New Antiquities - Transformations of Ancient Religion in the New Age and Beyond - Dylan Michael Burns
Reading History with the Essenes of Elmira
New Antiquities - Transformations of Ancient Religion in the New Age and Beyond - Dylan Michael Burns
Anne Kreps [+]
University of Oregon
Anne Kreps is Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Oregon. She completed her Ph.D. in Near Eastern Studies at the University of Michigan in 2013. Her research interests include Judaism and Christianity in antiquity, heresiography, and the reception history of para-biblical traditions.
Description
This paper studies a modern Essene movement based in the United States for its unusual merging of New Age practice with Christian fundamentalism with ancient history. By harkening back to the mystical religions of the ancient Mediterranean, these modern Essenes are able to engage in syncretistic practices while claiming to preserve the traditions of the ancient Essenes.