THE HERMETIC JOURNAL, 1982 : ISSUE 15 - 18

EDITORIAL 1

Recently there has been considerable debate on the question of
whether the theory of the evolut ion of life should be taught in
schools to the exclusion ofa creationist viewpoint. Indeed,
certain fundamentalist Christian groups have sought to elevate
the Biblical picture of creation to a "Creationist Science" worthy
of being taught equally with the Theory of Evolution.

I think we can perceive behind this outward educational struggle
certain spiritual forces at work For well over a millenium, Western
man lived exclusively with the Mosaical picture of Creation by
the hand and act of a Father God. All that is in the world was
seen as being created by God the Father in the beginning. This
patriarchal viewpoint was extremely simplistic and merely required
faith in its creationist picture, to answer all questions regarding
origins. However, even in the earliest times, those who pondered
deeply upon its implications, realised that it posed more quest-
ions than it actually answered. Thus there arose in the esoteric
traditions (particularly in Gnostic groups, and in Kabbalistic
and early alchemical schools) a more subtle theory of stages of
emanation. The world was here...