The Soul’s Journey in The Hymn of the Pearl:   The ancient text of the Acts of Thomas contains a singularly beautiful and suscinct rendition of the central Gnostic vision.  It is called the Hymn of the Pearl.  In this series of seven lectures, Dr. Hoeller explores in depth this crucial text, its source tradition, and its teachings.

The individual titles are:

• Judas Thomas, the Twin: The Author and the Setting. Who wrote the Hymn? Was Thomas the physical or the spiritual twin of Christ? 80:22 #100501
• Origins of the Soul and the Quest for the Pearl. How we are all children of the Most High. 82:12 #100502
• The Descent of the Soul and its falling asleep. How we lose consciousness of our identity and purpose. 79:26 #100503
• The Coming of the Letter of Awakening. How the Messengers of Light and their Message awaken us. 75:50 #100504
• Awakening, and Obtaining the Pearl. The response of the Soul to the awakening message from on high, which leads to the obtaining of the prize of earthly life. 72:38 #100505
• The Return to the Homeland. The traveller experiences the mystery of the robe of Glory while re-entering the divine world. 76:18 #100506
• The Parable of the Pearl Merchant. A parable, possibly told by Jesus himself, contained in the Acts of Peter and the Twelve Apostles in the Nag Hammadi collection. The story is that of a journey, leading to a city of Nine Gates and a heavenly purveyor of pearls, called Lithargoel. 74:40 #100507