The next on-line seminar of the Society for the History of Alchemy and Chemistry will be given by Joshua Werrett (University of Oxford) who will present:

Imitatio Christi and the Aesthetics of Martyrdom in The Visions of Zosimos of Panopolis

This will be live on Thursday, 19 September 2024, beginning at 5.00pm BST (6.00pm CEST, 12 noon EST, 9.00am PDT). The format will be a talk of 20-30 minutes, followed by a moderated discussion of half an hour.

As with recent seminars the Zoom link can be freely accessed by anyone, member of SHAC or not, by booking through the following Ticket Source link:

https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/society-for-the-history-of-alchemy-and-chemistry/t-dvqkvvg

The seminar will be also accessible live on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/live/CELBazvrfeQ

Most previous on-line seminars can be found on the SHAC YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/SocietyforHistoryofAlchemyandChemistry

Imitatio Christi and the Aesthetics of Martyrdom in The Visions of Zosimos of Panopolis

Joshua Werrett

The alchemical practice of Zosimos of Panopolis is not just about the transformation of metals; it is about the transformation of the self. This double meaning is found throughout Zosimos’ works, but is perhaps most noticeable in his Visions. In this text, Zosimos uses alchemy as a theurgic practice to understand salvation, a practice which is allegorised as having four major stages: baptism; violent punishment; the separation of body and soul in death; and rebirth as a spiritual entity. These steps, taken by several characters throughout the text, clearly mimic major points in the life and death of Christ. In this talk, I present the argument that the imitation of Christ and the imitation of early Christian martyrs, themselves imitating Christ, are key motifs in the violent, redemptive, sacrificial aesthetics of Zosimos’ text. Analysing the main ideas, images, and phrases in The Visions, I conclude that themes from the New Testament and martyrological literature are pervasive. Overall, I hope to demonstrate that those being reborn as spirits throughout Zosimos’ text are not being reborn in a vacuum; rather, Zosimos suggests that, in being reborn, they follow in the footsteps of alchemists and Christian martyrs before them, in a long imitative line of suffering and transformation, which ultimately starts with Christ.

The Society for the History of Alchemy and Chemistry (SHAC) invites proposals for the 2025 iteration of its annual postgraduate and early career workshop, ‘Alchemy and Chemistry as Vessels for Cultural Discourse’. This conference seeks to explore the interface between (al)chemical work and various facets of culture outside of the laboratory. For as long as the disciplines have been studied, alchemy and chemistry have not only been integral to scientific discourse, but have also served as mirrors reflecting the social, political, and religious currents of their times.

Papers might explore, for example, the ways in which alchemical iconography reflects the political tensions of the climate in which they were produced, as well as the role of chemistry in the Industrial Revolution or the discipline of astrochemistry reflecting a Zeitgeist of interest in worlds beyond our own.

Selected papers from the conference will be considered for publication in a special edition (or special series) of Ambix: Journal for the History of Alchemy and Chemistry.

We welcome proposals for 20 minute talks by graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and early career scholars who have received their doctorate no more than three years ago. If you are interested in presenting your work, please send an abstract of approximately 300 words and a short bio to SHAC Student Representative Josh Werrett, at studentrep@ambix.org. The deadline for submissions is 30th September 2024.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Josh Werrett at the above email address.