The present volume is focused on the interactions and syncretistic tensions between religion and philosophy in Late Antiquity. The contributors examine issues of personal religious attitudes, initiation to the mysteries, Orphism, theurgy, magic, the Neoplatonist philosopher's quest for intimacy or union with the divine, magic and Christianity, and oracles, dream-visions and divination.

Autorentext
Studied Classical Studies; 2007 PhD; worked as a Lecturer of Classical Philology at the University of Thessaly, the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and the University of Patras; Research Fellow at North-West University; currently Lecturer at the Open University in Greece and Academic Visiting Fellow in the Faculty of Classics, University of Oxford. 1984 BA in Literae Humaniores; 1990 BA in Theology; 1988 D.phil.; 1989-93 Junior Fellowship at New College; Tutor in Theology at Christ Church, Oxford and University Lecturer in Patristics in the Faculty of Theology, University of Oxford; since 2014 Professor of Early Christian Studies.

Inhalt
John Dillon: Prayer and Contemplation in the Neoplatonic and Sufi Traditions - Eleni Pachoumi: Magico-religious and Philosophical Interactions in Proclus' Theurgic Unions - John Finamore: Reason and Irrationality: Iamblichus on Divination through Dreams - Mark Wildish: Iamblichus on the Language of Prayer - Wayne Hankey: Prayer's Mediation in Boethius' Consolation - John Hilton: Public and Private Prayer in the Works of the Emperor Julian - Mark Edwards: Primitive Christianity and Magic - Bronwen Neil: Dream-visions, Prophecy and Contemplation in Origen's Contra Celsum - Annemaré Kotzé: Augustine Addressing God and Man in the Confessions - Matthew Dickie: The Meaning of Initiation in Late Antiquity - Lech Trzcionkowski: Hieroi Logoi in 24 Rhapsodies. The Orphic Codex? - Philip Bosman: The End of the Ancient Oracles: From Deception to Dangerous Demons