Embarking on the Philosophical Silk Road: Exploring Pilgrimage and Theosis
Release Date: 06/13/2025
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Silk Road Seminar - Jonathan Pageau
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Thank you for joining us for our monthly Silk Road Seminar! Today’s guest is Jonathan Pageau is a Canadian artist, writer, and public thinker exploring the patterns that unite art, symbolism, and meaning. As an icon carver and lecturer on symbolic thinking, Jonathan has become a prominent voice in the growing movement to recover traditional ways of seeing the world. His work brings together theology, myth, and modern culture to help audiences rediscover the sacred patterns underlying reality. He is the host of The Symbolic World, a popular podcast and YouTube channel where he examines...
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Silk Road Seminar - Elizabeth Oldfield
Dr. John Vervaeke
Thank you for joining us for our monthly Silk Road Seminar! Today’s guest is Elizabeth Oldfield. Elizabeth Oldfield is an experienced leader, writer, consultant and podcast host with a passion for intelligent public engagement on issues of reconciliation, identity, and healing our common life. She is currently working with a range of organisations and individuals as a coach and consultant focused on building clarity, courage and connection. Elizabeth appears regularly in the media, including BBC One, Sky News, the World Service, and writing in Prospect Magazine, UnHerd and The...
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Exploring Jewish Neoplatonism: The Life and Philosophy of Solomon Ibn Gabirol
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Watch the first episode of our new season of Lectern Dialogues! This season’s guest is Zevi Slavin. Zevi Slavin is a philosopher, educator, and public scholar whose work explores the intersections of mysticism and philosophy across traditions. As the creator of Seekers of Unity, he is dedicated to reviving and reinterpreting the voices of philosophical mystics, with a focus on Jewish thought and its dialogue with Greek and Islamic philosophy. A leading voice in the study of Jewish Neoplatonism, Slavin highlights figures such as Solomon Ibn Gabirol, whose integration of poetry, metaphysics,...
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Why Reason Needs Spirit | John Vervaeke
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Silk Road Seminar - Rick Repetti
Dr. John Vervaeke
Thank you for joining us LIVE for our monthly Silk Road Seminar! Today’s guest is Rick Repetti. Silk Road Seminars are a live event where John weaves together threads from his various theoretical conversations along with a distinguished guest. These hour-long conversations are live on YouTube followed by an exclusive Q&A, where you can ask questions directly to John and his guest. To be entered onto the guest list for these Q&As, you can sign up at the Gamma Tier (and above) on The Lectern at . Currently enrolled university students at all levels up to doctoral studies get free...
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Silk Road Seminar - Bishop Maximus
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The Philosophical Silk Road: A Journey to Rediscovering Theosis and Sacred Pluralism
Dr. John Vervaeke
The Calling to Reorient the Self How can the sacred be recovered in a world fractured by autonomy and fragmentation? In this deeply personal episode of Kainos on The Lectern, recorded during a session hosted by Alexander Beiner on Kainos, John Vervaeke shares reflections from his recent pilgrimage across Europe—what he calls the Philosophical Silk Road. Weaving through sacred conversations and historic locations, he explores profound ideas like theosis, theoria, and voluntary necessity, inviting listeners into a lived philosophy of sacred participation. From Istanbul to Rome to Amsterdam,...
info_outlineThis conversation marks the beginning of a deeper inquiry for Dr. John Vervaeke: What if pilgrimage is not a retreat from the world, but a return to what is most real? Joined by Ethan Hsieh, John explicates his intent to preregister his intellectual and philosophical orientation before beginning his metaphorical pilgrimage. Drawing on parallels with psychology's preregistration practice, John's aim is to document his internal state at various stages of his journey. The conversation delves deep into the concepts of theoria, theophany, and theosis, advocating for a pilgrimage that is not merely a lecture series but a 'meta-noetic passage.' The dialogue anticipates John's encounters with historical figures, sages, and the individuals who embody and interpret their legacy. John expresses his openness to how these encounters might transform him, acknowledging the potential psychological and physiological challenges involved. The dialogue also touches upon themes of the imaginal and the importance of community and fellowship in the pilgrimage process. Ethan contributes by drawing connections to broader themes of perception and philosophical inquiry. The conversation culminates in the hope that this philosophical and spiritual journey will not only deepen John's understanding but also inspire others to embark on their own explorative journeys.
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Notes:
(00:00) Introduction to the Philosophical Silk Road
(00:30) The Concept of Preregistration in Philosophy
(01:00) Defining the Pilgrimage and Its Purpose
(02:00) Introducing Ethan and the Dialogical Approach
(04:30) Exploring the Original Orientation
(05:30) The Challenge of Propositional Tyranny
(07:00) Theoria and Theophany: Renewing the Senses
(13:30) Meta Noetic Passage and Pilgrimage
(20:00) Engaging with Sages and Geographical Perspectives
(24:00) Personal Challenges and Psychological Defects
(31:30) The Fellowship of the Pilgrimage
(33:00) Interlocutors and Sages: A Deeper Dive
(54:00) Introduction to Theosis
(55:00) Historical Continuity and Henosis
(56:00) Henosis and Kenosis in Christian Mysticism
(57:30) The Paradox of Self-Transcendence
(01:00:30) Theosis and Inner Athea
(01:05:30) Personal Reflections and Burnout
(01:09:00) The Concept of Unbinding
(01:11:00) Non-Theism and Theism
(01:25:00) Pilgrimage and Transformation
(01:38:30) Reflections on Personal Growth
(01:48:00) Concluding Thoughts and Future Questions
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