The
Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ (full title:
The Aquarian Age GospelA gospel is a writing that describes the life of Jesus. The word is primarily used to refer to the four canonical texts: the Gospel of Matthew, Gospel of Mark, Gospel of Luke and Gospel of John, probably written between AD 65 and 80...
of JesusJesus of Nazareth —also known as Jesus Christ or occasionally Jesus the Christ—is the central figure of Christianity. Within most Christian denominations...
, the ChristChrist is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed". It is a translation of the Hebrew . The term "Christ" was a title rather than a proper name. In the four gospels in the New Testament, the word "Christ" is nearly always preceded by the definite article...
of the Piscean Age) is a
New AgeThe New Age is a decentralized Western social and spiritual movement that seeks "Universal Truth" and the attainment of the highest individual human potential. It includes aspects of cosmology, astrology, esotericism, alternative medicine, music, collectivism, sustainability, and nature...
book by
Levi H. DowlingLevi H. Dowling, born at Bellville, Ohio. His father, of Scottish and Welsh descent, was a pioneer preacher among the Disciples of Christ. Levi was always a student of the deeper things of life...
first published in 1908. Dowling described it as having been transcribed from the
akashic recordsThe akashic records is a term used in theosophy to describe a compendium of mystical knowledge encoded in a non-physical plane of existence. These records are described to contain all knowledge of human experience and the history of the cosmos...
.
The "Aquarian Gospel" is considered an apocryphal work, even though unlike most of the other
apocryphal gospelsApocrypha comes from the Greek word , which means those having been hidden away. The general term is usually applied to the books that were considered by the Church as useful, but not divinely inspired...
it was written and published relatively recently. The title is derived from the astrological naming of time periods in terms of constellations; in that system, the Age of Aquarius is approaching.
The
Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ (full title:
The Aquarian Age GospelA gospel is a writing that describes the life of Jesus. The word is primarily used to refer to the four canonical texts: the Gospel of Matthew, Gospel of Mark, Gospel of Luke and Gospel of John, probably written between AD 65 and 80...
of JesusJesus of Nazareth —also known as Jesus Christ or occasionally Jesus the Christ—is the central figure of Christianity. Within most Christian denominations...
, the ChristChrist is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed". It is a translation of the Hebrew . The term "Christ" was a title rather than a proper name. In the four gospels in the New Testament, the word "Christ" is nearly always preceded by the definite article...
of the Piscean Age) is a
New AgeThe New Age is a decentralized Western social and spiritual movement that seeks "Universal Truth" and the attainment of the highest individual human potential. It includes aspects of cosmology, astrology, esotericism, alternative medicine, music, collectivism, sustainability, and nature...
book by
Levi H. DowlingLevi H. Dowling, born at Bellville, Ohio. His father, of Scottish and Welsh descent, was a pioneer preacher among the Disciples of Christ. Levi was always a student of the deeper things of life...
first published in 1908. Dowling described it as having been transcribed from the
akashic recordsThe akashic records is a term used in theosophy to describe a compendium of mystical knowledge encoded in a non-physical plane of existence. These records are described to contain all knowledge of human experience and the history of the cosmos...
.
The "Aquarian Gospel" is considered an apocryphal work, even though unlike most of the other
apocryphal gospelsApocrypha comes from the Greek word , which means those having been hidden away. The general term is usually applied to the books that were considered by the Church as useful, but not divinely inspired...
it was written and published relatively recently. The title is derived from the astrological naming of time periods in terms of constellations; in that system, the Age of Aquarius is approaching.
Contents
SECTION I. Birth and Early Life of Mary, Mother of Jesus. Chapter 1.
SECTION II. Birth and Infancy of John the Harbinger, and of Jesus.
Chapters 2-6.
SECTION III. Education of Mary and Elizabeth in Zoan. Chapters 7-12.
SECTION IV. Childhood and Early Education of John the Harbinger.
Chapters 13-15.
SECTION V. Childhood and Early Education of Jesus. Chapters 16-20.
SECTION VI. Life and Works of Jesus in India. Chapters 21-35.
SECTION VII. Life and Works of Jesus in Tibet and Western India.
Chapters 36-37.
SECTION VIII. Life and Works of Jesus in Persia. Chapters 38-41.
SECTION IX. Life and Works of Jesus in Assyria. Chapters 42-43.
SECTION X. Life and Works of Jesus in Greece. Chapters 44-46.
SECTION XI. Life and Works of Jesus in Egypt. Chapters 47-55.
SECTION XII. The Council of the Seven Sages of the World. Chapters
56-60.
SECTION XIII. The Ministry of John the Harbinger. Chapters 61-64.
SECTION XIV. The Christine Ministry of Jesus. Introductory Epoch.
Chapters 65-71.
SECTION XV. The First Annual Epoch of the Christine Ministry of Jesus.
Chapters 72-90.
SECTION XVI. The Second Annual Epoch of the Christine Ministry of
Jesus. Chapters 91-123.
SECTION XVII. The Third Annual Epoch of the Christine Ministry of
Jesus. Chapters 124-158.
SECTION XVIII. The Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus. Chapters 159-164.
SECTION XIX. The Trial and Execution of Jesus. Chapters 165-171.
SECTION XX. The Resurrection of Jesus. Chapter 172.
SECTION XXI. Materialization of the Spiritual Body of Jesus. Chap-
ters 173-180.
SECTION XXII. Establishment of the Christine Church. Chapters 181-182.
Major Points
The "Aquarian Gospel" makes the following claims, among others:
- The revelation of the Aquarian Gospel was prophesied 2000 years ago by Elihu, who conducted a school of the prophets in Zoan, Egypt. He said thus:
"This age will comprehend but little of the works of Purity and Love; but not a word is lost, for in the Book of God's Remembrance a registry is made of every thought and word and deed.
And When The world is ready to receive, lo, God will send a messenger to open up the book and copy from its sacred pages all the messages of Purity and Love. -
Aquarian Gospel 7:25-26
- Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth —also known as Jesus Christ or occasionally Jesus the Christ—is the central figure of Christianity. Within most Christian denominations...
puts on the role of The ChristChrist is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed". It is a translation of the Hebrew . The term "Christ" was a title rather than a proper name. In the four gospels in the New Testament, the word "Christ" is nearly always preceded by the definite article...
, but is not automatically Christ by nature. By making himself, through effort and prayer, a fit vessel, Jesus enabled The ChristChrist is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed". It is a translation of the Hebrew . The term "Christ" was a title rather than a proper name. In the four gospels in the New Testament, the word "Christ" is nearly always preceded by the definite article...
to dwell within him. Christ is therefore used as a term for the perfect human being that Jesus exemplified, a human being that has been "Christened" (anointed) and therefore made holy.
- Jesus came to earth to show the way back to God via his lifestyle and teachings. He is the example we must model our own lives after, if we seek salvation.
- Reincarnation exists, and is the explanation for various seeming injustices. Reincarnation allows people to settle debts they have incurred in past lives.
- Humanity has forgotten God and is currently working its way back to fully remembering God.
- Time is separated into ages. These ages last approximately 2,000 years. We are now nearing the start of the Aquarian Age
The Age of Aquarius is the new age in the astrological cycle. Each astrological age is approximately 2,000 years long, on average, but there are various methods of calculating this length that may yield longer or shorter time spans depending upon the technique used...
.
- All souls will eventually mature and become perfect, like Jesus, thus ending the cycle of reincarnation.
- No soul is ever abandoned by God.
Accuracy
Various publications have called into question the accuracy of the "Aquarian Gospel." Such works generally make the following claims, among others:
- Dowling misidentified the ancient ruler known as Herod
Herod is a name used of several kings belonging to the Herodian Dynasty of Roman Iudaea Province:...
, calling "Herod Antipas" the ruler of Jerusalem, during a period when Herod the Great actually ruled.
- The book depicts Jesus as visiting the cities of Lahore, Pakistan, and Persepolis
Persepolis was the ceremonial capital of the Persian Empire during the Achaemenid dynasty. Persepolis is situated northeast of the modern city of Shiraz in the Fars Province of modern Iran...
in Persia. Lahore did not exist during the period in question, and Persepolis had already been destroyed by Alexander the Great.
- Dowling and Edgar Cayce
Edgar Cayce was an American who was believed to be psychic. He is said to have demonstrated an ability to channel answers to questions on subjects such as health or Atlantis, while in a self-induced trance...
both claimed to have produced an account of the life of Jesus through the transcription of the Akashic recordsThe akashic records is a term used in theosophy to describe a compendium of mystical knowledge encoded in a non-physical plane of existence. These records are described to contain all knowledge of human experience and the history of the cosmos...
, but there are significant differences between their accounts.
- Dowling's claim that Jesus knew Meng-tse
Mencius , most accepted dates: 372 – 289 BCE; other possible dates: 385 – 303/302 BCE) was a Chinese philosopher who was arguably the most famous Confucian after Confucius himself.-Life:...
of LhasaLhasa, and sometimes spelled Lasa, is the administrative capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China. It is located at the foot of Mount Gephel....
, TibetTibet is a plateau region in Asia, north of the Himalayas. It is home to the indigenous Tibetan people, and to some other ethnic groups such as Monpas and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han Chinese people. Tibet is the highest region on earth, with an average...
, cannot be true, because Meng-tse lived 300 years before Jesus’ time.
There are other publications that attempt to support Dowling's veracity by making counterarguments against these claims of inaccuracy. In particular, it is argued in "Initiations of the Aquarian Masters: The Theosophy of the Aquarian Gospel" by Rev. Dr. J.L. Watson, founder of ACCU, Inc., Copyright (2009) Outskirtspress, ISBN: 9781432745981, that within Theosophical thought figures such as
Meng-SteMencius , most accepted dates: 372 – 289 BCE; other possible dates: 385 – 303/302 BCE) was a Chinese philosopher who was arguably the most famous Confucian after Confucius himself.-Life:...
, Matheno,
MiriamMiriam was the sister of Moses and Aaron, and the daughter of Amram and Jochebed...
,
MosesMoses was, according to biblical texts, a religious leader, lawgiver, and prophet, to whom the authorship of the Torah is traditionally attributed. Also called Moshe Rabbeinu in Hebrew Moses was, according to biblical texts, a...
, Elijah and
VidyapatiVidyapati Thakur , also known by the sobriquet Maithil Kavi Kokil was a Maithili poet and a Sanskrit writer. He was born in the village of Bishphi in Madhubani district of Bihar state, India. He was son of Ganapati...
exist in an
ascendedAscended Masters, in the Ascended Master Teachings is derived from the Theosophical concept of Masters of the Ancient Wisdom or "Mahatmas". They are believed to be spiritually enlightened beings who in past incarnations were ordinary humans, but who have undergone a process of spiritual...
state and so are able to communicate with Jesus after they have passed on from earthly existence. There are also other refutations to said inaccuracies.
Books
"Initiations of the Aquarian Masters: The Theosophy of the Aquarian Gospel:, (2009) Outskirtspress, ISBN 9781432745981
- Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ and Christian Mysticism: Pristine Christine Church & Missions, First Edition (2009) ISBN 978-971-94375-0-5
- Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ, DeVorss & Company; 1st Paperback Ed edition (April 1972) ISBN 0-87516-041-7
- The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ: The Philosophic and Practical Basis of the Religion of the Aquarian Age of the World and of the Church Universal, DeVorss & Company; New Ed edition (June 1972), ISBN 0-87516-168-5
External links
http://outskirtspress.com/webpage.php?ISBN=9781432745981 "Initiations of the Aquarian Masters: The Theosophy of the Aquarian Gospel," by Jacob L. Watson, III, D.D., (2009) Copyright Outskirtspress, ISBN: 9781432745981
Text Sources