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Theurgy and the Soul: The Neoplatonism of Iamblichus

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While Plotinus has been read and written about fairly early, it took a long time before the later Neoplatonists were studied seriously. The main reason was the disrespect expressed by many important scholars - notably E. R. Dodds and A.-J. Festugiere - about theurgy, which was routinely identified with magic and 'puerile superstition'. Fortunately, figures like H.-D. Saffrey (a pupil of Dodds and Festugiere) and J. Trouillard favored a more sympathetic approach to the subject, and they paved the way for a new generation of scholars, among them G. Shaw, the author of this remarkable book. It is a crucial work, because one's understanding of philosophers like Iamblichus and Proclus is unthinkable without a good enough grasp of theurgy; in that regard, the book is at once erudite and reader-friendly. Shaw emphasizes Iamblichus' traditionalism: far from being an eccentric innovation, theurgy is described as an effort to bring the Platonic tradition closer to Plato himself (and Pythagoras) and away from the radical dualism of the Gnostics. The book makes clear that adherence to theurgy implies a worldview whose consideration of the sensible world is deeply imbeted to the overall optimism of Plato's Timaeus; that dialogue's demiurgic cosmogony is also vital for the theurgic rites. In short, this is an essential book for those who are interested in Iamblichus and the later Neoplatonists.

Excellent book. I learned more about the relationship between Plotinus, Proclus and Iamblichus in this book than I did in The Cambridge History of Later Greek and Early Medieval Philosohy. Chapter 12, "Cult and Cosmos" is worth the price of the book. If you are interested in Iamlichus I might even recomend this before (not instead of) the primary sources.
If you don't have a fair packground in philosophy or theology you may need to get a dedicated dictionary to define the greek terms.

Rationalist modern paradigms of philosophy relegated the figure of Iamblichus of Chalcis to a footnote in the history of philosophy, a decadent thinker who tried to justify the old pagan cult with complicated and muddled justifications vaguely based on Platonic doctrine. Gregory Shaw shows persuasively that Iamblichus in his own time was a towering intellectual figure who drew out and developed his doctrine from the writings of the Divine Plato himself, the Pythagorean teachings, and the mysteries of the ancient Egyptians and Chaldeans. Central to his theology was the idea that the soul has fallen completely into the body, and that man must use the symbols in the cosmos, the sunthemata, to climb back up to the One, the source of all goodness. Ritual and magic, then, become highly philosophical, and philosophy itself becomes a ritual, a purification and illumination that will lead the soul back to its divine origins.

As a Christian, I see how these ideas effected the Church as it developed its ideas of the sacraments, the veneration of relics and the saints, among other things. It can be said (and Shaw insinuates) that it is the apostolic Christian churches (Catholic and Orthodox) that carry on Iamblichus' legacy to this day in the form of an incarnate theology where "theurgy" affected and was transformed into "liturgy" in the Christian mind, mainly through the help of Pseudo-Dionysius.

This book then is a necessary read not just for students of paganism and ancient philosophy, but also for traditional Christians who want to know how paganism has helped form what we believe about divinity. This is a book that you will have to read more than once, and you will return to it over and over again to find new openings into understanding.

An excellent companion to Plotinus. The author, Mr. Shaw has a firm grasp of Platonic principles of Proodos (emanationism, the 'religion' of Platonism) unlike many other trash books I own authored by existentialists writting upon Platonism from the perspective of their nihilistic and atomistic minds. Without extentive description, might I say I praise LITTLE in the way of books on Neoplatonism, and I own all such books, and this book is top 10 among them all.

This is an amazingly excellent introduction to the life and teaching of the 4th century Syrian mystic Iamblichus. Anyone interested in the spiritual science behind ritual magic and divination will find a treasure trove of insight here.

An extraordinary work on Iamblichus, making clear that Iamblichus' aim was to reconnect Sould and World, with fascinating remarks about theurgy and therapy

This book heals the split between the soul and intellect, between body and mind, and between mortal self and divine. Shaw has an uncanny insight into esoteric teachings, and he restores the scholarly reputation of Iamblichus as the Neo-Platonist who remained true to the wordless wisdom behind the works Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle.