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Konx Om Pax: The History of a Mysterious Formula
This research concerns processes of what may be termed the “esoterisation” of themes and ideas. It focuses on the history of the alleged Eleusinian formula “Konx Om Pax”. It is an example of an interesting phenomenon of “migration” of ideas, symbols and themes, which have been historically rejected by mainstream scholars and scientists, and are at one point adopted by esoterical discourses. This connects also to the relationship between secularisation and contemporary esotericism, because one can see in these migrations of ideas an almost paradoxical effort at re-enchanting what had never been enchanted before. This project should result in the publication of a scholarly monograph.
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The Problem of Magic in the History of Western Culture
This project aims at writing a broad, historical overview of the role played by the idea of magic in Western culture, and it builds up on previous research done for my Ph.D. dissertation, which focused mainly on the idea of magic in occultist circles between the 19th and the 20th century. This overview would apply, obviously on a larger scale, the methodological tools that have been proposed and used in this dissertation. It should result in the publication of a book.
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Georges Le Clément de Saint-Marcq and the History of Belgian Spiritualism
This project investigates the life and works of one of the most interesting figures in the history of European spiritualism: the Belgian G. Le Clément de Saint-Marcq (1865-1956). He became famous around 1912 in occultist and spiritualist circles after the publication of a pamphlet in which he argued that the history of Christianity, and more particularly the ritual of the Eucharist, was based on the practice of spermatophagy, as instituted during the Last Supper by Jesus Christ himself. The polemics generated by this publication put an end to Le Clément’s brilliant career as military officer, freemason and spiritualist. This research will throw light on a figure whom has been virtually ignored so far by scholars and will also allow to sketch an historical overview of the development of occultism and spiritualism in Belgium at the turn of the century (itself an understudied topic). The project will result in the publication of a monograph.
