Synopses & Reviews
The search for the real historical person known as John the Baptist and the traditions that began with him andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andbull; Explores why John the Baptist is so crucially important to the Freemasons, who were originally known as andldquo;St. Johnandrsquo;s Menandrdquo; andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andbull; Reveals how John and Jesus were equal partners and shared a common spiritual vision to rebuild Israel and overcome corruption in the Temple of Jerusalem andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andbull; Explains the connections between John as lord of the summer solstice, his mysterious severed head, fertility rites, and ancient Jewish harvest festivals andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Few Freemasons today understand why the most significant date in the Masonic calendar is June 24th--the Feast of the Birth of St. John the Baptist and the traditional date for appointing Grand Masters. Nor do many of them know that Masons used to be known as andldquo;St. Johnandrsquo;s Menandrdquo; or that John the Baptist was fundamental to the original Masonic philosophy of personal transformation. andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Starting with the mystery of John in Freemasonry, Tobias Churton searches out the historical Baptist through the gospels and ancient histories, unearthing the real story behind the figure lauded by Jesusandrsquo;s words andldquo;no greater man was ever born of woman.andrdquo; He investigates Johnandrsquo;s links with the Essenes and the Gnostics, links that flourish to this day. Exposing how the apostle Paul challenged Johnandrsquo;s following, twisting his message and creating the image of John as andldquo;merelyandrdquo; a herald of Jesus, the author shows how Paul may have been behind the executions of both John and Jesus and reveals a precise date for the crucifixion and the astonishing meaning of the phrase andldquo;the third day.andrdquo; He examines the significance of Johnandrsquo;s severed head to holy knights, such as the Knights Templar, and of Leonardoandrsquo;s famous painting of John. Churton also explains connections between John, the summer solstice, fertility rites, and ancient Jewish harvest festivals. andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Revealing John as a courageous, revolutionary figure as vital to the origins of Christianity as his cousin Jesus himself, Churton shows how John and Jesus, as equal partners, launched a covert spiritual operation to overcome corruption in the Temple of Jerusalem, re-initiate Israel, and resurrect Creation.
Review
andldquo;In andlt;Iandgt;The Mysteries of John the Baptist,andlt;/Iandgt; Tobias Churton has produced a remarkably fresh analysis of the andldquo;herald of the Messiahandrdquo;. The great value of this book is that Churton provides not only a careful overview of the role of John, as handed down in Christian tradition, but gives us a unique and erudite reanalysis of the role of the Baptist using the lenses of Gnosticism, Freemasonry, and other esoteric traditions that have elevated John to a position equal to or superior to Jesus. This book is a truly invaluable addition to scholarly literature on John the Baptist.andrdquo;
Review
andldquo;andlt;Iandgt;The Mysteries of John the Baptistandlt;/Iandgt; is a recommended coverage for any collection interested in the mystery of John in Freemasonry and the historical Baptist as presented in the gospels and early histories...a powerful spiritual and religious survey recommended for Christian and new age holdings alike.andrdquo;
Review
“In The Mysteries of John the Baptist, Tobias Churton has produced a remarkably fresh analysis of the “herald of the Messiah”. The great value of this book is that Churton provides not only a careful overview of the role of John, as handed down in Christian tradition, but gives us a unique and erudite reanalysis of the role of the Baptist using the lenses of Gnosticism, Freemasonry, and other esoteric traditions that have elevated John to a position equal to or superior to Jesus. This book is a truly invaluable addition to scholarly literature on John the Baptist.” < b=""> The Reverend Jefferey B & uuml;tz <> , < b=""> S.T.M. <> , Instructor of Religious Studies Penn State University, author of < i=""> The Secret Legacy of Jesus <>
Review
“The Mysteries of John the Baptist is a recommended coverage for any collection interested in the mystery of John in Freemasonry and the historical Baptist as presented in the gospels and early histories...a powerful spiritual and religious survey recommended for Christian and new age holdings alike.” < i=""> Midwest Book Review <> , February 2013
Review
andldquo;Mr. Churton has a deep understanding of the Gospels thanks in part to his desire to ask questions that go well beyond the accepted creed. Add to that his desire to place the Gospels in real historic and esoteric contexts, and the result is a work that deserves a spot among the most sophisticated interpretations of Jesusandrsquo;s era.andrdquo;
About the Author
Tobias Churton is Britainand#8217;s leading scholar of Western Esotericism, a world authority on Gnosticism, Hermeticism, and Rosicrucianism. He is a filmmaker and the founding editor of the magazine andlt;iandgt;Freemasonryandlt;/iandgt; andlt;iandgt;Today.andlt;/iandgt; An Honorary Fellow of Exeter University, where he is faculty lecturer in Rosicrucianism and Freemasonry, he holds a masterand#8217;s degree in Theology from Brasenose College, Oxford, and created the award-winning documentary series and accompanying book andlt;iandgt;The Gnosticsandlt;/iandgt;, as well as several other films on Christian doctrine, mysticism, and magical folklore. The author of many books, includingandlt;iandgt; Gnostic Philosophy,andlt;/iandgt; andlt;iandgt;The Invisible History of the Rosicruciansandlt;/iandgt;, and andlt;iandgt;Aleister Crowley: The Beast in Berlinandlt;/iandgt;, he lives in England.
Table of Contents
andlt;Bandgt;Acknowledgments andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Prefaceandlt;/Bandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;1 The Mystery of John the Baptist andlt;/Bandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;John as Divine Mercury andlt;/Iandgt; andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;2 St. Johnandrsquo;s Men and the Passion of the Corn andlt;/Bandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;St. John the Baptist as Lord of the Feast andlt;BRandgt;The Knights Hospitaller andlt;BRandgt;Herald of the Harvest andlt;/Iandgt; andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;3 John the Baptist in History and Tradition andlt;/Bandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;Josephus andlt;BRandgt;The Nature of New Testament Evidence andlt;/Iandgt; andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;4 John as Herald in Christian Scripture andlt;/Bandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;Matthewandrsquo;s Gospel andlt;BRandgt;Luke andlt;BRandgt;The Essenes and John andlt;/Iandgt; andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;5 John and John andlt;/Bandgt; andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;6 Why Must John Die? andlt;/Bandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;From Johnandrsquo;s Execution to Jesusandrsquo;s Crucifixion andlt;BRandgt;The Real Date of Jesusandrsquo;s Crucifixion andlt;/Iandgt; andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;7 John and Jesus: Comrades in a Secret Plan andlt;/Bandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;John as Son of Man andlt;BRandgt;The Reed, the Prophet, the Man in Fine Raiment andlt;BRandgt;John and Jesus andlt;/Iandgt; andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;8 The Great Prophecies andlt;/Bandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;The Nazarenes andlt;BRandgt;The Fount of Living Waters and the Hidden Corrupters of Earth andlt;BRandgt;Standing the Trial andlt;/Iandgt; andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;9 The Third Day andlt;/Bandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;Secret Israel andlt;/Iandgt; andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;10 A Reed Shaken in the Wind andlt;/Bandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;Problem Paul andlt;BRandgt;The Pillars of Enoch andlt;/Iandgt; andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;11 St. Johnandrsquo;s Men Today andlt;/Bandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;Baphomet andlt;BRandgt;The Mandaeans andlt;/Iandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;Bibliography andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Index andlt;/Bandgt;