"Theurgy and the ‘Mithras Liturgy'"

Theurgy may be described as the philosophical system of bridging the divide between the mortal and divine worlds; it is the “divine work” (theios ergon) that not only describes but enacts this crossing. While ancient Platonists such as Iamblichus and Proclus theorize about this process, recipes within ancient magical formularies, such as the so-called “Mithras Liturgy”, provide instructions for rituals of immortalization that enable mortals to make contact with the gods. In this lecture, I provide an introduction to the ideas of theurgy and explore some of the specific features of the ritual practice.