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Numbers and god

16:22 / 21.06.04

ok, i need advice. i'm finishing up my undergrad work with a few independent projects, one of which i'd like to do about the relation between mathematics and human religious experience, specifically the way that evolving number consciousness has affected and manifested in our experience of the 'divine' in the universe. i'm intrigued by this topic, but admittedly very ill-prepared to tackle it right now, so i'm soliciting advice on relevant books. i'd like some good historical/theoretical books on following subjects, and would welcome any advice:

*the pythagoreans
*sacred geometry
*qaballah
*gematria
*the christian trinity
*dualism/oneness

and anything else you think might be relevant to this topic. also, i'm looking mainly for scholarly (or at least somewhat decently grounded) books as opposed to the more 'speculative' side of the spectrum, and the more they focus on number the better...

much thanks in advance for anything.

16:39 / 21.06.04

Years ago, I did a comic book called Math Man (I know, I know -- but I really did do this comic book, in jr. high school and high school) that was kind of based on this idea - that mathematics is 'God's fingerprint', as it were. And I'm not even a big math person at all.

06:42 / 22.06.04

The best thing I can think of would be a chapter of Kenneth Grant's "Outer Gateways" called "Creative Gematria". Though this does veer toward the speculative.. You might want to try getting it through the library though, 'cos his books are quite expensive.

14:48 / 22.06.04

Don't know if this will help, but I remember a few sections on numbers and God...

Henningjohnathan

15:04 / 22.06.04

Is Numerology an established system or like Astrology a system with branches based on various traditions (such as Kabbalistic)?

From my perspective, the Kabbalah is the one system with a long lineage that definitely places great emphasis on number systems (based on the Hebraic alphabet) and spiritual development.

Henningjohnathan

15:06 / 22.06.04

Also, I believe that Idries Shah's book, THE SUFIS, has some sort of mathematical system explaining Sufi practice, but I haven't read it.

20:46 / 22.06.04

You'll really want to read Magical Alphabets by Nigel Pennick for this. Good work covering Hebrew, Greek, Futhark, Ogham, and Alchemical alphabets, with their numerical and escoteric meanings. Its a piece on the practice of magical use of alphabets and how this develops, which should be very helpful to what you are getting at with your paper.