Hello David.
Many good sources suggested, some even academic (!) :)
Egil Asprem wrote another article on Crowley, "Magic naturalized" - but it's not strictly on EGC/OTO. In addition, you should take a look at relevant entries in the Dictionary of Gnosis and Western Hermeticism. And perhaps Hanegraaff and Kripal's "Hidden Intercourse" http://www.brill.nl/product_id30885.htm has something in the last chapters (Hakl or Urban).
Regarding the ESSWE: I think David is right. If they know of it at all, many colleagues still see esotericism studies as something of an inside job.
Best,
Jesper.
-----Original Message-----
From: Society for The Academic Study of Magic [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of David Robertson
Sent: Thursday, May 13, 2010 8:36 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [ACADEMIC-STUDY-MAGIC] Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica
Thanks again, everyone, this has moved from a piece I thought I migh struggle with, to something I'm actively looking forward to.
"Academic"/"scholarly" is a concern. I'm working under the auspices of the Divinity department of the Edinburgh University, which has a very good Religious Studies department, but it's origins lie with the Church of Scotland, and we're outnumbered 5 to 1 by Theologians and trainee Ministers.
My research has ruffled a few feathers already, so when I get into areas like this involving Crowley (gasp!), sex (blush) and magic (shudder), I have to make sure I include some respected academic sources to cover my back. In the Religious Studies field in the UK, theologians study Christianity, Religious Studies people study other religions, and religion as a broader phenomenon is studied by sociologists. Things like the ESSWE are still regarded with suspicion by a large number of scholars, something which is slowly changing but needs to change faster. I would like to think that this is an example of scholars of magic and scholars of religion being able to cooperate, and produce work that informs both disciplines.
David
--
The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, with registration number SC005336.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Melissa Harrington" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, May 13, 2010 6:31 PM
Subject: Re: [ACADEMIC-STUDY-MAGIC] Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica
> That's great David. I think the problem is again the word "academic", a
> good book on the EGC and GM was an issue of the Red Flame, a thelemic
> periodical, (each issue is usually dedicated to a subject,) produced in
> the mid 90's which was devoted to that subject, scholarly but not
> strictly academic.There may be more but I dropped off the OTO scene and
> radar in the late 90s. I think the OTO may recieve more interest in the
> future, but its new ground "academically". Now the ESSWE exists, with
> Wouter Hannegraaff et al in Amsterdam, and the likes of John Crow
> producing scholary study, also Jasper, Egil, Caroline and Dave who I
> think are on this list, but its all down to funding and unis running
> stuitable courses. I have noticed some senior OTO members on this and
> the Pagan Studies forum, but they don't say much, in an OTO or EGC
> environment you may hear a lot more from them as experinced practitioners
> with a lot of insight.
>
> Wishing you an interesting research process!
>
> regards
>
> Melissa.
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "David Robertson" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Wednesday, May 12, 2010 11:20 PM
> Subject: Re: [ACADEMIC-STUDY-MAGIC] Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica
>
>
>> Thanks a lot, Mandrake and Melissa. I hope I can return the favour
>> sometime. I managed to get in touch with the UK arm of the EGC, who
>> invited me to the Gnostic Mass in York this weekend - I can forward the
>> details if anyone's interested. Still, I'm surprised how little academic
>> attention the OTO has received.
>>
>> Cheers, David
>>
>>
>> --
>> The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in
>> Scotland, with registration number SC005336.
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Melissa Harrington" <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>> Sent: Wednesday, May 12, 2010 9:20 PM
>> Subject: Re: [ACADEMIC-STUDY-MAGIC] Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica
>>
>>
>>> lashtal.com is very good on Thelema, you could ask the same question
>>> there.
>>> Melissa.
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "mandrake" <[log in to unmask]>
>>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>>> Sent: Wednesday, May 12, 2010 9:09 PM
>>> Subject: Re: [ACADEMIC-STUDY-MAGIC] Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica
>>>
>>>
>>>> mandrake wrote:
>>>>
>>>> http://user.cyberlink.ch/~koenig/church.htm
>>>>> mandrake wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> could be this:
>>>>>
>>>>> http://user.cyberlink.ch/~koenig/
>>>>>> D Robertson wrote:
>>>>>>> Can anyone here recommend solid academic writing on the Ecclesia
>>>>>>> Gnostica Catholica or the OTO more generally? I'm preparing a paper,
>>>>>>> but finding secondary sources thin on the ground. At the moment, I
>>>>>>> have Jo Pearson's "Wicca & the Christian Heritage", plus Crowley
>>>>>>> material.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Cheers, David Robertson
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> I'd say one of the best on early history is:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> The Unknown God: W. T. Smith and the Thelemites (Hardcover)
>>>>>> by Martin P. Starr
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Or
>>>>>>
>>>>>> The History of British Magick After Crowley: Dave Evans: Hidden
>>>>>> Publishing: 2007
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Or extensive material by P R Koenig - on a website somewhere - OTO
>>>>>> Phenomenon etc -
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Also Naughty Nun / Black Flag has done various CDs with useful
>>>>>> sources difficult to obtain -
>>>>>> not too much analysis but the material is handy - ie Francis King's
>>>>>> OTO Sex Magick or whaever its called ?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> BB/93
>>>>>>
>>>>>> mogg
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Mandrake.uk.net
>>>>>> Publishers
>>>>>> PO Box 250, Oxford, OX1 1AP
>>>>>> +44 1865 243671
>>>>>> homepages:
>>>>>> http://www.mandrake.uk.net
>>>>>> http://www.ombos.co.uk
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>
>>>
>
>