In this 2015 lecture I talk about the ways in which dualistic forms of thinking about the cosmos, often referred to as “Enochian” in their Jewish forms, and “Gnostic” in the wider Hellenistic world, basically took over the Western world and fundamentally transformed Judaism, Christianity, and Islam into religions of…
It is noteworthy that Paul’s testimony in 2 Corinthians 12:1-10 remains our only firsthand autobiographical account of such an experience from the ancient world. The idea of Jesus “ascending to heaven” after his resurrection from the dead is a theme well known in our culture. Along with his “resurrection from…