“The teachings of the Church had a doctrine of the theosis of man, but in this theosis there is no man at all. The very problem of man is not even put. But man is godlike not alone because he is capable of supressing his own nature, and thus freeing a place for divinity. There is a godlikeness in human nature itself, in the very human voice of the nature.”
Nicolai A.Berydaev, Meaning of the Creative Act, 1955.
I have just finished reading Neil Gaiman`s childrens story Coraline . Since discovering Clive Barker`s The Thief of Always I have grown to expect more from my favourite authors, among which I count Neil Gaiman, than before..I began reading “adult literature” (I do not mean “adult” magazines) at 12 and became, I suspect, more and more preconceived concerning newer childrens literature.
Back to the story: Coraline moves to a new place with her parents,who – while they have chosen to be freelancers, being around all the time, nevertheless seems quite distracted from Coraline..so she gets to explore the flat, the garden and visit the strange neighbours. Readers will find that she will not be disappointed, the place isnt as boring as she suspects…but now she looses her parents, and her “other parents” wants to change her…
I recommend it..
Here`s a flash presentation of the story – Neil Gaiman`s Coraline at Mousecircus.com
Last week we had another visitor from Hollywood..Rev.Donna Owen. It is wonderful that so many could visit us this autumn, for me rather than Revd.Jan Valentin Saether, it is the first time I have got the chance to meet our confraternity in America and get some impression of whats going on in the Ecclesia Gnostica. We got to hold two Masses together, one private of the original English liturgy, wherein I assisted Donna, the other with Jan as celebrant in Norwegian.
Donna is Commander of the Order of the Grail and were visiting Paris for the bicentennial of Louis Claude de Saint-Martin`s transition, which were organized by the studies organization GERME – it were my impression that this were quite the event gathering esoterists with interests in Saint-Martin and Martinism as well as dedicated Martinists from all over the world. She brought heartening news from the milieu to whose outermost perimeter, through my correspondences, forum participation and work as a Deacon for Ecclesia Gnostica ..belong.
During our communion Revd. Jan Valentin Saether kindly gave me a gift of a Pix, a box to carry preconsecrated hosts – part of the traditional paraphenalia belonging to the Deacon in the Sacramental Christian traditions, to which Ecclesia Gnostica most decidedly belong..so now I carry hosts..the tokens of Christ`s descent into matter,chaos,death..this world for the sake of …the soul, our Sophia whose life we partake of. It is really quite the reminder, I can really feel the weight of it.
I am most grateful, I just hope that I`ll be worthy to put it to use (it was designed to be a container for the sacrament so that the Deacon could bring it to those who are unable to attend mass at Church, such as old and sick people).