Articles
The Symbolic Structure of Movies – Conan the Barbarian (1986)
For all the works of cultured man Must fare and fade and fall. I am the Dark Barbarian That towers over all. Robert E. Howard, Collected Poems 452, Selected Poems 19 Introduction Robert E. Howard’s most famous character, Conan, is an imposing figure in the world of...
The Symbolism of Hagiography
Guénon and the Solidification of the World
If you’ve been following symbolism for a while, you’ve probably heard of René Guénon. While problematic in several respects, Guénon was extremely insightful and he also had the merit of being extremely straightforward. He did not hold back. Perhaps his most remarkable...
Hosting the Spirit of Christmas
While I’m writing this, we’re half-way through December and the Spirit of Christmas is at hand! But what is the Spirit of Christmas? What does it mean that it is at hand? Can we impact it – make it grow or shrink perhaps? Can we participate with it in some manner?...
The Symbolism of the Burning Bush: a response to Matthew McConaughey
In this article, we will help our friend, Mr. McConaughey, understand the deeper meaning of the burning bush using the allegorical approach.
Have you Made a Deal with the Devil?
Have you made a deal with the Devil? Probably not. Let’s be honest, neither you nor I are likely powerful enough to warrant his attention. But that doesn’t mean you haven’t been brokering deals with principalities. Most of us do. I dare say, all of us must. Let’s...
The Symbolism of St. Dionysius the Areopagite
The story of St. Dionysius has a deep symbolic resonance for those of us who are seeking to recover a more pre-modern or symbolic understanding of the world—particularly those of us who have been led by that quest into the bosom of traditional Christianity.
There is No Literal Meaning
This post is a transcript of a video published in September 2019. Thanks to Heather Lee for the transcription and JP Marceau for the edition. One of the problems I run into when talking to people about symbolism is the whole literal versus metaphorical idea. I’ve...
Miracles — Responding to Objections
I answer the main objections that have emerged following my recent work on miracles. I mainly rely on Aquinas, Eriugena, and the symbolism of the Apostles after the Resurrection.
Haunted Computers
Computers are haunted objects – but they are not haunted by the same specters that frequent the halls of Victorian mansions, Southern plantations, or castles in the deep, dark Bavarian Forest. The past haunts those locales, but computers typically present themselves...
- The Church’s received hagiography of a saint.[↩]