Transcripts, Chapter Markers and Show Notes for all episodes are available from our website - WayOfTheHermit.com.

The ritual of the degree involves a narrative drawn from the New Testament, featuring a confrontation between King Herod II and John the Baptist, symbolizing the dangers of pride and sin, and emphasizing spiritual aspirations over worldly gains. The purpose of the degree is highlighted as encouraging the construction of “a Temple not made with hands” within oneself, dedicated to the God of Truth, and also prepares initiates for the mysteries to be revealed in the next degree.

The episode also explores the influence of various religious practices and philosophies, and the importance of an allegorical reading of scriptures. The discussion extends to the concepts of the "One True God," the process of emanation, and the personified attributes of deity, as well as the opposing forces to the creative process. The Kabbalah is presented as a key to understanding esoteric writings, and the Tracing Board and Degree Ritual are analyzed for their symbolic significance.

This series on the Scottish Rite uses the following primary sources (which you are encouraged to read as well):

• Albert Pike's Morals and Dogma: Annotated Edition
• Scottish Rite Ritual Monitor & Guide
• A Bridge to Light

Diagrams

• St. John's Vision (by Albrecht Dürer)
• 17th Degree Tracing Board
• 17th Degree Jewel Front
• 17th Degree Jewel Back
• Tree of Life

Chapters

• 01:14 Introduction
• 02:03 Mythological Setting
• 04:34 Purpose of the Degree
• 07:19 Morals and Dogma
• 10:36 A Survey of Ancient Religions
• 12:36 Timeline of Religious Influences
• 15:12 Gnosticism
• 17:11 The One True God
• 17:52 Emanation
• 20:18 Allegorical Reading of Scriptures
• 22:30 Personified Attributes of Deity
• 23:15 Logos - The Creative Word
• 24:34 Contending Forces
• 25:52 The Kabbalah
• 29:30 The Tracing Board
• 31:53 The Degree Ritual
• 35:22 The Jewel of the Degree
• 37:59 Conclusions

Links

• Histoire Critique du Gnosticisme (Amazon)
• Apocalyptic Literature (Wikipedia)
• Gnosticism (Wikipedia)
• Philo (Wikipedia)
• Kabbalah (Wikipedia)
• A Garden of Pomegranates (Amazon)
• The Mystical Qabalah (Amazon)
• Z'ev ben Shimon Halevi (Amazon)
• Aryeh Kaplan (Amazon)
• Gershom Gerhard Scholem (Amazon)