"...the Imagination (or love, or sympathy, or any other sentiment) induces knowledge, and knowledge of an 'object' which is proper to it..."
Henry Corbin (1903-1978) was a scholar, philosopher and theologian. He was a champion of the transformative power of the Imagination and of the transcendent reality of the individual in a world threatened by totalitarianisms of all kinds. One of the 20th century’s most prolific scholars of Islamic mysticism, Corbin was Professor of Islam & Islamic Philosophy at the Sorbonne in Paris and at the University of Teheran. He was a major figure at the Eranos Conferences in Switzerland. He introduced the concept of the mundus imaginalis into contemporary thought. His work has provided a foundation for archetypal psychology as developed by James Hillman and influenced countless poets and artists worldwide. But Corbin’s central project was to provide a framework for understanding the unity of the religions of the Book: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. His great work Alone with the Alone: Creative Imagination in the Sufism of Ibn ‘Arabi is a classic initiatory text of visionary spirituality that transcends the tragic divisions among the three great monotheisms. Corbin’s life was devoted to the struggle to free the religious imagination from fundamentalisms of every kind. His work marks a watershed in our understanding of the religions of the West and makes a profound contribution to the study of the place of the imagination in human life.

Search The Legacy of Henry Corbin: Over 800 Posts

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Course on Henry Corbin

The following course is offered on occasion by Dr. Todd Lawson at the University of Torono:

NMC 2050Y ISLAMIC THEOLOGY AND PHILOSOPHY: HENRY CORBIN

This course will study the works of the great French student and scholar of Islamic thought, Henry Corbin (1903-1978). Corbin's scholarly output was enormous and profound, yet it has still failed to attract due attention from contemporary scholars. In this seminar we will study several of Corbin's books and focus our attention on a number of recurring themes in his scholarship (mundus imaginalis, the noetic role of the feminine, interpretation as revelation, the Hidden Imam, and oneness of being, among others). Students interested in Islamic religious thought, comparative "Abrahamic" mysticism, philosophical theology, Islam & the West and modern developments in philosophy East and West are welcome. A reading knowledge of French is highly recommended though not mandatory. - T. Lawson


(I remain interested in compiling a list of any other relevant courses. Please contact me at tcheetham@gmail.com).
Posted by Tom Cheetham at 10:59 AM

1 comment:

  1. أملJanuary 6, 2009 at 7:42 AM

    I hope other courses similar to this one are being taught in North America and Europe. Corbin has been marginalized from the discourse in religious studies, comparative literature and other disciplines for far too long.

    Thank you for maintaining this excellent blog.

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