Customer Reviews:
paradigm changing.......2007-05-07
As the thought of von Balthasar starts to be absorbed now by the attentive public (like me), we will see that here is something nothing less than thrilling. We can see theology actually developing in the most radical and foundational way, in utter and profound faithfulness.
Brilliant.......2005-09-07
This is a brilliant piece of scholarship drawing from the deepest wells of Biblical interpretation, traditional theology, and rigorous philosophical thinking. Balthasar confirms for me that the most sophisticated and original thinking is done 'on route' of tradition rather than in wandering away from it. Thinkers and believers of all sorts, especially Protestant Christians (which I am) will find serious intellectual protein in this masterpiece.
The Paschal Mystery.......2005-02-19
This is quite a brilliant and intriuging book. Von Balthasar, is in my opinion the most important Catholic theologian of the 20th century. His work is always quite engaging and profound. In this theological treatment of three-day narrative of the Cross (Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter Day), Balthasar offers up some amazing reflections on the importance of the crucifixion of Christ, his burial and resurrection.
His first two chapters are somewhat preliminary, but no less fascinating as he explores the idea that the "death of God" is the source of all Christian life and Theology. He then moves into three chapters, on Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Day. All of these are quite engaging as Balthasar frames a nuanced Kenotic and Trinitarian reading of the narrative of the cross and grave. His discussion of Holy Saturday is particularly helpful. He explores at length the idea of God's "solidarity with the dead" and all its implications for our doctrine of God and practical theology.
This book makes for fascinating Lenten reading and preparation to experience the drama of Holy Week. It also serves as a helpful contribution to the various 'theologies of the cross' that have multiplied in the last century. I highly recommend this book.
Book Description
Jung's last major work, completed in his 81st year, on the synthesis of the opposites in alchemy and psychology.
Customer Reviews:
The Consummate Jung.......2007-10-11
This is no easy sledding, but for those familiar with Jung's model of the psyche, this is the congealed presentation of the phenomenon of the union of opposites within the Archetypal Self. I avoided this one due to its mystical and forboding title, but it is the consummate work of Jung, taking ten of the last years of his life to write. Once groping through the dense forest of obscure alchemical references, the reader will be delighted to discover a clearing in the woods when Jung explains the application of alchemical references to the phenomenon of individuation.
Dreamlike & Inexhaustible.......2006-12-07
Jung seems to write from the dream state; associations interleaved with digressions punctuated by potent and startling images. This is his most satisfying book for me because it has the simplest premise but is also the largest and richest. He stretches out enormously within a limited range, gathering a life-time of inquiry into a writhing basket of conflicting thought. This method illustrates perfectly how deep experience can become when meditated upon and scrutinized and when tangents are whole-heartedly encouraged and darksides allowed to bloom. No need to hop-scotch around the world, just look into the pile of dead ants beneath your radiator and let your mind wander. The conjunction of opposites: perhaps Jung's emblem for the source of life, the alembic, where all intellectual and emotional births occur. Read and reread this book to step through the microcosmic door into unlimited life right where you are.
Transcendental.......2006-06-06
This is the 3rd & culminating text of Jung's CW trilogy on alchemy (see CW11 Psychology & Alchemy & CW12 Alchemical Studies before reading this one). Jung obviously devoted considerable time & effort into the study of alchemy--because he perceived an amazing parallel with his theories/model of the psyche & the process of individuation. I think it amazed him that the alchemists intuitively evoked such general principles of transcendental alchemy prior to the development of western science--indeed, they were simultaneously immersed in this development such that modern chemistry evolved from it. Oddly, some are now advocating the use of chemicals (drugs) in lieu of psychology--e.g. for schizophrenia. Maybe the tail is wagging the horse? Of course, this is a difficult text. The alchemical series may be the most difficult of Jung's already difficult texts. But, as Jung demonstrated himself, sometimes the way to learn is to just jump in feet first--absorb as you can. Eventually, the material will start to sink in--subconsciously if not consciously. Give it a whirl. This text also has some VERY interesting quotes:
p. 82 "There is something serious in every joke.
p. 125 If one does not understand a person, one tends to regard him as a fool.
p. 200 It seems as if Christianity had been from the outset the religion of chronic squabbles, and even now it does everything in its power never to let the squabbles rest. Remarkably enough, it never stops preaching the gospel of neighborly love.
p. 376 The creative mystic was ever a cross for the Church, but it is to him that we own what is best in humanity...'where there is no vision, the people perish...The mystics are channels through which a little knowledge of reality filters down into our human universe of ignorance and illusion: A totally unmystical world would be a world totally blind and insane...the few theocentric saints who exist at any given moment are able in some slight measure to qualify and mitigate the poisons which society generates within itself by its political and economic activities. In the gospel phrase, theocentric saints are the salt which preserves the world from decay.' (quoting Aldous Huxley in Grey Eminence 1943, pp. 98, *296.
p. 487 Fantasies always mean something when they are spontaneous.
p. 519 Never do human beings speculate more, or have more opinions, than about things which they do not understand.
p. 536 Nothing changes anything else without itself being changed." How profound can you get?
For fans of the genre only.......2004-01-15
I did not find this book to be as useful as most of the other volumes of Carl Jung's collected works. Keep in mind that I love and respect Carl Jung as much as anyone; I have devoted nearly a year of my life solidly to reading Jung's collected works, and they have been the source of much joy, fulfillment, and enlightenment for me. However, _Mysterium Conjunctionis_ has contributed very little to these positive changes I have experienced, for the following reasons:
1. The footnotes. Never in my life have I seen a book so festooned with footnotes as this one. They take up over half the book - on any given page, there is about one inch of text along the top of the page, and the rest is covered by footnotes. This problem is exacerbated by the fact that these footnotes contain little of any interest to me.
2. This book comes across as nothing more than a massive attempt on the part of Jung to justify and support the ideas he has had over the years. Often the book reads like some kind of list of ancient alchemists and mythmakers who have foreshadowed and echoed Jung's sentiments. Many paragraphs are devoted to listing names which will be unfamilier to almost everyone, capped off by footnotes explaining who these people were. Rather than concoct new ideas, Jung seems to have opted to dig up ancient figures who can "back up" some of his major ideas. It seems like Jung is trying to fend off critics who have accused him of putting forth unsubstantiated ideas rather than cater to his loyal fans who already trust him.
3. The overall feel of the book is simply a field guide to witches and warlocks. Granted, Jung discusses these phantoms and myths from the standpoint of depth psychology and general "psychic phenomena", and does not seem to be advocating a literal-historical belief in all these myths. However, we are bombarded with myth after esoteric myth throughout the book, while Jung leaves it to us to interpret the symbolic value and modern psychological parallels of these myths. Very rarely does Jung give us a useful interpretation of what these myths should mean to us.
4. This book is very self-indulgent on Jung's part. It consists almost entirely of Jung's most esoteric "pet" concepts, like archetypes, alchemy, ancient myths, and sorcery. It is precisely these strange "pet" concepts which have given fodder to many of Jung's critics, who accuse him of being obsessed with ancient rituals which have little relevance to the modern day world.
Overall, I recommend this book only to those readers of Jung who want to go all the way and read every one of the collected works; this book should be near the bottom of the list. Do not read this book unless you have already read volumes 6,7,8,9,10,11, and 12 of the CW.
Jungýs quintessential work on Alchemy........2001-02-12
"The light that gradually dawns on him consists in his understanding that his fantasy is a real psychic process which is happening to him personally." (Jung p. 528-529) This sentence from the book sums-up its content.
In this work Jung demonstrates that Alchemy was a precursor to modern Western psychological insight. Jung draws a "process map" of the Alchemy in this volume, in which he laboriously (but not tediously) shows that the steps the alchemists took to bring about the transformation of matter. Jung suggests that this process is a metaphoric representation of a process some humans travel to reach a level of consciousness that includes and unites the unseen (transcendent) reality with the visible experience.
It can be read as an interesting intellectual insight into earlier Western thought, or it can be used by an individual as a guide through the process of psychological transformation. This work is essential to anyone on the path of transformation and who looks to Jung as a guide on that path. It is not for a casual reader of Jung.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent commentary on Jung's major work.......2006-09-02
This book is a section by section commentary on Jung's Mysterium Coniunctionis. Alchemy is a confusing topic by itself. Jung's interpretation of it is highly nuanced and can easily be confusing as well. And so one needs someone with the insight and knowledge of an Edward Edinger to lead the reader throught the murky terrain of Jung's text. I had a college professor once say to me "A bad commentary explains the obvious, a good commentary explains that which is not obvious;" Edinger's book explains and brings to light that which is not obvious. He digs into Jung's text and is a perfect companion to Jung's Mysterium. Edinger clarifies much of the seemingly confusing parts of Jung's book, and lays out the line of thought that Jung is establishing in the Mysterium. I could not have worked through Jung's book with the help of Edinger. Edinger is one of those rare authors who is able to be deep and insightful yet clear and concise at the same time. He includes many diagrams whuch I found extremely helpful, as well as an excellent index. If you want to understand the valubale riches which lie buried in the Mysterium Coniunctionis, this commentary will quickly become your best friend on that journey. You will not be disappointed with this book.
Must-have for serious readers of Jung's works.......1998-07-03
I found Dr. Edinger's Mysterium Lectures an invaluable help in my second reading of Mysterium Coniunctionis. His lucid style brings in much additional material and helps make one of Jung's best works more accessible to the layman.
Customer Reviews:
An excelent bilingual version.......2005-10-10
Fit for academical study, with interesant -though always arguable- Junguian commentaries by Marie-Louise von Franz, it is a great acquisition for those interested in Alchemy, in Psychology, or in History of Thought.
Neatly organized and clear commentary by Von Franz.......2004-09-01
No one really knows who wrote the astonishing thirteenth-century treatise RISING DAWN (Aurora Consurgens), although the work is attributed to Thomas Aquinas, an attribution the Catholic Church has been at pains to deny. This translation starts with the text (it reads like a series of revelations and parables steeped in biblical quotations) followed by the depth-psychological commentary of von Franz. Of all the second-generation Jungians, perhaps only Edward Edinger matches her in clarity. In brilliance no one does.
Quite a few Jungians of my acquaintance haven't read this book even though it was intended as a supplement to Jung's MYSTERIUM CONIUNCTIONIS, the last of his longer works and his last word on the relationship between alchemy and the unconscious. Perhaps it's because the book is not an alchemical treatise; it is, as the commentator notes in an introduction, a rush of revelation by a man who resorted to both Christian and alchemical symbolism to come to grips with what must have been an overpowering confrontation with the numen--in this case Sophia, the Gnostic goddess of Wisdom and, in the Old Testament, the feminine counterpart to God.
As I read, however, I found myself continually distracted by the damnable Jungian habit of footnoting everything (a dozen per page) as well as by the commentator's inability to write one page without quoting Jung: a sad and unfortunate habit given her obvious wealth of knowledge and psychological depth. It's clear too that she did an enormous amount of theological and alchemical research and, I suspect, furnished Jung with a fair bulk of what showed up in his tomes on the art of alchemy.
Although this doesn't count against the book's commentary, this doctor of depth psychology finds himself wondering why none of the psychological interpretations take Sophia, the metals, and the Earth at their word. Again and again, references to the aliveness of these substances are interpreted as the alchemist's projection onto matter. But what if the alchemist wasn't projecting?
Customer Reviews:
Food for your faith........2006-01-15
I read this book while still in Seminary, and it continues to inform my theology today. As a white American woman I have never experienced the struggles that the Latin American Liberationists have faced in their quest for economic equality for their people and for freedom of religious thought. Despite this, I am able to use my awareness of their struggle to begin to understand how they came to the underpinings of their theology: they believe that God has an option for the poor, and that God stands in solidarity with those who suffer. This does not shut out those who are not poor, however it takes away our exclusive claim to God's favor and God's blessings. Chapter by chapter, each new author leads the reader a little deeper into liberationist thought on God, Christ, the Church, The Virgin Mary, the Sacraments, grace, and sin. My personal theology was deeply impacted, and several theological points that I had always struggled with were resolved for me as I read this book.
I recommend this book to every spiritual seeker and every study of Christ, whether attending Seminary or not.
Average customer rating:
|
Skryabin Mysterium
Georgiana Peacher
Manufacturer: Xlibris Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 1413432751 |
Average customer rating:
- Very disappointing - do not recommend this one.
- Unique
- Excellent parallel universe adventure
- Mysterious Transportation
- Full of Ideas
|
Mysterium
Robert Charles Wilson
Manufacturer: Spectra
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
General
| Science Fiction
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
Wilson, Robert Charles
| ( W )
| Authors, A-Z
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
A Bridge of Years
-
Bios
-
A Hidden Place
-
Blind Lake
-
Spin
ASIN: 0553569538
Release Date: 1995-02-01 |
Customer Reviews:
Very disappointing - do not recommend this one........2006-10-30
I like Wilson's work, particularly the later books like Chronoliths and Spin. This earlier work is clearly not up to par with Wilson's more recent writing. The book is filled with wooden characters that you have a hard time caring what happens to and dated references to newfangled technology - like CELL PHONES and OCR SCANNING SOFTWARE. This just isn't a good book.
Unique.......2006-10-21
Mysterium is a type of alternative history I've never read before. Imagine if Gnosticism had won out over orthodox Christianity, to the point that Gnosticism itself was considered to be truly orthodox, and what we know as Christianity a heresy? Wilson is to be congratulated for bringing in a new idea into the alternate history genre, something beyond a rehashed Civil War plot and really dealving into religious possibilities that can change the world.
Unfortunately, the characters are very thinly developed, to the point that we really don't care about what happens to them. There are long, drawn-out segments where nothing much happens and you have to skim the book to stay focused. And while the idea is excellent, Wilson gets his actual history of Gnosticism immensely wrong, to the degree that the departure point to create this new world could not actually have occurred.
The book still has mystery, which engages the reader. It gives a very good view of what a world might be like controlled by Gnostics- a huge variety of competing views, denial of the importance of the physical world, degregation of women, and the idea that only some are entitled to the special status. Wilson gives some nice overviews of Gnosticism worldview, incorporating Seth, Archons, Sophia, and even the god Mysterium into everyday use. But the ending is rushed, and confusing. Some will enjoy this if a book of higher quality isn't available.
Excellent parallel universe adventure .......2005-08-30
Mysterium_ by Robert Charles Wilson is a very well done, engrossing earlier work of the author's, one that I don't believe has gotten anywhere near the attention of his later works (such as _Darwinia_, _Bios_, and _The Chronoliths_). It is also unfortunately out of print, though there are a great many used copies out there at relatively cheap prices.
_Mysterium_ is a book one could place in the "island in the sea of time" sub-genre of books on alternate history and parallel universes, one made famous recently by of course _Island in the Sea of Time_ by S. M. Stirling (1998), _1632_ by Eric Flint (2000), and _Weapons of Choice_ by John Birmingham (2004) and their sequels, the premise being that some little corner of the modern day world (or a whole fleet instead of an island or a town in the case of _Weapons of Choice_) of our Earth gets sent into the past (which becomes from that point on a parallel universe, when those people from our time interact with the rest of the world). _Mysterium_ differed in two respects; first, this story came first (for whatever that is worth), as it is copyright 1994, and second, the town of Two Rivers, Michigan found itself in is a parallel universe from the beginning, contemporaneous with our Earth but with a history that diverged from our own close to two thousand years ago. But I get ahead of myself.
An archaeological team working in a remote area of Turkey on what was believed to be a rather unremarkable prehistoric site came across what looked like a bit of jade embedded in the soil. Remarkable in its own right, further digging revealed that what was assumed to be a small piece was actually part of a much larger item that was not actually jade but some strange substance with extremely unusual optical properties. Of great interest - and unfortunate to its discoverers - the item was also extremely radioactive, many of those who discovered it dying quickly of radiation sickness. Obviously an item not of this Earth, with Turkey's permission the United States government removed it under heavy protection to a new research facility built just to study it, one set up on an old and largely abandoned Indian reservation near the quiet town of Two Rivers, Michigan. The base, very much aloof and apart from the town, at first piqued the curiosity of the locals, wondering what the meaning of the new base was in an era of declining defense spending and also hopeful of new jobs. When the new jobs don't really materialize to any great degree and the base stayed extremely quiet, they quickly forgot about it.
One night though - a mere twelve pages into the book I would like to add - mysterious bright lights and an explosion at the facility, just visible to those in the town, heralded a bizarre event, one that removed the entire town and the military base to a parallel universe, the exact same spot on the globe on a world with a totally different history, in an alternate Michigan. Fully aware that there was some accident at the base, the townspeople awoke to find the power, water, and phones out, and those few with battery powered radios not able to get any stations except for a very distant one, one that seemed to be putting on some quasi-religious radio play of all things. Most just went on with life for a bit as best they could, hopeful that the utilities would be restored, though several tried to leave town and made an amazing discovery; all roads and trails out of town just stopped, ending in a cut as sharp as if a laser had made it. So sharp was the divide that trees were split right down the middle along the line, bare heartwood exposed for all to see. The other side of the line, inches beyond the road, was virgin forest, deep dark woodlands that had never known an axe.
One of the locals who possessed a floatplane took off, hoping to uncover more of this mystery. He found that the town was now deep in the wilderness, all nearby other roads and towns long vanished, and what should be Detroit had completely different architecture, odd-looking cars, and even horse-drawn wagons. Heading back home, his flight apparently attracted the attention of the authorities of this world, who moved in with aircraft, tanks, and soldiers, putting the town under martial law.
The startled locals learned that they were in an alternate reality; they were not in the United States of America, but in an entity called the Consolidated Republic, a French-English nation that ruled most of North America and was regrettably run by an authoritarian religious theocracy. What's more, it was not a Christianity as the townspeople knew it; it became apparent later in the book that the Christianity in this world was a intolerant descendent of Gnostic Christianity, this world's history having diverged considerably during Roman times, as the Roman Empire never became Christian and indeed even to the present Apollo and other Greco-Roman gods were still worshipped in many countries of Europe (ones at war with the Consolidated Republic). The locals privately derided this world's Christianity as being practically polytheistic, while the Proctors (much feared Gestapo-like religious police of the Bureau de la Convenance Religieuse) despised the Two Rivers Christians as worshipping a "stick figure Christianity," one unbelievably crude and simplistic.
Regrettably, the conflict between Two Rivers and the authorities was much more severe as that, as the Proctors had dire plans for the town, for they believed it to be both incredibly useful as source of advanced technology and weaponry (being about roughly 50 years ahead of them) and as a blasphemous and dangerous threat to their social order. The remainder of the book dealt with the ugly plans of the Proctors and the secret resistance lead by several townspeople and their sympathizers.
Mysterious Transportation.......2005-01-12
The books of Robert Charles Wilson, while cloaked in the familiar trappings of science fiction, are without exception quiet novels of character, of people forced to adapt to new situations and to remake themselves in a new world where the rules have been turned upside down. His work contains many of the same qualities of Roger Zelazny's ealy short stories, which were often considered weak on ideas but were written with such vigor and style that they forged his reputation back in the late 1960s.
In Mysterium, a possible alien artifact is taken to the small town of Two Rivers, Michigan, where a mysterious explosion somehow transports the entire population of the town into an alternate dimension. While keeping the tension running, Wilson sets a languid pace, affording us the opportunity to get know his characters, not just through the various problems they must now confront, but by examining how their past experiences dictate their responses to their present dilemma.
Full of Ideas.......2004-04-16
Mysterium was a bit of an unusal book in that I found the majority of the characters to be extremely rich and vividly drawn for such a short book (similar to many of Orson Scott Card's characters)...but I found the overall plot to be somewhat shallow, almost like the book needed another 100-150 pages to fully flesh out the storyline (unlike Card...who also tends to write shorter books, but most of his feel more "fleshy"). This being said, I rather enjoyed Mysterium. Especially, Wilson's tendency in the book to try and cram a lot of ideas into a small space (even if he doesn't always succeed). Wilson covers everything from Gnostic Christianity to theories on the origin of the Universe. He then links all of his ideas with a thread that at times seems somewhat tenuous, but not so much so that it does not get one "pondering the imponderables" about the nature of our existence. Are we the dreamers or are we part of someone else's dream? This was (roughly) a question posed by Shakespeare in one of his plays...at least I think it was Shakespeare. But whomever said it, the question seems very apropos to the heart of this book. Mysterium is the first work of Wilson's that I've read and even though the story itself could have been a bit better written, Wilson's ideas were extremely intriguing...I look forward to reading more of his work.
Average customer rating:
- Certum quia impossibile
- Marvelous Mysterium
- Mysterious and Engaging
|
The Mysterium
Eric P. McCormack
Manufacturer: St Martins Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
British
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
| 18th Century
| 19th Century
| 20th Century
| Classics
| Contemporary
| General
| Historical
| Humor
| Letters & Correspondence
| Middle
| Old
| Poetry
| Renaissance
| Shakespeare
| Short Stories
General
| Mystery
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 031211320X |
Customer Reviews:
Certum quia impossibile.......2004-08-04
A great read with enough twists and turns to keep you going.
Later,
J.
Marvelous Mysterium.......2001-09-30
An absolutely marvelous book.
The detective in the story visits an isolated hamlet. Where? When? We have no idea. The mystery, who is murdering the townspeople? Indeed, how are the townspeople being killed, as each perishes from entirely different symptoms? Is the motive revenge for a past mining accident involving war prisoners? Was it an accident at all? Or is this a case of romance gone bad? Is this outcome of natural disease or unnatural poisoning? Do we ever find out? It is hard to discover when the prime suspect, pinned by convincing evidence, may just as likely be the next victim.
The murders are the the mystery. The mysterium is glimpsed as the reader eventually realizes that the story is a meditation on the meaning of truth and on the meaning of knowing of truth and even of the knowability of truth. A mysterium wrapped in an enigma...
McCormack draws wonderful characters in strange circumstances with beautiful skill. I bought his book on clearance while in Stratford to see a few plays -- the impact of this Canadian author has stayed with me far longer than those now forgetten theatrical productions.
Mysterious and Engaging.......1999-11-19
McCormack's novel is a must read. Combining elements of mystery and horror, McCormack's brilliant prose weaves a mystical and terrifying web. Dazzling, absolutely dazzling!
Books:
- Nemesis: The Last Days of the American Republic (American Empire Project)
- Next Stop Grand Centr
- Nutrient Timing: The Future of Sports Nutrition
- On Stranger Tides
- Options, Futures and Other Derivatives (6th Edition)
- Patriarch's Hope (Seafort Saga)
- Pawns in the Game
- Peter and the Shadow Thieves
- Philosophical Investigations (3rd Edition)
- Polaroid Manipulations: A Complete Visual Guide to Creating SX-70, Transfer, and Digital Prints (Photography for All Levels: Intermediate)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Rethinking Fanon: The Continuing Dialogue
- Facing Your Giants: The God Who Made a Miracle Out of David Stands Ready to Make One Out of You
- Tuff: A Novel
- A Hand Papermaker's Sourcebook
- Cartoon Guide to Statistics
- Flow Measurement Engineering Handbook
- DMT: The Spirit Molecule: A Doctor's Revolutionary Research into the Biology of Near-Death and Mysti
- 50 Hikes in Northern Virginia: Walks, Hikes, and Backpacks from the Alleghany Mountains to the Chesa
- A Breed So Rare: The Life of J.R. Parten, Liberal Texas Oilman, 1896-1992
- Agent-Based Manufacturing and Control Systems: New Agile Manufacturing Solutions for Achieving Peak
Love Alone Is Credible
Prayer
Dare We Hope "That All Men Be Saved"?: With a Short Discourse on Hell
Credo: Meditations on the Apostles' Creed
Jesus of Nazareth
