‘God-working’ in the Internet: The Reception of Ancient Theurgy in the Digital Age

Summary

Ancient theurgy, a ritual practice from Late Antique Neoplatonism that aimed to invoke the divine through symbols, has been transformed in the digital age into the concept of meme magic—the belief that digital memes can influence reality through collective imagination and symbolic power. This paper traces the historical trajectory of theurgy, examining key moments in its intellectual reception, and analyzes how hybridization and resignification allow ancient ritual traditions to evolve within internet subcultures, shaping new forms of magical thought in the 21st century.

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Abstract

Abstract This paper explores the reception of ancient theurgy in contemporary online esotericism, with a particular focus on its transformation into the practice known as meme magic. Theurgy, a ritual practice rooted in Late Antique Neoplatonism and the Chaldean Oracles, was traditionally understood as a means of invoking the divine through symbols. Over the centuries, its legacy has persisted in various esoteric traditions. In the digital age, theurgy has undergone a striking metamorphosis, finding new expression within internet subcultures, especially through the concept of meme magic—the belief that digital memes can influence reality through collective imagination and symbolic power. This paper traces the historical trajectory of theurgy, examining key moments in its intellectual reception. By analyzing the mechanisms of hybridization and resignification at play, this study sheds light on how ancient ritual traditions continue to evolve in the digital sphere, shaping new forms of magical thought in the 21st century.

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