PracticingGnosis
Ritual,Magic,TheurgyandLiturgyinNagHammadi,
ManichaeanandOtherAncientLiterature
EssaysinHonorofBirgerA.Pearson
Editedby
AprilD.DeConick
GregoryShaw
JohnD.Turner
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AprilD.DeConick
ATRIBUTETOBIRGERA.PEARSON
ForBirgerPearson:AScholarWhoBothStudiesandEmbodies Syncretism..........................................................7
GeorgeW.E.Nickelsburg
ReligionsgeschichtlicheSchule,Religionswissenschaft,Piano,Oboe andBourbon.......................................................11
GeraldJamesLarson
BirgerPearson:Scholar,ProfessorandMentor..........................15 GregoryShaw
BirgerAlbertPearson:ABibliography..................................19
SECTION1
INITIATORYPRACTICES
TheRoadfortheSoulsIsthroughthePlanets:TheMysteriesofthe OphiansMapped...................................................37
AprilD.DeConick
EcstaticReligionintheRomanCultofMithras.........................75 RogerBeck
TheGospelofPhilipasGnosticInitiatoryDiscourse....................91 BasvanOs
BecomingInvisible:RendingtheVeilandtheHermeneuticofSecrecy intheGospelofPhilip...............................................113 ElliotWolfson
RitualintheSecondBookofJeu .........................................137 ErinEvans
DeathontheNile:EgyptianCodices,Gnosticism,andEarlyChristian BooksoftheDead..................................................161
NicolaDenzeyLewis
SECTION2 RECURRENTPRATICES
GoingtoChurchwiththeValentinians.................................183
EinarThomassen
Practicing“Repentance”onthePathtoGnosisinExegesisontheSoul 199 MadeleineScopello
OpeningtheWayofWriting:SemioticMetaphysicsintheBookof Thoth...............................................................215
EdwardButler
“IWorshipandGlorify”:ManichaeanLiturgyandPietyinKellis’ PrayeroftheEmanations...........................................249
FernandoBermejoRubio
TheManichaeanWeeklyConfession...................................271
JasonBeDuhn
RitualIngenuityintheMandaeanScrollofExaltedKingship ...........301
JorunnBuckley
SECTION3
THERAPEUTICPRACTICES
Natural,Magical,ScientificorReligious?AGuidetoTheoriesof Healing.............................................................315
NaomiJanowitz
AstrologicalMedicineinGnosticTraditions............................333
GrantAdamson
ThePersistenceofRitualintheMagicalBookofMaryandthe Angels:P.Heid.Inv.Kopt.685 .......................................359
MarvinMeyer
ImageandWord:PerformativeRitualandMaterialCultureinthe AramaicIncantationBowls.........................................377
RebeccaLesses
SECTION4
ECSTATICPRACTICES
FromBaptismalVisiontoMysticalUnionwiththeOne:TheCaseof theSethianGnostics................................................411
JohnD.Turner
MarcosianRitualsforProphecyandApolytrosis.......................433
NiclasFörster
RitualintheHekhalotLiterature.......................................449
JamesDavila
SECTION5
PHILOSOPHICPRACTICES
ThePlatonizingSethianGnosticInterpretationofPlato’sSophist ......469 ZekeMazur
DidPlotinus’“Friends”StillGotoChurch?CommunalRitualsand AscentApocalypses................................................495
MichaelWilliams
TheMeaningof“One”:PluralityandUnityinPlotinusandLater Neoplatonism......................................................523
KevinCorrigan
TheurgyandthePlatonist’sLuminousBody............................537
GregoryShaw
Index...................................................................559
INTRODUCTION
AprilD.DeConick
TheancientGnosticsdidnotrevealtheirmysteriestothepublic.Theykept themprivate,fortheinitiatesandtheinitiated.Forcenturies,whatweknew abouttheGnosticsandtheirpractices,wehadgatheredfromsecondhand reportswrittenbypeoplewhosawtheGnosticsastransgressors.Whatever ritestheyhadpracticedwerekeptsecret,firsthiddenwithinthewallsof theirconventiclesandthensweptawaybythecourseofareligiousand politicalhistorythatdidnotfavorthem.However,withthefantasticmodern discoveriesofGnosticliteraturelikethe BooksofJeu, PistisSophia,theNag Hammadicodices,theBerlincodex,theTchacoscodex,the CologneMani Codex,the Kephalaia,andMandaeantexts,thevoicesoftheGnosticshave reemergedinthemodernworldandtheirmessageisbeingreimagined again.
BirgerA.Pearson,whomwehonorwiththisbook,isoneofthemost influentialscholarsinthelastcenturytoreintroducetheGnosticsintoour history.BythisImeanthathenotonlydevelopedapersuasivehistorical narrativeaboutthem,buthealsoreintroducedintoactualhistorysomeof theirliteratureinhisroleastheeditorforTheCopticGnosticLibraryofNag Hammadicodices7,9and10.
Hisinterpretativeworkhasshapedadistinctiveandprominentviewof theGnosticsasreligiouspeopleoriginatinginthefirstcenturyce,whocombinedelementsfromancientPlatonismandJudaismtocreateareligionof salvationbasedonGnosisorknowledge.Bythesecondcenturyce,ChristianswereutilizingtheseestablishedGnostictraditionsastheydevised theirownversionsofChristianity.
WhilemuchofPearson’sworkhasfocusedonthemetaphysicaland mythologicalsystemsoftheGnostics,Pearsonhasalwaysbeenkeenlyaware oftheneedtoconsidertheGnosticsbeyondtheirphilosophicalmoorings. InMarch1984,PearsonaddressedthemembersoftheSixthInternational ConferenceoftheInternationalSocietyforNeoplatonicStudieswiththis insight:
Whilemuchofthediscussion[aboutGnosticism]hasfocusedonsettingup comparisonsbetweenvariousplatonicsystemsofthoughtandlanguageand themetaphysical-mythologicalsystemsoftheGnostictexts,relativelylittle
attentionhasbeengiveninthiscomparativeenterprisetotheproblemof religiousritual.1
HewentontotreatthreeGnostictexts—the GospeloftheEgyptians,the ThreeStelesofSeth,and Marsanes—asconveyorsofritualthatcouldbe comparedtoIamblichus’understandingandpracticeoftheurgy.Whilethe Gnosticritualshavetheirowndistinctivecontent,theascensionrituals shareacommonalityworthexploring,Pearsonargued.Thisdoesnotmake IamblichusaGnosticortheGnosticsIamblichian.Ratheritsuggeststhat theGnosticssharedwithIamblichusaparticularviewofreligiousritual, whilemaintainingtheirowndistinctivemetaphysicalandphilosophical perspectives.
Laterinhiscareer,PearsoncontinuedtopursuehisinterestinGnostic ritual,especiallybaptismasitrelatestoSethianism,whichhediscussesat lengthinaprominentarticleinacollectionofessaysaboutabulationand baptisminearlyJudaismandChristianity.2 Pearsonobservesthat,while SethiantextsrevealthatSethianbaptismalpracticeswerenotstandardized,itcanbedeterminedthattheirriteoriginatedasaJewishinitiation ceremony,performedonlyonce,inreal(notmetaphorical)water.Asan initiationrite,ithadadefinitiverelationshiptotheirmythologyoftranscendence.Insomecases,iteffectedanecstaticascentexperience.Hisstudyof SethianritualprovideshimwithconfirmationthatGnosticismoriginated inaJewishcontext,notaChristianone,inthefirstcenturyce.3
ThepresentvolumeismeanttoreorientourstudyofGnosticismtofocus onGnosticpractices.WhatweretheGnosticsdoing?Theessaysinthisbook aremeanttobegintofillinthegapthatPearsonnotedthirtyyearsago,that Gnosticritualisunderstudied.Whiletherehavebeenanumberofexcellent studiesonGnosticritesofbaptismandeucharistthathavebeenpublished sincePearson’sobservationin1984,thetotalityofGnosticpracticestill remainsamysterytous.4 WhilewehavecontinuedtostudytheGnosticsas intellectualsinpursuitofmetaphysicalknowledge,wehavedonemuchless tounderstandtheGnosticsasecstaticsstrivingafterreligiousexperience,or prophetsseekingrevelation,ormysticsquestingaftertheultimateGod,or healersattemptingtocareforthesickanddiseased.Wehavereimaginedthe
1 Pearson1992,253.
2 Pearson2011,119–143.
3 Pearson2011,141.
4 Cf.Sevrin1986;Turner2000,83–139;2001;2006,941–992;Costentino2007,107–128; Schmid2007;Lundhaug2010.
Gnosticsasphilosophersandintellectualreligiousteachers,attheexpense ofotheridentities.WhattheirliteratureshowsusisthattheGnostics,while trendyintellectuals,werenotafterepistemologicalcertainties.Theywere afterreligiousexperiencesthatreliedonritual,liturgy,magic,theurgy,and thelike.
Thecontributionstothisbookareorganizedcomparativelyinahistoryof-religionsapproachfavoredbyPearson,ratherthansiloedintolocaltypes ofGnosticgroups.Section1examinesinitiatorypractices,thewaysin whichdifferentesotericgroupsinantiquitybroughtconvertsintotheir conventiclesandinitiatedthemintotheirmysteries.Theessaysinsection 2,recurrentpractices,exploreritesandpracticesthatareiterantor repeateddaily,weekly,monthlyorannuallyintheconventicles.Thethird section,therapeuticpractices,isdevotedtopracticeswithutilitarian purposeslikehealingandexorcism.Section4,ecstaticpractices,covers practicesassociatedwithcharismaticandecstaticexperiences,including propheticactivitiesandascentceremonies.Thefinalsection,philosophic practices,containspapersthatreflectontherelationshipbetweenancient philosophyandreligiouspractice.
TherehasbeennoattemptinthisbooktorestrictthewordGnosisto aparticulargroupinantiquity,norhastherebeenanyattempttocapture anddefineitinsomeexclusivesense.Rather,thecomparativearrangement adoptedherechallengesustoconsiderforourselveswhatisGnosticand whatisnot.WhosoughtGnosis?Forwhatpurpose?Howwasitdone?The essaysareorganizedinthiskaleidoscopicmannertoallowthereadertoview GnosticpracticeswithinabroaderGreco-Romancomparativecontext,so thatcommonframeworks,aswellasdiscontinuitiescanbereadilyseen. Mithraiccaves,Jewishmysticalbowls,andHermeticscriptsareexplored alongsidemorestandardlyconceivedGnosticmaterialsliketheOphitediagram,Manichaeanprayers,theGospelofPhilip,andSethianliterature.
Thereisanoldteachingthatwhenthenamesofthegodschange,the ritualsremainthesame.WhileIamcertainthatwemightfindacase ortwowherethisisnottrue,theoldteachingstillhasmuchmerit.Itis whatPearsonunderstoodyearsagowhenheobservedthatreligiousrituals canbesharedbygroupswithverydifferentmetaphysicalorientationsand mythologicalscripts.Whyisthisso?Itissomethingworthexploring.
Bibliography
Costentino,Augusto.2007.Ilbattesimognostico:Dottrine,simbolieritiiniziaticinello gnosticismo.Collanadistudistorico-religiosi9.Hiera/Cosenza:EdizioniLionello Giordano.
Lundhaug,Hugo.2010. ImagesofRebirth:CognitivePoeticsandTransformational SoteriologyintheGospelofPhilipandtheExegesisontheSoul.NagHammadiand ManichaeanStudies73.Leiden:Brill.
Pearson,BirgerA.1992.TheurgicTendenciesinGnosticismandIamblichus’sConceptionofTheurgy.Pages253–275in NeoplatonismandGnosticism.Studiesin Neoplatonism:AncientandModern6.EditedbyR.T.WallisandJ.Bregman. Albany:SUNYPress,253–275.
———.2011.BaptisminSethianGnosticTexts.Pages119–143in Ablution,Initiation, andBaptism:LateAntiquity,EarlyJudaism,andEarlyChristianity.Beiheftezur ZeitschriftfürdieneutestamentlicheWissenschaft176/1.EditedbyDavidHellholmetal.Berlin:DeGruyter. Schmid,Herbert.2007.Die EucharistieistJesus:AnfängeeinerTheoriedesSakramentsimkoptischenPhilippusevangelium(NHCII3).SupplementstoVigiliae Christianae88.Leiden:Brill. Sevrin,Jean-Marie.1986. LedossierbaptismalSéthien:Étudessurlasacramentaire gnostique.BibliothèquecoptedeNagHammadi2.Québec:Lespressesdel’UniversitéLaval.
Turner,JohnD.2000.RitualinGnosticism.Pages83–139inGnosticismandLaterPlatonism.EditedbyJohnD.TurnerandRuthMajercik.SocietyofBiblicalLiterature SymposiumSeries12.Atlanta:SocietyofBiblicalLiterature. ———.2001. SethianGnosticismandthePlatonicTradition.Bibliothèquecoptede NagHammadi6.Québec:Lespressesdel’UniversitéLaval. ———.2006.TheSethianBaptismalRite.Pages941–992inCoptica,Gnostica,Manichaica:MélangesoffertsàWolf-PeterFunk.EditedbyLouisPainchaudandPaulHubertPoirier.BibliothèquecoptedeNagHammadi7.Québec:Lespressesde l’UniversitéLaval.
ATRIBUTETOBIRGERA.PEARSON
FORBIRGERPEARSON: ASCHOLARWHOBOTHSTUDIESANDEMBODIESSYNCRETISM
GeorgeW.E.Nickelsburg
Firstandforemost,BirgerPearsonwas,is,andwillbe—Ithinkforthe foreseeablefuture—ahistorianofreligions.Inextricablyboundupwiththis, hewas,is,andwillbe—weallhopeforalongforeseeablefuture—aSwede. ThecourseofBirger’sscholarlylifewasaffectedbyanumberofvectors.I’ll startwithhisSwedishDNAsincehewasbornaSwedebeforehewasreborn asascholar.
Swedishnessis,oratleastusedtobe,closelyconnectedwithLutheranism,althoughBirger’sfirstpost-primaryreligiouseducationwasatConcordiaHighSchool,aMissouriSynodLutheraninstitutioninOaklandCalifornia.HenaturallymovedonfromGermanConcordiatoSwedishUppsala CollegeinNewJersey,wherehereceivedhisB.A.notinReligion,butinthe Classics.ThatgroundinginGreeklanguageandculturewouldaffecthisacademiccareeroverthedecades.Andlestweforget,itwastherethathemet andmarriedKarenLeeHeurlin—whoalsoaffectedhislife.
UponhisgraduationfromUppsalahereturnedtotheWestCoastand tookanM.A.inGreekattheUniversityofCaliforniainBerkeley.Duringhis twoyearstherehewasenrolledinaseminarthatintroducedhimtothe GospelofThomas.Thisnudgedhimintothe“proto-gnostic”world,andhe wouldneverbethesame.Yetheskitteredinanewdirection.Hemovedup thehilltoPacificLutheranTheologicalSeminaryinBerkeley,andthreeyears laterhereceivedhisBachelorofDivinitydegree(wecallthatanM.Div.these days).MightBirgerPearsonbecomeaparishpastor?No,thiswasnottobe. Nonetheless,thistheologicaleducationwouldaffecthim,ifonlytosensitize himtotheissueswithwhichhewouldhavetodeallaterasascholar,a theoretician,andanadministrator.
IhaveslippedfromBirgertheSwedetoBirgerthescholar,butnotaltogether.HavingcompletedhisformalWestCoasteducation,in1962heand Karen,Ingrid,andDavidsetofffortheIvyLeague,wherehewouldreceive hisPh.D.intheStudyofReligion,andspecificallyinNewTestamentand ChristianOrigins.Nowthenudgetowardthehistoryofreligionsandthe ongoingdirectionofhiscareer.AlthoughhisDoktortvater wouldbeHelmut Koester,hebeganaclosedecades-longrelationshipwithKristerStendahl,
whohadreceivedhisdoctoratefromtheoriginalSwedishUppsala.From thispointon,inonewayoranother,Birger’sscholarshipandhisSwedish heritageandidentitywouldinteractwithoneanother,justashisinterestin classicalphilosophyandreligionandJewish,Christian,andGnosticreligion wouldinteractandbecomeintegralcomponentsinhisscholarlypersona. Learned,wise,andprolifichistorianofreligionsthathewasintheprocess ofbecoming,heunderstoodthatacarefulandappropriatecomparisonof thesereligiousphenomena(andsometimessystems)madeitpossiblefor himtoseewheretheymaintainedtheirownidentity(moreorless)and wheretheyblendedandre-blended.
AfewsignificantpersonaepopulatedthisHarvardstratumofhisCurriculamVitae.AmonghisteacherswereArthurDarbyNock,theBritish-taught historianofclassicalreligions;FrankMooreCross,theAlbrightianhistorian ofIsraeliteandotherancientNearEasternreligions,HelmutKoester,whose GermanteacherwasahistorianoftheSynopticGospelsplusJohnandPaul inthemix,and,ofcourse,KristerStendahl,whohadbeeneducatedinthe ScandinavianHistoryofReligionsschool.Additionally,Birgerwasfortunate tobeatHarvardwhenGillesQuispel,apioneerDutchscholarofGnosticism wasleadingaseminar.Addingtohisphilologicaltoolbox,Birgertooktwo semestersofCopticwithTomLambdin,thenonpareilteacherofSemitic andHamiticlanguages.
FromthestartBirger’spublicationswereexercisesinthehistoryofreligions.HisdissertationcomparedPaul’sterminologyin1Corinthianswith itsparallelsinthereligiousphilosophyofPhiloofJudeaand“itsrelationshiptoGnosticism.”HisnexttwobookswereanEnglishtranslationofa workonGnosticismbyGeoWidengren,thegreatSwedishhistorianofreligionsandaneditedvolume,ReligiousSyncretism:EssayinConversationwith GeoWidengren.HissecondpublishedarticletreatedSecondPeter,classical myth,andthemythoftheWatchersin1Enoch.Hislistofpublicationsis muchtoolongofascholarlytrajectorytopursuehere.Itrangesovereditions ofCopticGnostictexts,aneditedvolumeon“TheRootsofEgyptianChristianity,”andamust-useintroductory(classroom)textbookontheGnostic corpus.AlthoughBirgerhaswrittenmanyexegeticalpiecesonearlyChristian,Jewish,andGnostictexts,Ithinkitisfairtosaythatthesewerealways exercisesin,orwereinformedbyhisscholarlypersonaasahistorianofreligions.
ButweturnbacknowtotheSwedishsociologyofBirger’sknowledge. HehaspublishedinSwedishandabstractedarticlespublishedinSwedish (andNorwegian)journals.FortwoyearshewasthedirectoroftheUniversity ofCaliforniaStudyCenteratLundUniversityinSweden.In1993and1996
respectivelyhewasvisitingprofessorattheUniversityofUppsalaandthe UniversityofLund.In2002hewastheSigmundMowinckelLecturerat OsloUniversity.Then,appropriately,torecognizehismanyachievements asahistorianofreligionsandacredittothelandofhisforebears,hewas awardedthedegreeofDoctorofTheologyhonoriscausafromtheUniversity ofUppsala—theoneinSweden.
In1994ingratefulcelebrationofhisSwedishheritage,Birgererecteda largegraniterunestoneatthefootofhisdrivewaywiththephilologically andpaleologicallycorrectinscription,“Birkir*lit*raisa*stain*dhina*at *sik*kuikuan*tauit*risti***(“Birgerhadthisstonesetupforhimself whilehewasstillalive.Davidcarved”).I’msurethatIngrid,David,Daniel, Sven,andAnderssmileeverytimetheycomeforavisit.
Onthatpersonalnote,hereareafewcommentsaboutalongtimeclose friend.Overfourdecades,IhavehadthepleasureofroomingatSociety BiblicalLiteraturemeetingswithBirgerandNormanPetersen,hisScandinavianbredcolleagueofDanishextraction(butespeciallyofGerman—and American—scholarlyinclination).Ourinformalseminarshaverunintothe weehoursofthemorningandoccasionallyhavepickedupafewhourslater. FromBirgerandNormanIhavelearnedmorethanIcaneveracknowledge. WehavebroadenedourSBLeducationwithacoupleoftripstotheSan FranciscoOperaandBirgerhashelpedmewiththeCopticIhaveforgotten. Formehecombinesdeepfriendshipwithakind,gracious,andhumorous approachtoscholarshipevenwhenhedigsinonissueswhereheiscertain heisrightandhisdialoguepartneriswrong.Thatheisafriendtoothers aswellhasbeenevidencedbythemanytimesthatofthethreeofus,heis usuallytheonewhoisstoppedinthehall—sometimesbyfriendswhomhe hasmetinSwedenandwithwhomhepreferstohavedinner.
Andso,Birger,mythanksandappreciationforallthegoodthings minʿālmāʾ andmybestwishesforallthoseyettocomeʿad-ʿālmā.
RELIGIONSGESCHICHTLICHESCHULE, RELIGIONSWISSENSCHAFT,PIANO,OBOEANDBOURBON
GeraldJamesLarson
Iamsomethingofaninterloperinthiscollectionoflearneddiscourses abouttheintricaciesofGnosticismintheMediterraneanofLateAntiquity, althoughmyownscholarlyworkinthedualistsystemsofSāṃkhyaandYoga intheclassicalSanskritphilosophyofIndiamakesmesomethingofafellow travelerwiththeGnosticsoftheworld.Afterall,toparaphrasealineofthe greatAmericanpoet,somethingthereisthatdoesn’tloveadualist!
Inanycase,BirgerA.PearsonandIwerecolleaguestogetherforover quarterofacentury(approximately1970through1995)intheDepartment ofReligiousStudiesoftheUniversityofCalifornia,SantaBarbara.Wehad somethingtodo,perhapsevenagooddealtodo,withshapingthelong-term trajectoryofgraduatestudyintheacademicstudyofreligionatSanta Barbara,andIwanttocommentonBirger’simportantcontributiontothis effort.
BobMichaelsenwasthefirstchairofreligiousstudiesatUCSBandestablishedtheundergraduateprogramandtheincipientgraduateprogram.I wasthesecondchair(1971through1976),andBirgerwasthethirdchair(1977 through1981).Themaintasksduringouryearsaschairswastoputintoplace afullgraduatefacultytosupportgraduateworkinreligiousstudiesandto fashionaprogrammaticcurriculumforrigorousgraduatetrainingappropriateforthemodernsecularstateuniversity.
BothBirgerandIwereproductsoftraditionalseminary-basedgraduate education(BirgerviaHarvardDivinitySchoolandmeviaUnionTheological SeminaryinNewYorkCityandColumbiaUniversity).Wewerebothpersuadedthatwhileourtraininghadbeenexcellentinthebesttraditionsof first-rateProtestantgraduateeducation,fundamentalchangeshadtooccur inre-visioningtheacademicstudyofreligioninaninstitutionsuchasthe UniversityofCalifornia.Theacademicstudyofreligion,atleastinourshop, hadtobecross-culturalandinterdisciplinarybothintheoryandinmethod andwithoutaconfessionalorientation.
Inmanywaysitwaseasierformetore-visionmyowntraining,sinceIhad specializedinSouthAsiantraditions(Hindu,Buddhist,Jain,SouthAsian Islamictraditionsandthemannerinwhichthesetraditionslaterdeveloped
intheIndo-Tibetanregion,SoutheastAsiaandfinallyintoChina,Koreaand Japan).ItwasrelativelyeasyformetodevelopaSouthAsianemphasiswith workinClassicalSanskritandotherappropriateSouthAsianlanguages,and toencouragecolleaguesinrelatedareastodevelopparallelworkinEast AsiantraditionswithrequisiteworkinChineseandJapanese.
ForBirgerthetaskwasmoredemanding,sinceobviouslytraditional biblicalstudieshadtoberecastinthemulti-religiousandsecularenvironmentofthepublicuniversity.Fromtheverybeginningofourcollegial worktogetheratUCSB,however,Birgeralwayssawhisworkinthelarger frameworkofChristianorigins,Mediterraneanreligioustraditions,Classics,Copticstudies,theNagHammaditexts,Gnosticstudies,theReligionsgeschichtlicheSchulemethodologiesfromthenineteenthandearlytwentiethcenturytraditionsofbiblicalstudies,and,finally,ofcourse,theReligionswissenschaftorientationofcontemporaryhistoryofreligions,togetherwith requisiteworkinGreek,Latin,and,ofcourse,Coptic.Inaddition,Birgeralso developedworkinanareaofhisownpersonalinterest,namely,Nordicreligions.
Overtheyearsotherareaswerealsodevelopedonthegraduatelevel,for example,thesocialscientificstudyofreligion,religioninAmerica,Native Americanreligioustraditions,andIslamicreligioustraditions.Throughout thegraduatecurriculum,however,therehasalwaysbeenadistinctivefocus onseriouslanguagetrainingbothinclassicaltextuallanguagesandinmodernscholarlylanguages(French,German,Japanese,andsoforth)together withastrongfocusonhistoryandhistoriography,notsomuchintheEliadeanmotif-researchsensebutmoreintheolder Religionsgeschictliche Schule senseofdeepimmersioninspecificreligioustraditions.Inthis regard,thegraduateprograminreligiousstudiesatSantaBarbarahas becomeamodelfortheacademicstudyofreligionthroughouttheUnited States,andoutsidetheUSaswell.Isayallofthistohighlightanaspectof Birger’scareerthatmaynotbeaswellknownashisworkwiththeNagHammadimaterialsandGnosticism,namely,hissignificantroleinhelpingto shapethecontoursofgraduatetraininginreligiousstudiesinthemodern secularuniversity.
Ofcourse,ourtimetogetherforaquarterofacenturyinSantaBarbara wasnotentirelygivenovertoReligionsgeschichtlicheSchulemattersandthe profunditiesofReligionswissenschaft.Birgerisanaccomplishedpianistand organist,andIam,toputthematterinthebestpossiblelight,anaspiring, amateuroboist.Bethatasitmay,wedidgettogetherregularlyoverthe years,usuallyonceaweektoexplorethemysteriesofclassicalmusic.Inthe earlyyears,wedidreasonablywellwithHandel,Telemann,Mozart,Bach,
etal.Theusualroutinewastoplayforaboutanhour,sometimesanhour andahalf,andthenkickbackwithafewbourbonandwaters.Astheyears progressed,alas,theroutinegraduallychangedtolessHandel,Telemann andBach,andmoreandmoretobourbonandwater.
Letmejustsayinconclusionthatithasbeenanhonorformetohave BirgerA.Pearsonasaclosefriendandlearnedcolleagueformostofmy career,andIextendmywarmbestwishestohimonthisoccasionofthe publicationofthisFestschrift inhishonor.
BIRGERPEARSON: SCHOLAR,PROFESSORANDMENTOR
GregoryShaw
Idon’trememberthefirsttimeImetBirgerPearson,butIdorecall,quite clearly,myinitialimpression:hereisaseriousman.Itwas1977.Pearsonwas thechairoftheReligiousStudiesDepartmentatUCSantaBarbara,andIhad justbeenadmittedtotheMAprogram.Iwas26,hadbeenacollegedrop-out, ahippy,spiritualseeker,andhadspentyearsmeditatingseveralhoursaday. Iwashungryforwisdom,forspiritualdepthandguidance.Iwasrawand verygreen.Pearsonwasdefinitelycooked butnotinanyculturewithwhich Iwasfamiliar!
InitiallyIrememberhisburnt-orangeleisuresuitthatheseemedtowear every day(ormaybehehadseveralofthem),hispipe,andthefactthathe possessedaNordicdistanceandambleddownthehallslikeacharacterin aBergmanmovie.ThenIbegantonoticehowseriouslyhetookthescholarlyenterprise.Ifoundhimintimidating.Pearsonseemedexacting,almost humorless,severe.InourweeklycolloquiaonmorethanoneoccasionI recallPearsonchallenginghisfacultycolleaguesinthedepartmentwith bluntquestions:Whereistheevidenceforthis?Whatdoesthetextsay?And thevaporsseemedtodissipate.Sometimes,honestly,Ipreferredthevapors, thewildexplorationsandwordplayespousedbytheotherfacultyandgraduatestudentsinthedepartment.Thetext…thetext.IcouldseewhyPearson frightenedme,andthem.Hewasreadytochallengethevalidityofanyone’s ideas,eventhoseofhiscolleagues.
AtthattimetheReligiousStudiesDepartmentincludedtalentedand richlyimaginativethinkers:RaimundoPanikkar,NinianSmart,GerryLarson,WalterCapps,eachofthempowerful,spell-binding,speakers,and allofthemregardedPearsonwithhealthyrespect,ifnotatouchoffear. Theyknewhewouldspeakhonestlyanddirectlyaboutthesubjectathand regardlessofwhoseopinionwasbeingdiscussed.
ThatwasbeforeIdiscoveredBirgerPearsonwastheDepartment’sexpert onreligionsoflateantiquityintheMediterranean.Ibegantotakeclasses fromPearsonanddiscoveredthathepossessedaveryhealthy,and earthy, senseofhumor.Evenmore,IwastakeninbytherichmaterialPearson clearlylaidbeforeus:themysteryreligions,theHermeticwritings,thecults
ofthelateantiqueworld,andhiswell-knownclassontheNewTestament. InthatclassIhadtheprivilegetoexperiencewhatmanyundergraduates describedasthe“Devilhimself,”ProfessorPearson,initiatingtheirdelicate soulsintothehistoricalcriticalmethod(Devil’sworkindeed!).Therewas somethingsohonestandsorigorousabouthisscholarshipandteaching thatIknewhewouldhonorthecoinifIpasseditbacktohim,andhedid. Ifoundmyselfthinkingcreatively,anddeeply,riskedsharingthiswithhim inmypapers,andfoundthatitwaspreciselythekindofworkhewanted.
IbeganmyPh.D.workwiththehelpofBirger’scolleague,RichardHecht, andhadtheprivilegeoflearningCopticfromMarvinMeyerinaGoletabar, aptlynamedTheEnglishDepartment,whileBirgerwasonleaveinSweden. Whenhereturned,Iaskedtoworkwithhimonmythesis:Iamblichusand theurgy.Hegraciouslyacceptedmeashisstudent.Ihadtakenseminarswith Pearson.Iknewhecouldbesearingandbluntinhiscriticism.Iknewthat ifyourworkwasnotsolidlybasedonhistoricalevidenceandthetextshe woulddismissitwithakindofcoldseverityIhadseenanddidnotwantto experience!Needlesstosay,thisinspiredmetoengageincareful research.
Iworkedhard,thequalityofmyresearchimproved,andIwasnotalone indevelopingmyskillsunderhisdirection.Pearson’spreviousstudent,Ruth Majercik,completedherthesiswithatext,translation,andcommentaryon theChaldeanOracles,the“Bible”ofthelaterPlatonists.Itwaspublishedby Brillin1989andisnowthestandardEnglishtranslationandcommentary usedbyscholars.Anotherstudent,RobertPetty,translatedandwrotea commentaryonthefragmentsofNumeniuswhoinitiatedthetrajectoryof philosophicreflectionfollowedbyPlotinus;hisFragmentsofNumeniushas justbeenpublishedastheonlyscholarlyEnglishtranslation.Myownthesis, situatingthetheurgyofIamblichusinitsPlatonicandPythagoreancontext, TheurgyandtheSoul,receivedpositivereviewsand(Iliketobelieve)helped toshiftourunderstandingoftheurgyamonglaterPlatonists.So,Birger Pearson,whoishighlyregardedforhisresearchonPaulandevenmorefor hisworkonGnostics,wasthefatherandguidetosignificantscholarship onthelaterPlatonists.Pearsonwasnotinterestedincreatingclonesbutin encouragingexcellentscholarship,whateverthesubject,aslongasitwas groundedoncarefulresearchandthetexts.
In1984IwasdeeplyhonoredthatBirgerPearsoncitedoneofmypapers inhispresentationattheground-breakingconferenceonNeoplatonism andGnosticismconvenedbyR.T.WallisinStillwater,Oklahoma.Pearson exploredhowGnosticritualscouldbecomparedtothetheurgicritesofthe Platonists,andhowtheymighthavehadasimilarfunctionamongGnostics. Ithinkhewasasdelightedtobecitingoneofhisstudent’spapersashe
birgerpearson:scholar,professorandmentor17 wasinpursuingtheinterpretationhimself.IdiscoveredincreasinglyasI workedwithPearsonthathenotonlygaveexcellentadviceonmyresearch andwritingbutwasalsogeneroustoafault;Icouldalwayscountonhim foratimelyletterofrecommendationoranythingelse.Nosmallthing,as graduatestudentslookforjobs!Pearsonalsosupportedandencouragedme tospendasemesterofstudyinParisworkingwithFrs.JeanTrouillardand HenriDominicSaffrey,highlyregardedscholarsofPlotinusandProclus. BirgerPearsonwas,intruth,a true doctorfather.Heguidedme,nurtured me,andwasexacting;atthesametimeheencouragedmealwaystothink deeply,formyself,andinmyownway.Perhapsthis,morethananyother quality,iswhatIfoundtobeProfessorPearson’sgift:heencouragedmeto findmyvoice.Hewasconfidentenoughasamanandasascholartosupport differentapproachesandinterestsinhisstudents,andbychallengingand supportingushewasabletobringoutourbestscholarship.ForthatIam deeplygrateful,andIknowIspeakformanywhowerefortunateenoughto bethestudentsofBirgerPearson.
BIRGERALBERTPEARSON ABIBLIOGRAPHY
AcademicDegrees
BachelorofArts,UpsalaCollege(EastOrange,NJ),1957.ClassicalLanguages.
MasterofArts,UniversityofCalifornia,Berkeley,1959.Greek.
BachelorofDivinity(=M.Div.),PacificLutheranTheologicalSeminary(Berkeley, CA),1962.BiblicalStudiesandTheology.
DoctorofPhilosophy,HarvardUniversity,1968.StudyofReligion:NewTestament andChristianOrigins.
DoctorofTheologyhonoriscausa,UppsalaUniversity,Sweden,2002.
AcademicAppointments
PacificLutheranTheologicalSeminary:InstructorinGreek,1959–1962.
HarvardUniversity:TeachingFellow,1964–1965.
EpiscopalTheologicalSchool(Cambridge,MA):Lecturer,1965–1966.
HarvardDivinitySchool:TeachingFellowinGreek,SummerLanguageProgram, 1966,1967.
DukeUniversity,DepartmentofReligion:Instructor,1966–1968;AssistantProfessor, 1968–1969.
UniversityofCalifornia,SantaBarbara,DepartmentofReligiousStudies:Assistant Professor,1969–1971;AssociateProfessor,1971–1975;Professor,1975–;Emeritus, 1994–;onrecall,Winter,1995,1996.
UppsalaUniversity,Sweden:VisitingProfessor,Spring,1993.
PacificLutheranTheologicalSeminary/GraduateTheologicalUnion:AdjunctProfessor,Fall,1994,1995.
UniversityofCalifornia,Berkeley,ReligiousStudiesProgram:Professor(onrecall), Fall,1994,1995,1999,Spring,2001;ProfessorandInterimDirector,1996–1999.
LundUniversity,Sweden:VisitingProfessor,Spring,1996.
OsloUniversity,Norway:SigmundMowinckelLecturer,Fall,2000.
UniversityofCalifornia,Davis,ReligiousStudiesProgram:Professor(onrecall), Summer,2004.
Memberships
SocietyofBiblicalLiterature
ArcheologicalInstituteofAmerica StudiorumNoviTestamentiSocietas
