The Symbolic World

Jonathan Pageau looks at symbolism in all its forms, from its source in sacred stories and images to contemporary culture and ultimately how it shapes the world we encounter.

The Symbolic World is a education podcast hosted by Jonathan Pageau, with 462 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Jonathan Pageau hosts The Symbolic World, a education show with 462 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  The Symbolic World

  484 - The Saint Who Killed an Emperor

  Oct 1, 202615 min

  In this episode, I look at the tradition of St. Mercurius: a warrior saint associated with St. Michael, the death of Emperor Julian the Apostate, and dog-headed men. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/_Qp3Xj153Ac Pre-Order GodsDog: Monk now and/or get volumes 1 and 2 on sale! https://godsdog.com/ Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe Website, blog, courses: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com Store: https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/ Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

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  The Symbolic World

  483 - R.R. Reno - The Return of the Strong Gods

  Sep 22, 20261h 13m

  I talk with Rusty Reno about the collapse of the postwar “open society” ideal and the return of people’s need for strong loyalties, meaning, and transcendence. We discuss how we got here after the world wars decimated Western civilization: emergent post-war social narratives and identities like nationalism, globalism, politics, “progress”, environmentalism, and transhumanism. Finally we discuss the crisis of masculinity and our ultimate hope in Christ. Rusty Reno is the editor of First Things, a journal aimed at "advancing a religiously informed public philosophy for the ordering of society". He is the editor of the Brazos Theological Commentary on Scripture series and the author of several books, most recently Return of the Strong Gods: Nationalism, Populism and the Future of the West. For twenty years Reno taught theology at Creighton University. YouTube version of this interview: https://youtu.be/NwTYsZfU2ak Rusty’s book, Return of the Strong Gods: https://www.amazon.com/Return-Strong-Gods-Nationalism-Populism/dp/1621578003 Pre-Order GodsDog: Monk now and/or get volumes 1 and 2 on sale! https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/collections/godsdog Join Dr. Zac Porcu for his course, A Demonological History of the World: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/a-demonological-history-of-the-world 6 weeks, 12 hours Price: Only $120, and Involved patrons can get 10% off. Apply your discount code at checkout. Live classes: Sep 15 - Oct 20 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe Website, blog, courses: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com Store: https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/ Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

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  The Symbolic World

  482 - The Sword of St. Michael

  Sep 18, 202624 min

  Why is St. Michael often shown holding a flaming sword? I look at how this image developed, its connection to the expulsion from Paradise, the defeat of the dragon, and the emergent sacred geography known as the Sword of St. Michael. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/yE68F1pGPmQ Pre-Order GodsDog: Monk now and/or get volumes 1 and 2 on sale! https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/collections/godsdog Join Dr. Zac Porcu for his course, A Demonological History of the World: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/a-demonological-history-of-the-world 6 weeks, 12 hours Price: Only $120, and Involved patrons can get 10% off. Apply your discount code at checkout. Live classes: Sep 15 - Oct 20 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe

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  The Symbolic World

  481 - Dr. Diana Pasulka - The New Religion

  Sep 16, 20261h 19m

  I finally sit down with Diana Pasulka to talk about UFOs, alien intelligence, AI, psychedelics, transhumanism, and the strange religious framework forming around all of them. We look at how these phenomena overlap with older spiritual categories, and why the promise of technological transcendence may be a counterfeit of something Christianity already understands. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/6TqYxG9gxwc Her books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/D.W.-Pasulka/author/B07NL6KZN5 Join Dr. Zac Porcu for his course, A Demonological History of the World: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/a-demonological-history-of-the-world 6 weeks, 12 hours Price: Only $120, and Involved patrons can get 10% off. Apply your discount code at checkout. Live classes: Sep 15 - Oct 20 Pre-Order GodsDog: Monk now and/or get volumes 1 and 2 on sale! https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/collections/godsdog Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe Timestamps: 00:00 – Coming up 01:58 – Introduction 02:52 – How a Religious Studies Scholar Ended Up Studying UFOs 08:52 – UFOs as Religious and Spiritual Phenomena 13:25 – A Demonological History of the World 14:41 – The Mythology and Narrative of UFOs 16:38 – Why Governments Use UFO Disinformation 20:56 – Technology, Magic, and Non-Human Intelligence 24:22 – Aliens, Demons, and the Modern Image of the “Grey” 27:43 – Psychedelics and Encounters With Other Beings 30:19 – AI as an Alien Intelligence 32:02 – UFOs and the Promise of a New Revelation 34:29 – Spielberg and the Alien as Saviour 38:35 – Arthur C. Clarke, Demons, and Childhood’s End 40:50 – Transhumanism vs. Christian Transfiguration 45:42 – God’s Dog: Monk 46:42 – Aliens as Our Future, “Evolved” Selves 49:06 – How the Alien Narrative Collides With Christianity 52:36 – Project Stargate, Remote Viewing, and Psychic Espionage 56:18 – Why Is the AI Project Also Called “Stargate”? 57:30 – 2001: A Space Odyssey, AI, and UFO Disclosure 01:01:29 – AI Is Feeding on Us 01:03:00 – How Should Christians Respond? 01:06:26 – AI Cannot Give Us Transcendence 01:08:42 – Recovering the Spiritual Senses 01:10:39 – Isolation Makes Us Vulnerable to Propaganda 01:11:39 – Diana’s Next Book on Christianity 01:13:00 – The Noosphere, the Singularity, and an Apocalyptic Moment 01:17:06 – Christianity Makes Us More Human 01:18:20 – Conclusion

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  The Symbolic World

  480 - Dr. Zac Porcu - A Demonological History of the World

  Sep 10, 202627 min

  Dr. Zac Porcu joins me to discuss his upcoming course on the demonological history of the world, looking at the pagan gods, fallen angels, magic, and technology. We explore what happens when you take seriously the early Christian claim that the gods were real, but fallen. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/WMKOzuhnib4 Learn more about Dr. Zac: https://zacharyporcu.com/Join Dr. Zac Porcu for his course, A Demonological History of the World: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/a-demonological-history-of-the-world 6 weeks, 12 hoursPrice: Only $120, and Involved patrons can get 10% off. Apply your discount code at checkout.Live classes: Sep 15 - Oct 20Pre-Order GodsDog: Monk now and/or get volumes 1 and 2 on sale! https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/collections/godsdog Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe Website, blog, courses: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com Store: https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

  ListenShow Notes

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