some light on. ‘Hermetism’ is a narrow label, a mere excuse, really, in the pursuit of picturing a wider portrait of the philosophic and religious thought in Antiquity, which is, in truth, our main goal.
Progression
Post: Late Antiquity, Renaissance: Database of reliable online resources, projects and scholars (updated 31.12.18).
Post: “El hermetismo en la red” (José Iván Elvira Sánchez, De Umbris Idearum blog, Azogue Journal, 2016).
Post: “Wikipedia, mon amour” (José Iván Elvira Sánchez, De Umbris Idearum blog, Azogue Journal, 2015).
Paper: “Ciento cincuenta años de hermetismo” (José Iván Elvira Sánchez, MHNH, 2010).
The Occultist Database
Projects names: “The Occultist Database (1800-1950)” / “The secret history of Psychology (19th-20th centuries)”
Scheduled publication: 2013-
Involved researchers: David de los Santos Juanes, Iván Elvira.
Description: The Occultist Database is an academic initiative proposed by the scientific committee of Studia Hermetica Journal, whose main objective is to recover the memory of those authors related in one way or another with the occult currents developed between 1800 to 1950. As historians of thought, we would like to see revalued an entire episode of Western History which has been unjustly relegated to the depths of many libraries.
The historical-critical methods and the artistic expression constitute our ways to face the tons of sources, manuscripts and graphic material waiting to be rescued for the future generations. We know how to do it and we hope to acquire the resources to accomplish this daunting task.
Objectives: the critical edition of unpublished manuscripts, the making of a taxonomy which meets the doctrines and theories related to the field, the recovering of the memory of those opuses and personalities unfairly forgotten.
Progression:
Essay: “Literature & Occultism in the Victorian Era” (N-Sphere, 10-11/2011), by Iván Elvira.
Essay: “Zanoni, una novela rosacruz” (Studia Hermetica, 01/12), by Iván Elvira.
Paper: “Pneumathurgy: a glimpse into the Occult” (Studia Hermetica, 12/2013), by Iván Elvira.
De Umbris Idearum’s entry (30/12/2013): L’imagination créatrice, by Iván Elvira.
Paper: “Jung, del Psicoanálisis a la Psicología Analítica” (Studia Hermetica, 12/2015), by David de los Santos Juanes.
Review: “Reseña crítica de la fuente On the nightmare” (Studia Hermetica, 12/2015), by David de los Santos Juanes.
De Umbris Idearum’s entry (26/12/2015): Símbolos de transformación, by Iván Elvira.
The Egyptian Hermes [ended]
Project name: “The Egyptian Hermes (1st-5th centuries AD)”.
Scheduled publication: 2009-2021.
Involved researchers: Dr. Francisco García Bazán, Iván Elvira.
Description: Hermetism is an extremely complex matter that has been treated in depth during the last three decades by a few number of researchers, with special reference to those involved in the project Hermes Latinus, which in our opinion has obtained the highest standard in the study of Hermetism in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, according to their laudable attempt to edit critically a large amount of hitherto unpublished manuscripts. Aimed by the very same inspiration for highlighting the roots of the Roman-Egyptian Hermetism upon the critical edition, specialists like Jean-Pierre Mahé, Garth Fowden, Samaranch Kirner, Iversen, García Bazán, Alberto Camplani, Ilaria Parri, or more recently, Van Den Kerchove, Gregory Shaw and Iván Elvira, have tried to elucidate some aspects regarding the Trismegistus’ doctrines during the first centuries of our era, and above all, those ones related to the gnostic and ceremonial sides thereof. In our opinion, the question is beyond to be merely a speculation based on the texts themselves, but on the contrary we firmly maintain that we must follow the path opened by Fowden, in the sense of trying to analyze in detail the geographical milieu where the hermetists grew up, in base of the archeological foundations from Roman period that we’re finding out nowadays. Hermetism in Late Antiquity is, perhaps, a “local” unresolved question that requires a more evolved and deepen perspectives.
Objectives: the elaboration of a new critical edition of the Late Antiquity Hermetica in Spanish, a new clarification of the philosophical terms and concepts contained in them, the projection of a way for collaborating with archaeological groups on the ground, the expansion of our current depiction of Hermetism during that period by integrating new perspectives and sources.
Progression:
-Paper: “Hermetismo, neoplatonismo y teúrgia”, Revista Internacional de Astrología y Magia antiguas, 9 (2009), pp. 5-29, by Iván Elvira.
-Paper: “La Sofía gnóstica y la concepción de la mística entre los neoplatónicos” (Studia Hermetica, 2012), by Francisco García Bazán.
-Dissertation review: “The Hermetic λóγος: Reading the Corpus Hermeticum as a Reflection of Graeco-Egyptian Mentality”, Studia Hermetica Journal, 1, IV, 2014, by Iván Elvira.
-De Umbris Idearum’s entry (02/11/14): “The Egyptian Hermes”, Azogue Journal (URL:http://studiahermeticaazogue.blogspot.com/2014/11/the-egyptian-hermes.html), by Iván Elvira.
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