The Platonic Academy of Melbourne – Page 10 – Platonic Mysticism and Science

Geometry in the Sacred Architecture of Melbourne

Dynamic pentagrams, Saint Paul’s Cathedral, Melbourne

We have something special for our Winter term break-up. One of our students, Arthur Andronas, has invited us on a tour of the sacred architecture that he is helping to conserve. The tour will finish at Saint Paul’s Cathedral in Flinders Street, after which you might join us for brunch.
RSVP is essential for attendance

POST-EVENT UPDATE: Photos from the day can be found on our FB site, including here and here.

Formal reflexivity in the myth of God-the-Son marrying his Virgin-mother

The myth of the Virgin mother of God becoming the bride of her Son came up as an aside in Platonism and Christianity class this week. It is similar to other creation myths that also invoke the necessary reflexivity of monotheistic creationism. But this particular myth of the highest heavenly incest has such an exceptional beauty that it was often lovingly portrayed by medieval and Renaissance artists, and yet it is almost forgotten these days.

This Christian mother-wife myth is preserved in The Golden Legend as Ch 119, The Assumption of the Virgin. Find it in the Ryan translation from page 464 to 468.

The revival of Greek Wisdom in the Renaissance

Detail from a fresco painted by Benozzo Gozzoli of the procession with Lorenzo the Magnificent leading on the eastern wall of the Chapel of the Magi, Medici Riccardi Palace, Florence — The court of the Medici included Greek Platonist like Gemistos Plethon (top left). See wikipedia for details.

The seminal influence of Byzantine Platonists on the Western Renaissance is often discounted these days.

Join us Thursday evening (7 pm, 14 July) at this Greek Community seminar and find out just how important were these Greek mystics to the revival of the mathematical sciences in the West.

UPDATE: watch the recording here.