Catarist darkness, sephirotic light. Albigensians and kabbalists in Languedoc (XIIth – XIIIth centuries) Cover Image

Întuneric catar, lumină sefirotică. Albigensi şi cabalişti în Languedoc (secolele al XII-lea – al XIII-lea)
Catarist darkness, sephirotic light. Albigensians and kabbalists in Languedoc (XIIth – XIIIth centuries)

Author(s): Silviu Lupaşcu
Subject(s): Cultural history
Published by: Editura Tracus Arte
Keywords: Catharism; Catharists/ Albigensians; Kabbalah; Languedoc; Provence; Inquisition; Moses Maimonides; Solomon Ibn Gabirol; Jean de Lugio; Sefer ha-Bahir

Summary/Abstract: An undeniable medieval historical evidence points to the coexistence of the Catarist and Jewish communities in Languedoc, during the XIIth – XIIIth centuries. As long as the Catarist dualistic theology and the system of thinking of the Kabbalah have in common the geographical space and the historical period of their emergence, the problem of reciprocal influences or of spiritual autarchy presents itself to a sorrow historiographical investigation, from the perspective of the history of culture and the history of religions. Among various primary and secondary sources, quoted in this study, two major bibliographical witnesses are brought out in bold relief: Abraham Abulafia invoking the dualistic terminology of Interrogatio Iohannis in his Commentary on Sefer Yetsirah, and Jean de Lugio quoting Solomon Ibn Gabirol's Fons vitae or Meqor hayyim in Liber de duobus principiis. The information presented and elucidated through exegesis are summed up in two diverging hypotheses which underline either the arguments in favor of a Catarist-Kabbalistic bibliographical proximity, or the arguments against a Catarist-Kabbalistic religious dialogue.

  • Issue Year: IV/2008
  • Issue No: 2 (08)
  • Page Range: 191-205
  • Page Count: 15
  • Language: Romanian