Prisca theologia ("ancient theology") is the doctrine that asserts that a single, true theology exists which threads through all religions, and which was anciently given by God to humans.[1][2]
...[Ficino] saw himself as one member of a venerable sequence of interpreters who added to a store of wisdom that God allowed progressively to unfold. Each of these “prisci theologi,” or “ancient theologians,” had his part to play in discovering, documenting, and elaborating the truth contained in the writings of Plato and other ancient sages, a truth to which these sages may not have been fully privy, acting as they were as vessels of divine truth. [4]
The Enlightenment tended to view all religion as cultural variations on a common anthropological theme;[5] however, the Enlightenment, which tended to deny the validity of any form of revealed religion, held in very little esteem the idea of a prisca theologia.
The doctrine of a prisca theologia is held by, among others, Rosicrucianism.[6]
Prisca theologia is distinguishable from the related concept of the perennial philosophy, although some inadvertently use the two terms interchangeably. An essential difference is that the prisca theologia is understood as existing in pure form only in ancient times and has undergone a process of continuous decline and dilution throughout modern times.[citation needed] In other words, the oldest religious principles and practices are held to be, in some sense, the purest. The perennial philosophy theory does not make this stipulation and merely asserts that the "true religion" periodically manifests itself in different times, places, and forms. Both concepts, however, do suppose that there is such a thing as a true religion and tend to agree on the basic characteristics associated about this.
^Natural Religion and the History of Priestcraft 1660-1722 Chapter 5 from, The Pillars of Priestcraft Shaken: The Church of England and its Enemies, 1660-1730 (1992), by Justin Champion, ISBN0-521-40536-X
^Hegel and the Hermetic Tradition by Glenn Alexander Magee
Hanegraaff, Wouter J. "Tradition". In: Dictionary of Gnosis and Western Esotericism (Wouter J. Hanegraaff, ed.), pp. 1125–1135. Brill, 2006. ISBN90-04-15231-8.
Hankins, James. Plato in the Italian Renaissance, 2 vols. Brill, 1990. ISBN90-04-09161-0.
January 31, 2023
prisca, theologia, ancient, theology, doctrine, that, asserts, that, single, true, theology, exists, which, threads, through, religions, which, anciently, given, humans, history, editthe, term, prisca, theologia, appears, have, been, first, used, marsilio, fic. Prisca theologia ancient theology is the doctrine that asserts that a single true theology exists which threads through all religions and which was anciently given by God to humans 1 2 History EditThe term prisca theologia appears to have been first used by Marsilio Ficino in the 15th century Ficino and Giovanni Pico della Mirandola endeavored to reform the teachings of the Catholic Church by means of the writings of the prisca theologia which they believed was reflected in Neoplatonism Hermeticism and the Chaldean Oracles among other sources 3 Ficino saw himself as one member of a venerable sequence of interpreters who added to a store of wisdom that God allowed progressively to unfold Each of these prisci theologi or ancient theologians had his part to play in discovering documenting and elaborating the truth contained in the writings of Plato and other ancient sages a truth to which these sages may not have been fully privy acting as they were as vessels of divine truth 4 The Enlightenment tended to view all religion as cultural variations on a common anthropological theme 5 however the Enlightenment which tended to deny the validity of any form of revealed religion held in very little esteem the idea of a prisca theologia The doctrine of a prisca theologia is held by among others Rosicrucianism 6 Prisca theologia is distinguishable from the related concept of the perennial philosophy although some inadvertently use the two terms interchangeably An essential difference is that the prisca theologia is understood as existing in pure form only in ancient times and has undergone a process of continuous decline and dilution throughout modern times citation needed In other words the oldest religious principles and practices are held to be in some sense the purest The perennial philosophy theory does not make this stipulation and merely asserts that the true religion periodically manifests itself in different times places and forms Both concepts however do suppose that there is such a thing as a true religion and tend to agree on the basic characteristics associated about this See also EditEsoteric Christianity Figurism Hanif equivalent concept in Islam Pre Adamite Urreligion UrmonotheismusReferences Edit Yates F Giordano Bruno and the Hermetic Tradition Routledge London 1964 pp 14 18 and pp 433 434 Hanegraaff W J New Age Religion and Western Culture SUNY 1998 p 360 Heiser James D Prisci Theologi and the Hermetic Reformation in the Fifteenth Century Repristination Press 2011 ISBN 978 1 4610 9382 4 http plato stanford edu archives sum2015 entries ficino Celenza Christopher S Marsilio Ficino The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy Summer 2015 Edition Edward N Zalta ed 2015 Stanford University Press Natural Religion and the History of Priestcraft 1660 1722 Chapter 5 from The Pillars of Priestcraft Shaken The Church of England and its Enemies 1660 1730 1992 by Justin Champion ISBN 0 521 40536 X Hegel and the Hermetic Tradition by Glenn Alexander Magee Hanegraaff Wouter J Tradition In Dictionary of Gnosis and Western Esotericism Wouter J Hanegraaff ed pp 1125 1135 Brill 2006 ISBN 90 04 15231 8 Hankins James Plato in the Italian Renaissance 2 vols Brill 1990 ISBN 90 04 09161 0 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Prisca theologia amp oldid 1134628302, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
