Histories of the Hidden God: Concealment and Revelation in Western Gnostic, Esoteric, and Mystical Traditions (Gnostica)

Book Details

• Publisher: Routledge

• Author: DeConick, April D.

• Language: English

• Edition: 1

• ISBN: 9781138664302

• Pages: 368

• Cover: Paperback

• Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches

About the Book

Histories of the Hidden God by April D. DeConick delves into the fascinating and complex tradition of a hidden God within Western religious thought. In contrast to the conventional conception of God as an accessible, humanlike creator and lawgiver, DeConick explores the rich, often paradoxical idea of a God who deliberately hides, remaining inaccessible yet ever-present. This tension between the immanent and transcendent, the accessible and the elusive, forms the backbone of a longstanding tradition in Western religious and mystical thinking.

The book examines how this hidden God has been a central theme in Western Gnostic, esoteric, and mystical thought, influencing mystics, sages, artists, and Gnostics throughout history. It explores three essential themes: the concealment of the hidden God, the human quest to seek and understand this concealed deity, and the various revelations and interpretations of this hidden nature.

Histories of the Hidden God offers readers an intellectual journey from antiquity to the present, shedding light on the spiritual and philosophical underpinnings of the tradition of divine concealment. It is an essential read for anyone interested in Gnosticism, mysticism, religious history, or the exploration of the divine in Western spiritual thought.