Some background is in order to get a sense of the world we are entering into in discussing John Dee.
During the third period of expansion of early Islam, circa 661-750 EV, the entire extent of North Africa came under the control of the Umayyad Caliphate. From here, it became quite easy to stage an entry into the Iberian Peninsula, present-day Spain and Portugal, which was conquered and brought under the Umayyad administration. When the Umayyad Caliphate collapsed, its administration in Iberia would reorganize as the Caliphate of Córdoba, ruling from 929 – 1031 EV.
The Caliphate of Córdoba was relatively liberal with its interpretation of the Islamic idea of “People of the Book,” The Iberian Peninsula became a haven for European Jews, unorthodox Christians, and non-Abramaic “Pagan” thinkers. Though second-class citizens, they were allowed to operate openly, and the exchange of ideas and information within the city centers was high. Practices of later importance, such as the Jewish Kabbalah and the first stirrings of Christian appropriation of these ideas, were first developed in this area.
As a hotbed of ‘Unbelievers,” Córdoba would become the target of the growing forces of Western Christianity. Córdoba’s internal struggles would lead to a collapse circa 1031 EV into smaller kingdoms and, over the next few centuries, saw the shrinking of Islam’s influence in Iberia. Finally, in 1492 EV, Iberia was “Cleansed” of Islam via the “Reconquista.” With the heathens beaten back and the new unification of the Spanish kingdoms, Imperial Spain, convinced of its place as the Final Kingdom, began.
1492 EV marked two significant incidents in the history of Imperial Spain that would shape the World to come. The most well-known was the financing of the explorer Christopher Columbus in his attempt to find a trans-Atlantic route to the Far East, leading to the Renaissance Era discovery of the Western Hemisphere. Less well known was the expulsion of all Jews from Spain, as the attempts to force conversion of Jews and other non-Christians under the Spanish Inquisition had failed to purify Spain to rule the Millennium.
The discovery of the “New World” in the Western Hemisphere would shatter many cherished beliefs but would also suture new ones. The European nations’ race for Imperial Power in this New World was pushed as much by a desire to be the Final Kingdom as it was more conventional economic gain. Here were entire continents of non-believers who needed to be brought the Gospel, as had been foretold (if you looked long enough and hard enough) in prophecy. These discoveries brought about questions regarding the utter lack of an account of these continents within Scripture, opening a doorway for skepticism regarding the veracity of these documents. Questions regarding the suitability of the Western Church to act as the representative of the “One True Faith” began to emerge, and old concerns about the purity of the Curia in Rome and its practices were sowing doubts throughout Europe.
By the beginning of the 16th Century, the Old World’s definitions of itself were withering under the weight of discovery. The time was ripe for new visions to emerge within this “brave new world.”
The period we are now discussing termed the Early Modern Period, spanned between 1450 EV and 1850 EV, though, as always, the exact beginnings and endings are arguable. The beginning of this period is tied to the end of the Crusades and the general unification of the Western Church in Europe.
This would be important as the newly unified Church, fortified by its military experiences in the Crusades, would expand outwards into areas of Europe that had, for the most part, been left fallow as far as enforcement of faith and, as such, tended to be places where bits of archaic religious practices formed syncretic systems with a decidedly unsophisticated form of Christianity.
The changes that the Crusades had made necessary within the major centers of Europe had become a new normal. Large sea vessels capable of moving troops and supplies, now without Holy War, began looking for new opportunities. Systems developed to support military transport and pilgrims, such as banking, began to look for new means of applying the skills they now held.
In addition, those within the major centers began to question the spiritual mandate that the Church in Rome held. Were these individuals truly representative of the teaching of Christ, or had they come to embody something of less transcendent value? If they had given up their mandate, would it be possible for others to take it up, purifying the faith and undermining their temporal authority?
It would be the religious tensions that burst forth first. While Spain had looked to purge itself of unbelievers in the 15th Century through alignment with the Roman Catholic Church, the 16th Century would see kingdoms aligning themselves with newly formed independent strains of Christianity lumped under the umbrella of Protestantism. Martin Luther’s 1517 act of writing and publicizing his “Ninety-Five Theses” under the impression that he was purifying a faith corrupted by Catholic Power set off a chain of such separations throughout Northern Europe. Figures such as John Calvin would lead additional theological transformations of Christianity. At the same time, Henry VIII of England coalesced developing calls for reform in England with concerns over his temporal authority to produce the Church of England.
The Book of Revelation took on a new meaning in this time period. Not only could a given kingdom see itself as the Final Kingdom, but the fracturing of Christianity seemed to reflect Revelation’s warning against false Churches and false Christs. One’s temporal enemies were more than just that; they were in league with Satan, who, until the Early Modern Period, had not had much influence upon Christian thought.
The figure of Satan originates within the Hebrew Scriptures. His one undisputed appearance is in the Book of Job, a text thought to originate sometime between the 6th and 4th centuries BCE. There one finds the figure of Satan as a member of God’s Court who has the task of challenging God and his faithful. The text contains many common Levantine themes, including a tale of righteous suffering and accounts of a conflict between the high god, in this case, Yahweh, and a primordial watery serpent force, in this case, Leviathan.
Outside of the canonical texts of the Hebrews, the figure of Satan would undergo some elaboration, accounted for in the texts forming a part of the Hebrew Apocrypha. The First and Second Book of Enoch plays the most critical role in fleshing out the rather vague figure of the Scriptures. Here the mythology of fallen angels, with Satan as their leader, takes shape, a concept not found in Hebrew Scriptures. The exact dates for these books are unknown though they are believed to show influence from Zoroastrian sources.
Satan would gain a bit more space in the texts of the Christian Scriptures, but not by much. The synoptic Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke recounted that Jesus interacted with Satan during a time of solitude in the desert, where Satan was described as offering him the rule of the earth, suggesting it was something that he could give. Issues related to demonic forces arise on occasion in relation to Jesus’ Ministry, such as accusations that he was using the god Beelzebub to cast out demons. Satan’s leading role, however, was to be found in the Book of Revelation, where in the end times, he would raise up a Kingdom of Falsehood with tremendous temporal authority who would persecute the faithful, lead a War in Heaven, and be cast down into the Pit.
In the Middle Ages, the figure of Satan was given the iconography of horns, goat feet, and items such as pitchforks. In general, he was more a figure of mirth than a being seen as a real threat. When periodic accusations of Devil activities were made, it was more often than not the Church authorities that dismissed them as superstition among peasants. The Light of the True Church reigned, so what had Christians to fear of Satan?
The changes underway in the early Modern Period would radically transform these standing traditions. Looking for explanations for those holding differing theologies, vying for temporal power, and a need to explain those largely powerless individuals in the rural territories engaging in “degenerate” practices would lead to a new mythology: The Secret Rule of Satan and the hidden powers of his Church in the World.
Setemheb 