The Theology of Arithmetic: Number Symbolism in Platonism and Early Christianity Jean-Marie Ragon and the inner meaning of

and the inner meaning of the Bible

that his book has had a continuing appeal to the general reader for many centuries

and the stages of awareness leading to "Cosmic Consciousness"

as well as the preparation and loading of amulets and talismans and the true significance of the Book of Formulas

Bringing his understanding of many great traditions of philosophy—Indian

The Theology of Arithmetic: Number Symbolism in Platonism and Early Christianity Jean-Marie Ragon and the inner meaning ofIn the second century, Valentinians and other gnosticizing Christians used numerical structures and symbols to describe God, interpret the Bible, and frame the universe. In this study of the controversy that resulted, Joel Kalvesmaki shows how earlier neo Pythagorean and Platonist number symbolism provided the impetus for this theology of arithmetic, and describes the ways in which gnosticizing groups attempted to engage both the Platonist and