Birth Of The Symbol

Nearly all of us have studied poetry and been taught to look for the symbolic as well as literal meaning of the text. Is this the way the ancients saw poetry? In Birth of the Symbol, Peter Struck explores the ancient Greek literary critics and theorists who invented the idea of the poetic "symbol." The book notes that Aristotle and his followers did not discuss the use of poetic symbolism. Rather, a different group of Greek thinkers--the allegorists--were the first to develop the notion. Struck extensively revisits the work of the great allegorists, which has been underappreciated. He links their interest in symbolism to the importance of divination and magic in ancient times, and he demonstrates how important symbolism became when they thought about religion and philosophy. "They see the whole of great poetic language as deeply figurative," he writes, "with the potential always, even in the most mundane details, to be freighted with hidden messages." Birth of the Symbol offers a new understanding of the role of poetry in the life of ideas in ancient Greece. Moreover, it demonstrates a connection between the way we understand poetry and the way it was understood by important thinkers in ancient times.

Although this work is written from a Christian viewpoint, it also presents the symbolic visions of the non-believer. The symbolic examination of God helps us to uncover what it means to be human, and where we are heading as a species. Symbols aid in conveying the abstract ideas that human languages are too limited to express. In the broadest sense, God symbolizes all the mysteries of existence. Any thinking person must ask the question, 'what is the ultimate significance of this frail and vulnerable flesh that clothes the human ego?' God symbolizes these important mysteries and beckons us to approach him for answers.

This study explores the meaning and function of water as a literary symbol in the Gospel of John. Jones first gives an account of symbol: it points beyond itself, it defies clear and definitive perceptual expression, and it in some way embodies that which it represents. Then he examines the narrative sections of John that involve water, plotting the expanding meaning and function of the symbol as the narrative unfolds. The study concludes that water serves primarily as a symbol of the Spirit and therein symbolizes Jesus. The symbol of water calls a wide variety of readers to a decision and functions as a bridge linking the new identity believers receive when they come to faith in Jesus with the traditions from which they came.

The distinctive concept of the symbol, articulated by such writers as Goethe, Schelling, and Coleridge, is of the utmost significance in the literary, philosophical, and even scientific thought of the Romantic period. This interdisciplinary historical study examines the development of the concept in a jargon-free style that will appeal to a broad range of readers.

There is a fell quality to the mating urge that gives it the force of a natural and unimpeachable authority, which appears for a time to sweep away every obstacle and override the obstructing power of every consideration, whether of advantage or injury. It carries a virtual cosmic sanction with it. -from "Love and Hate" How does gender and the sex drive manifest itself across human cultures? How is the dual nature of humanity-male and female, spiritual and physical, animal and divine-expressed in the tangible world? Alvin Boyd Kuhn, a prominent proponent of the early 20th-century doctrine of theosophy, which sought to find the universal truths that underlie all human religions, here explores the hidden connections across cultures that unify rites and customs found around the globe: circumcision, the secondary status of women, myths about communion with deities, and more. In fluid prose that approaches a stream-of-consciousness reverie, this treatise seeks to uncover a fundamental basis for human ideas about sex, gender, and love. American philosopher and scholar of comparative religion ALVIN BOYD KUHN (1880-1963) is also the author of Theosophy (1930) and The Lost Light (1940).

How might our understanding of God's Word be deepened if we recognized the significance of the signs and symbols found within its pages--signs that would have been obvious to the original readers? From the tree of life to Noah's ark, from circumcision to animal sacrifice. From the feasts, the Passover lamb, and the manna in the wilderness to the furniture in the tabernacle and the visions of prophets. From the Lord's Supper to baptism and from the cross to the empty tomb. Throughout the Scriptures, signs and symbols weave a consistent message of God's presence, grace, and faithfulness. This illustrated resource will help readers understand key biblical images that reveal God's purposes and truth. Each entry includes multiple illustrations, explanations, and key Bible passages. Sidebars, quotes, and photos make this guide approachable and engaging.