Lexicon of Spiritual Powers in the Nag Hammadi “Library” in the Light of the Texts of Ritual Power
Lexicon of Spiritual Powers in the Nag Hammadi “Library” in the Light of the Texts of Ritual Power

Author(s): Przemysław Piwowarczyk
Subject(s): Christian Theology and Religion, Language studies, Customs / Folklore, Theoretical Linguistics, Applied Linguistics, Ancient World, Cultural Anthropology / Ethnology, Philology
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Śląskiego
Keywords: Gnosticism; Nag Hammadi; late antique magic; demonology; Coptic language
Summary/Abstract: The lexicon contains a complete list of spiritual beings (“powers”) mentioned by name in Nag Hammadi and related texts. They are presented against a broad background of ritual magic texts: “magical” papyri, defixiones, lamellae, and amulets of precious and semi-precious stones. The whole is also supplemented by extracts from patristic literature. The main part of the Lexicon is preceded by an introduction, in which the fundamental originality of the demonology of the Nag Hammadi texts is demonstrated. The book is addressed primarily to researchers interested in late antique Christianity, especially Gnosticism. Specialists in late antique magic will also benefit from it, as the lexicon juxtaposes two source corpora, which are generally considered separately. It is the first comprehensive undertaking of its kind in the world literature on the subject.

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