The Devil's Party: Satanism in Modernity — Occult Philosophy

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🕯️ Occult Philosophy

The Devil's Party: Satanism in Modernity

Name: The Devil's Party: Satanism in Modernity
Price: 76.00 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9780199779246

✍️ Per Faxneld, Jesper Aa Petersen

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4.6

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

This groundbreaking collection redefines the academic study of Satanism, moving beyond sensationalism to explore it as a legitimate, multifaceted religious and cultural phenomenon. Featuring twelve incisive essays, the volume delves into Satanism's historical roots from literary figures like Blake and Shelley, through the foundational Church of Satan, to its diverse contemporary expressions. It meticulously examines its cultural production, organizational structures, and lived experiences, offering a crucial, scholarly perspective on a often-misunderstood subject. Expect a rigorous, analytical approach to a field ripe for serious inquiry.

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Occult Philosophy

Praise for this book

“With the possible exception of Petersen s earlier collection, Contemporary Religious Satanism, this is perhaps the strongest introductory volume on the varieties of Satanic institutions. Faxneld and Petersen s introductory essay, while not a traditional historiography, positions the volume nicely in the current academic literature.”

— Nova Religio

🏛 Oxford University Press 📅 2012 📖 304 pages 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9780199779246

Fun Fact

This volume is a pivotal moment for Satanism studies, offering unparalleled academic rigor and breadth. It masterfully elevates the subject from sensationalism to serious scholarly inquiry, making it indispensable for researchers and serious students. While it excels in analytical depth, those seeking a theological guide or a polemic will find themselves disappointed. Its strength lies in its diverse methodologies and comprehensive historical sweep, firmly establishing itself as a foundational text in the emerging field of modern Satanic scholarship and new religious movements.

📝 Description: The Devil's Party: Satanism in Modernity

Recent years have seen a significant shift in the study of new religious movements. In Satanism studies, interest has moved to anthropological and historical work on groups and inviduals. Self-declared Satanism, especially as a religion with cultural production and consumption, history, and organization, has largely been neglected by academia. This volume, focused on modern Satanism as a practiced religion of life-style, attempts to reverse that trend with 12 cutting-edge essays from the emerging field of Satanism studies. Topics covered range from early literary Satanists like Blake and Shelley, to the Californian Church of Satan of the 1960s, to the radical developments that have taken place in the Satanic milieu in recent decades. The contributors analyze such phenomena as conversion to Satanism, connections between Satanism and political violence, 19th-century decadent Satanism, transgression, conspiracy theory, and the construction of Satanic scripture. A wide array of methods are employed to shed light on the Devil's disciples: statistical surveys, anthropological field studies, philological examination of The Satanic Bible, contextual analysis of literary texts, careful scrutiny of obscure historical records, and close readings of key Satanic writings. The book will be an invaluable resource for everyone interested in Satanism as a philosophical or religious position of alterity rather than as an imagined other.

📑 What's inside

Introduction: At the Devil's Crossroads
Per Faxneld and Jesper Aa. Petersen
The Question of History: Precursors and Currents
1. "It is better to believe in the Devil" Conceptions of Satanists and Sympathies for the Devil in Early Modern Sweden
Mikael Häll
2. Sex, Science and Liberty: The Resurrection of Satan in 19th Century (Counter) Culture
Ruben van Luijk
3. Witches, Anarchism and Evolutionism: Stanislaw Przybyszewski's fin-de-siècle Satanism and the Demonic Feminine
Per Faxneld
The Black Pope and the Church of Satan
4. Categorizing Modern Satanism: An Analysis of Anton LaVey's Early Writings
Amina O. Lap
5. Sources, Sects, and Scripture: The Book of Satan in The Satanic Bible
Eugene V. Gallagher
6. Hidden Persuaders and Invisible Wars: Anton LaVey and Conspiracy Culture
Asbjørn Dyrendal
The Legacy of Dr. LaVey: The Satanic Milieu Today
7. Conversion to Satanism: Constructing Diabolical Identities
James R. Lewis
8. The Carnival of Dr. LaVey: Articulations of Transgression in Modern Satanism
Jesper Aa. Petersen
9. The Making of Satanic Collective Identities in Poland: From Mechanic to Organic Solidarity
Rafal Smoczynski
Post-Satanism, Left-Hand Paths and Beyond: Visiting the Margins
10. The Left-Hand Path and Post-Satanism: The Temple of Set and the Evolution of Satanism
Kennet Granholm
11. Luciferian Witchcraft: At the Crossroads between Paganism and Satanism
Fredrik Gregorius
12. Secret Identities in The Sinister Tradition: Political Esotericism and the Convergence of Radical Islam, Satanism and National Socialism in the Order of Nine Angles
Jacob C. Senholt

💎 Expert review

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Esoterica Books editorial team

Occult literature desk

This collection offers a vital, rigorous academic intervention in the study of Satanism. While its twelve essays provide deep insight into historical roots from Blake and Shelley to the Church of Satan, it demands patience from casual readers. It is not suited for those seeking occult practice manuals or sensationalist thrillers. The dense, analytical tone may alienate general audiences preferring accessible pop-occultism. However, for those willing to engage with complex cultural production and scholarly inquiry, it remains an indispensable, authoritative resource that successfully redefines the field.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Scholars, serious practitioners, and culturally curious readers will find immense value in this grounded exploration. It moves past sensationalism to offer a nuanced understanding of Satanism’s historical roots and contemporary expressions. By examining organizational structures and lived experiences, the book provides essential clarity for those seeking an authentic, scholarly perspective on a misunderstood subject. It is ideal for anyone wanting to understand the complex reality behind the mythos without the noise of pop culture distortion.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Esoterica Books —

⭐ Esoterica editorial review Editorial rating 4.6/5

★★★★★

If you're a serious student of religion, cultural studies, or seek rigorous academic insight into unconventional spiritual paths, this collection offers essential perspectives. It's for those eager to move beyond popular misconceptions and engage with Satanism through a scholarly, nuanced lens.

Reader rating

4.6

Based on 1 reviews

Esoterica Books editorial team

This collection offers a vital, rigorous academic intervention in the study of Satanism. While its twelve essays provide deep insight into historical roots from Blake and Shelley to the Church of Satan, it demands patience from casual readers. It is not suited for those seeking occult practice manuals or sensationalist thrillers. The dense, analytical tone may alienate general audiences preferring accessible pop-occultism. However, for those willing to engage with complex cultural production and scholarly inquiry, it remains an indispensable, authoritative resource that successfully redefines the field.

❓ Frequently asked questions

Neither. This collection is an academic work, employing diverse scholarly methodologies like anthropology, history, and philology to analyze Satanism as a social, cultural, and religious phenomenon, rather than endorsing or critiquing its tenets.

No, while the Church of Satan is discussed as a significant modern movement, the book offers a much broader scope. It traces Satanism from early literary roots through various contemporary radical milieus, including diverse groups and individual expressions beyond any single organization.

📖 Who should read this

🎯 Key themes and symbolism

Satanism's Historical Evolution

Trace the fascinating trajectory of Satanism from its nascent stirrings in Romantic literature with figures like William Blake and Percy Bysshe Shelley, through the influential rise of the Californian Church of Satan in the 1960s, and into the diverse, radical developments shaping the contemporary Satanic landscape today. This book illuminates its continuous, often surprising, transformations.

Lived Satanic Practice

Explore Satanism not merely as an abstract philosophy but as a vibrant, practiced religion and lifestyle. The essays investigate the deeply personal experience of conversion to Satanism, analyze its cultural output and consumption, and scrutinize its organizational structures, offering an anthropological and sociological lens on how individuals engage with these beliefs in their daily lives.

Controversial Dimensions Explored

Engage with the more challenging and often misunderstood facets of Satanism. This volume fearlessly tackles subjects such as the perceived connections between Satanism and political violence, examines the decadent Satanic currents of the 19th century, delves into the concept of transgression, and critically unpacks conspiracy theories surrounding Satanic groups, providing balanced, scholarly context.

📜 Historical context

Academically, the serious, non-sensationalized study of Satanism as a distinct religious and cultural phenomenon is a relatively recent development. This volume marks a crucial turning point, establishing a rigorous, scholarly foundation for understanding its historical and contemporary manifestations, pushing the field beyond anecdotal accounts into legitimate academic inquiry regarding new religious movements.

📚 Glossary

New Religious Movements (NRMs)
Transgression
Philology

📔 Questions to reflect on

How might our understanding of 'religion' be challenged or expanded by considering Satanism as a legitimate, practiced faith, as this book proposes?
Considering the book's scope from literary to lived Satanism, what are the most significant cultural or societal factors that have allowed Satanic movements to emerge and evolve?
The book discusses transgression. In what ways do modern Satanic movements utilize transgression, and what might be the underlying philosophical or psychological motivations behind such acts?