The unknown God : W.T. Smith and the Thelemites / Martin P. Starr.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Starr, Martin P., 1959- author.

Series:

Oxford studies in Western esotericism.

Oxford scholarship online.

Oxford studies in Western esotericism

Oxford scholarship online

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Smith, Wilfred Talbot, 1885-1957.

Smith, Wilfred Talbot.

Ordo Templi Orientis.

Occultism--United States.

Occultism.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (457 pages)

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

New York, NY : Oxford University Press, 2024.

Summary:

'The Unknown God' is a documentary study of Thelema, a 20th century religious movement in the 'magical' family, founded by the occultist, poet, and prophet of a new age of personal freedom, Aleister Crowley (1875-1947). Martin P. Starr tells the history of the movement through the biography of its leader, Wilfred Talbot Smith (1885-1957), who took up Crowley's plans for organizations to teach the latter's methods in Western and Eastern esoteric traditions and his laws for a new world order, and established these systems in British Columbia and in California. Crowley provided the concepts; Smith and his associates made them take flesh, applying Crowley's doctrine of 'Do what thou wilt' and cementing it a part of the artistic and religious underground of the 20th century.

Contents:

Cover

The Unknown God

Copyright

Contents

Foreword

Prologue

1. The Skeleton in the Cupboard

2. First Steps

3. British Columbia Lodge No. 1

4. Isis, Therion, and Hilarion

5. A Master of the Temple

6. In the Red Room of Rose Croix

7. Nemo Abest

8. The Detroit Working

9. Viator in Regnis Arboris

10. New Orders for the Ages

11. Psychomagia

12. The End of the Beginning

13. Jane, Kath, and Leota

14. Salve Regina

15. Rosicrucian Amity

16. Chants before Battle

17. Ten-​o-​Three

18. Apotheosis

19. Hoc Id Est

Epilogue

Appendices

A. W. T. Smith Diary

B. The Trail of OTO

C. Crowley and H. Spencer Lewis

D. OTO Degree Work, 1938-​1943

E. Manifesto of December 7, 1941

F. 132-​666/​1943

G. Liber CXXXII

Notes

Works Cited

Index.

Notes:

Includes index.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on online resource and publisher information; title from PDF title page (viewed on January 5, 2024).

ISBN:

0-19-774454-0

0-19-774452-4

0-19-774453-2

OCLC:

1416831753