The animated statue and the ascension of the soul: Ritual and the divine image in late Platonism

Divine images play an important role in Late Platonic theurgic praxis by serving as a conduit through which divinity meets the material world. No longer content to allow ritual images to merely represent the gods or to be symbolic of hidden theological truths, philosophers like Iamblichus, Proclus and Hermeias, by combining divine matter, fabricate images that allow the gods to manifest themselves in the physical world. This study examines more closely the phenomenon of the ensouling or animation of statues and focuses on two disparate aspects of the practice: Iamblichean statue animation, its methods and sources, and Athenian rites, their mechanics and salvific value. The Iamblichean investigation compares and contrasts the Apamean philosopher\u27s statue ritual with the type(s) found in contemporaneous contexts such as the Papyri Graecae Magicae and the Corpus Hermeticum. I conclude that although Iamblichean praxis is similar to that found in these Egyptian texts, it differs in one significant aspect: the role of divination. Iamblichus\u27 adherence to proscriptions against technical divination in the Chaldaean Oracles finds him firmly opposed to any ties between agalmata and improper divinatory forms; theurgic images are strictly receptacles for the manifestation of divinity. The second aspect considered is the place of statue animation in the fifth-century C.E. Athenian school. For Proclus and Hermeias, the combination of animation and divination is not problematic and they find in the vivified statue analogies to greater truths. The fertile capacity for comparison possessed by these statues partially accounts for the relative frequency of their appearance in the Athenians\u27 writings, but I argue that this also reflects the importance of the rite in their theurgic praxis. My research suggests that the visitation of a deity to the statue is an important component in psychic emancipation that provides both external aid in the form of oracles that ease the daily burdens upon body and soul and internal benefits that help the soul to escape the natural realm into that of the transcendent gods

The animated statue and the ascension of the soul: Ritual and the divine image in late Platonism

Divine images play an important role in Late Platonic theurgic praxis by serving as a conduit through which divinity meets the material world. No longer content to allow ritual images to merely represent the gods or to be symbolic of hidden theological truths, philosophers like Iamblichus, Proclus and Hermeias, by combining divine matter, fabricate images that allow the gods to manifest themselves in the physical world. This study examines more closely the phenomenon of the ensouling or animation of statues and focuses on two disparate aspects of the practice: Iamblichean statue animation, its methods and sources, and Athenian rites, their mechanics and salvific value. The Iamblichean investigation compares and contrasts the Apamean philosopher\u27s statue ritual with the type(s) found in contemporaneous contexts such as the Papyri Graecae Magicae and the Corpus Hermeticum. I conclude that although Iamblichean praxis is similar to that found in these Egyptian texts, it differs in one significant aspect: the role of divination. Iamblichus\u27 adherence to proscriptions against technical divination in the Chaldaean Oracles finds him firmly opposed to any ties between agalmata and improper divinatory forms; theurgic images are strictly receptacles for the manifestation of divinity. The second aspect considered is the place of statue animation in the fifth-century C.E. Athenian school. For Proclus and Hermeias, the combination of animation and divination is not problematic and they find in the vivified statue analogies to greater truths. The fertile capacity for comparison possessed by these statues partially accounts for the relative frequency of their appearance in the Athenians\u27 writings, but I argue that this also reflects the importance of the rite in their theurgic praxis. My research suggests that the visitation of a deity to the statue is an important component in psychic emancipation that provides both external aid in the form of oracles that ease the daily burdens upon body and soul and internal benefits that help the soul to escape the natural realm into that of the transcendent gods

From the Actual to the Theoretical: How We Can Improve American Education

The presentation focuses on establishing an ideal school with the following mission: Our mission statement is as follows: We strive to help children from all backgrounds achieve academic excellence; providing assistance, mentorship, and a global mindset to prepare students for any future endeavor in which they may partake. The purpose of our school is to operate at the highest level of literacy, develop a passion for education and learning, teach students respect and compassion for their peers and superiors, regardless of race, gender, religious affiliation or socio-economic background. We seek to fully prepare our students, through a globalizing mentality and supportive services so they can learn to lean on those around them. We also hope to instill positive values in all students, driving them to strive for their best, while still seeking to give back to their peers and community as a whole.https://scholarship.richmond.edu/ssir-presentations-2019/1001/thumbnail.jp

Strategy development for special operations force logistics

This article highlights the specific logistics problems which special operations forces have, given their highly specialist nature and the factors that act upon them such as external (political, economic and national culture) and internal influences as well as the changing face of warfare. It will examine the ways in which special operations forces are currently supported logistically and will go on to consider the ways by which commercial 'best-practice' could be used to enhance the mission effectiveness of forces employed in this role

A large-scale, rapid public health response to rabies in an organ recipient and the previously undiagnosed organ donor

This article describes and contrasts the public health response to two human rabies cases: one organ recipient diagnosed within days of symptom onset and the transplant donor who was diagnosed 18 months post-symptom onset. In response to an organ-transplant-related rabies case diagnosed in 2013, organ donor and recipient investigations were conducted by multiple public health agencies. Persons with potential exposure to infectious patient materials were assessed for rabies virus exposure. An exposure investigation was conducted to determine the source of the organ donor\u27s infection. Over 100 persons from more than 20 agencies spent over 2700 h conducting contact investigations in healthcare, military and community settings. The 564 persons assessed include 417 healthcare workers [5.8% recommended for post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP)], 96 community contacts (15.6% recommended for PEP), 30 autopsy personnel (50% recommended for PEP), and 21 other persons (4.8% recommended for PEP). Donor contacts represented 188 assessed with 20.2% recommended for PEP, compared with 5.6% of 306 recipient contacts recommended for PEP. Human rabies cases result in substantial use of public health and medical resources, especially when diagnosis is delayed. Although rare, clinicians should consider rabies in cases of encephalitis of unexplained aetiology, particularly for cases that may result in organ donation