NEWS
For some 1300 years the “Book of Enoch” was the rarest, most sought-after religious text in the world. Brought back from Ethiopia by explorer James Bruce in 1772, it yet remained untranslated for many years when it was classed as an “apocryphal work”. Then, in the 1950s, Aramaic manuscripts of Enochic texts were discovered among the Dead Sea Scrolls, and since then Enoch’s status has undergone a transformation of startling importance. 2025 will see the publication of the definitive account of the Books of Enoch, written to the highest academic standards, addressed to the general reader and to specialists alike. Tobias leaves the introduction of this timely and exciting work to biblical scholar and sometime archaeologist, the Rev. Jeffrey J. Bütz, who kindly contributed the following FOREWORD:
If you have been looking for the best book to read about the enigmatic biblical patriarch Enoch and the truly fantastic writings attributed to him, please know that you have come to the right place. The Books of Enoch Revealed is all you will need as it thoroughly covers every aspect of this fascinating subject. In response to interest in Enoch among fundamentalist Christians over the last century (who have filtered the writings of Enoch through their varied apocalyptic beliefs about the Second Coming), quite a number of books have been written about Enoch, most however from a very limited perspective. In contradistinction, the book you are about to read is a most welcome, even-handed, and scholarly assessment of these fascinating ancient texts, which are still of importance today despite the taint of both religious fundamentalism and off-beat esotericism that has often surrounded them. The taint of illegitimacy that has assigned Enoch to the status of an apocryphal or pseudepigraphic writing is rather sad, for as you will see the writings of Enoch greatly influenced both the earliest Christians amidst the persecutions they faced, as well as first-century Jews facing the greatest persecution in their history. Enoch could speak to them both, and still speaks to many today, in turbulent political times.
Tobias Churton has stated that his goal in writing The Books of Enoch Revealed is for it to be the most comprehensive and up-to-date presentation of these apocryphal writings, covering their history, current scholarly evaluations of their origins and import, and the influence of these writings from ancient times to the present. While that may seem an overwhelming goal, as the reader will soon discover, Churton has succeeded brilliantly. He covers in detail everything that has been discovered about these documents from the fascinating story of their historical transmission and the perspectives of early rabbis and church fathers, to the most recent scholarly perspectives, as well as sharing his own insightful analysis of the surprising influence these writings have had throughout history as well as the modern era.
Tobias Churton is a prolific author and very well-informed about the areas in which he writes. I have personally followed his work since his first groundbreaking books and television documentaries about the Gnostics appeared back in the late 1980s to widespread acclaim. Since then, Churton has written over two dozen books as well as numerous musical and theatrical works. I have found him to be a most careful researcher and writer, and the depth of time and labor he has put into his latest book is obvious. I am honored to have been asked to write a Foreword to this important work.
What I most appreciate about Churton’s work is his ability to distill the best of current scholarship and brew it together with his own unique perspectives as an expert in the types of esoteric literature in which the Enochic writings have had such an influence. It is fascinating that the apocryphal book of 1 Enoch, while only considered scripture by the Ethiopian Tewahedo Orthodox Church, has had religious, spiritual, and even political influence on modern religion and culture far beyond the relatively small group of people who even know of its existence. This is best seen in current popular fascination with the biblical Nephilim and the Enochic Watchers. Here we can plainly see the astonishing impact of these ancient writings on today’s technological, yet still superstitious culture with these stories of angels mating with human women to produce a hybrid race influencing the extraterrestrial speculations of writers such as Erich Von Däniken and helping create a popular new zeitgeist based on earthly visitations not of angels, but of ancient astronauts. Unfortunately, it is from such sources that too many people have been introduced to a heavily distorted understanding of Enoch. And herein lies the great value of The Books of Enoch Revealed, which presents a sober scholarly evaluation of these writings while not shying away from discussion of their important esoteric influence and impact on popular culture.
Of most interest to me personally is Churton’s extensive discussion of the influence of the Enochic writings on the writers of the New Testament—from the gospel writers themselves, to Paul and the writers of the Johannine literature, and especially, of course, the book of Revelation. His extensive citing of the specific parallels between Enoch and the New Testament plainly shows the huge influence that Enoch had on not only the writers of the New Testament, but most likely Jesus himself. Looking objectively, one cannot come away from Churton’s astute analysis without seeing that the Enochic worldview had to have had a major influence upon Jesus’s own well-known apocalyptic vision. Further, Churton examines the importance of the Enochic writings for the Qumran community and the Essene sect, by which time the reader will likely be overwhelmed at the extensive influence of Enoch. And lest one think Churton’s presentation is an exaggeration, his assessment is backed up by no less a scholar than Princeton’s James Charlesworth, who holds the Enochic writings to be nothing less than, “the Second Temple period’s most important collection.” That is a truly stunning statement. And, as you will see, Tobias Churton provides stunningly exhaustive evidence to back up Charlesworth’s proclamation. All of which raises the question: Why were these vital and important writings not included in any canon of either Judaism or Christianity except one? The answers await you within.
But beyond my own personal interests in the Judeo-Christian tradition, Churton goes much further, enlightening us on the surprisingly widespread influence Enoch has had on many other traditions, from earliest Jewish mysticism to earliest Islam, from leading intellects of the Renaissance to modern esoteric sects and movements such as Rosicrucianism, Freemasonry, and occultism. None of this should besurprising since the books of Enoch recount how Enoch was not only taken up to heaven but was there appointed guardian of all the celestial treasures, made chief of the archangels, and the immediate attendant at the throne of God where he was taught all secrets and mysteries.
Please now allow Tobias Churton to take you on a guided journey into the heavenly realms, a spiritual voyage of discovery to examine a cosmic worldview shared by many Jews and Christians two millennia ago, later rejected by most Jewish and Christian leaders, but which has had a rather startling resurrection in the 21st century amidst another time of apocalyptic hopes and fears. You could have no better guide into these realms than Tobias Churton. In my estimation, what you are about to read is nothing less than an academic and spiritual tour de force.
The Rev. Jeffrey J. Bütz, M.Div., S.T.M.
In December 2023 comes the world’s first complete account in English of the origins, meaning and practice of what is now known as Alchemy. For well over a century, the vast majority of ancient Graeco-Egyptian alchemical texts have languished on scholars’ shelves untranslated, denying the greater reading public the opportunity to understand the mysteries of alchemy. Churton brings under scrutiny all of the ancient sources to build a stunning picture of how a first century industrial revolution in Upper Egypt developed into one of the great spiritual mysteries of history, namely, the idea that a metal of low value could be transmuted into silver or gold: an idea encapsulated in the idea of the “philosopher’s stone” that has seized the imagination of human beings for millennia. For the first time, we can see clearly how this extraordinary idea developed, what was behind it, and what it created. Alchemy’s profound links to gnostic philosophy, astrology, spiritual meditation, and above all, to metallurgical chemistry are honestly explored without recourse to extravagant speculation, and subject to scholarly, scientific discipline. We learn what the first alchemists actually did, and how they did it, and of the many controversial aspects of the art, even in its early days. We discover the unique role of women in alchemical development, and the interplay of ideas between Egyptians and Jews. Finally, Churton explores the legacy of alchemy, in science, spirituality, the arts, and psychology that even today make the ancient art a compelling subject for thought and emulation. The world has waited a long time for a book such as this, which clears the field of errors and centuries of misunderstanding and error.
In February 2023, academic publishers E.J. Brill of Leiden published a scholarly anthology of articles by members of the world-renowned ENOCH SEMINAR, led by Prof. Gabriele Boccaccini of the University of Ann Arbor, Michigan: the global authority on the books attributed to Enoch the prophet. Rediscovering Enoch? (edited by Ariel Hessayon, Annette Yoshiko Reed and Gabriele Boccaccini) includes Tobias Churton’s illustrated article detailing the relations of the Ethiopic “Book of Enoch” to Freemasonry, as delivered to the Enoch Seminar’s conference in Florence in 2019.
In June 2023 Tobias appeared in the Enoch Seminar’s online conference where he presented the conference with an account of his 2021 book The Lost Pillars of Enoch (see BOOKS).
Tobias Churton’s forthcoming unique, comprehensive account of the origins, meaning and reception history of the three “books of Enoch” will be published by Inner Traditions in 2024. Entitled Beyond the Universe... The Amazing Books of Enoch: Pioneer of Jewish Mysticism and Key to Christian Origins, the book has the virtue of revealing close-up the thought-world of the origins of Christianity and the New Testament in a way that will astonish readers, while also reviewing the intense amount of scholarly work expended on the text since the discovery of Enoch among the Dead Sea Scrolls to the present time. Tobias regards this book as the crown of his long study of Christian origins.
Tobias Churton’s work continues to show that the spiritual history of humankind is not something we are likely to find amid the 24 hour news-barrage to which humanity is now subjected. Likewise, we should reflect that the apparently permanent threat of “apocalypse” doled out eagerly to the general public does not necessarily have command of the future. The wail of “Chicken Licken” today is the cry of the sheep-like journalist, manipulated by the worldly glitter of the Old Enemy and misplaced loyalties. Either the sky has fallen, or is about to fall; so we hear. Our fears often reflect our spiritual state. Tobias Churton will, against the tide, continue to assert, even in the wilderness, along with many others, in and out of our time, that spiritual vision is sole anchor in the tempest of fear, the light in the darkness, the hope amid the despair: key to all wisdom, whose price is far above what the richest might offer, or could ever offer, unless that is, they found their heart, and offered it freely. That would be a rare and precious thing, and unlikely to gain publicity, but it could make all the difference.
Tobias at the National Gallery of Victoria 50 years after his last visit . Photo © Mark Bennett 2018
