Jive Book Review: The Culture of the Teutons

A review of Vilhelm Grønbech's seminal work on the religion and culture of ancient Germanic peoples. Grønbech, professor of the history of religion at the University of Copenhagen, looks at Norse, Lombardic, Anglo-Saxon, Gothic and Roman sources to identify a common Teutonic culture focused on luck, honour, shame, kinship, and a unique perspective on the afterlife and the soul. My review includes favourite quotes from volume 1 of the two part book republished by Antelope Hill.

Jive Book Review: Theurgy and the Soul by Gregory Shaw

 

 
 

Jive Book Review of 'Theurgy and the Soul: The Neoplatonism of Iamblichus' by Gregory Shaw, Professor of Religious Studies at Stonehill College. In this work he outlines the philosophy and ritual practise of Iamblichus of Syria (ca. 240 325), whose teachings set the final form of pagan spirituality prior to the Christianization of the Roman Empire. Theurgy literally means "divine action" or "godly work" I describe how this work is useful for modern polytheists including Heathens like myself.

Jive Book Review: Polemos: Pagan Traditionalism

 

   

Polemos: The Dawn of Pagan Traditionalism is a book by Russian author Askr Svarte which attempts to describe how European pagan religion can be practised in a way consistent with the philosophy of Radical Traditionalism aka Perennial Philosophy. This episode of the Jive Book Review looks at its strengths and weaknesses.

Jive Book Review: The Shaman: Patterns of Siberian and Ojibway Healing

A review of The Shaman: Patterns of Siberian and Ojibway Healing by John A. Grim. He describes the common features of the figure known as "the shaman" by anthropologists who is found mainly in cultures of Siberian origin: with the focus mainly on the Yakut of Siberia and the Ojibwe Indians aka Chippewa, Saulteaux, Anishinaabe people of southern Canada and the northern Midwestern USA. I attempt to compare the features of the shaman and of shamanic religious practices to Indo-European religious customs, particularly in Nordic Germanic religion.