Jean Hani
Encyclopedia
Jean Hani is a French philosopher and Traditionalist author, professor emeritus of Greek civilization and literature at the University of Amiens
.
's mention of the author's modesty and his older age "studious retirement" seem to agree with this scarcity of information.
Born in 1917, Hani proved a bright secondary student, pursuing his university studies in Classical Literature, and finally obtaining a doctorate with a dissertation about the influence of Egyptian religion
on the thought of Plutarch
. Appointed a lecturer at the University of Amiens
, he founded the Centre de Recherches sur l'Antiquité Classique, and he led for many years a Séminar of History of Greek religion. After his retirement, in addition to his prolific activity as an author of Traditional
works, he became a frequent collaborator of journals like Connaissance des Religions and Vers la tradition. Hani has been praised for his studies on Christian symbolism, particularly on the mass and the esoterism of Christian architecture.
Three kinds of works may be discerned within Hani's production: works of Classical philology, works dealing with history of religions and works dealing with traditional and sacred symbolism. The first group is represented by his annotated translations of Plutarch
, published partly within the well-known Collection Budé
. The second group is represented by his doctoral dissertation mentioned above. And the third group includes works like Le Symbolisme du temple chrétien (1962), Les Métiers de Dieu (1975), La Divine liturgie (1981) and La Royauté sacrée (1984) where his mastery of traditional hermeneutics and exegesis is firmly established. These books have been translated into English and several other European languages.
According to Jean Borella
, the principles expounded in Le Symbolisme du temple chrétien have already been put into practice in the establishment of some contemporary monastic foundations. Borella also considers Hani to be the first author in academia to successfully marry Guénon
's insights to the contemporary study of Hellenistic religions and Christianity.
University of Picardie Jules Verne
The University of Picardie Jules Verne is a university located in Amiens, France, and is under the Academy of Amiens...
.
Life and Works
Very little is known about Jean Hani's personal life other than his year of birth. Jean BorellaJean Borella
Jean Borella is a Christian philosopher and theologian. Borella's works are deeply inspired by Ancient and Christian Neoplatonism, but also by the Traditionalist School of René Guénon and Frithjof Schuon.-Early years:...
's mention of the author's modesty and his older age "studious retirement" seem to agree with this scarcity of information.
Born in 1917, Hani proved a bright secondary student, pursuing his university studies in Classical Literature, and finally obtaining a doctorate with a dissertation about the influence of Egyptian religion
Egyptian religion
Egyptian religion may refer to:* Modern Religion in Egypt* Ancient Egyptian religion...
on the thought of Plutarch
Plutarch
Plutarch then named, on his becoming a Roman citizen, Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus , c. 46 – 120 AD, was a Greek historian, biographer, essayist, and Middle Platonist known primarily for his Parallel Lives and Moralia...
. Appointed a lecturer at the University of Amiens
University of Picardie Jules Verne
The University of Picardie Jules Verne is a university located in Amiens, France, and is under the Academy of Amiens...
, he founded the Centre de Recherches sur l'Antiquité Classique, and he led for many years a Séminar of History of Greek religion. After his retirement, in addition to his prolific activity as an author of Traditional
Traditionalist School
The term Traditionalist School is used by Mark Sedgwick and other authors to denote a school of thought, also known as Integral Traditionalism or Perennialism to denote an esoteric movement developed by authors such as French metaphysician René Guénon, German-Swiss...
works, he became a frequent collaborator of journals like Connaissance des Religions and Vers la tradition. Hani has been praised for his studies on Christian symbolism, particularly on the mass and the esoterism of Christian architecture.
Three kinds of works may be discerned within Hani's production: works of Classical philology, works dealing with history of religions and works dealing with traditional and sacred symbolism. The first group is represented by his annotated translations of Plutarch
Plutarch
Plutarch then named, on his becoming a Roman citizen, Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus , c. 46 – 120 AD, was a Greek historian, biographer, essayist, and Middle Platonist known primarily for his Parallel Lives and Moralia...
, published partly within the well-known Collection Budé
Collection Budé
The Collection Budé, or the Collection des Universités de France, is a series of books comprising the Greek and Latin classics up to the middle of the 6th century...
. The second group is represented by his doctoral dissertation mentioned above. And the third group includes works like Le Symbolisme du temple chrétien (1962), Les Métiers de Dieu (1975), La Divine liturgie (1981) and La Royauté sacrée (1984) where his mastery of traditional hermeneutics and exegesis is firmly established. These books have been translated into English and several other European languages.
According to Jean Borella
Jean Borella
Jean Borella is a Christian philosopher and theologian. Borella's works are deeply inspired by Ancient and Christian Neoplatonism, but also by the Traditionalist School of René Guénon and Frithjof Schuon.-Early years:...
, the principles expounded in Le Symbolisme du temple chrétien have already been put into practice in the establishment of some contemporary monastic foundations. Borella also considers Hani to be the first author in academia to successfully marry Guénon
René Guénon
René Guénon , also known as Shaykh `Abd al-Wahid Yahya was a French author and intellectual who remains an influential figure in the domain of metaphysics, having written on topics ranging from metaphysics, sacred science and traditional studies to symbolism and initiation.In his writings, he...
's insights to the contemporary study of Hellenistic religions and Christianity.
French Originals
- Le Symbolisme du temple chrétien, Paris, la Colombe: Éditions du Vieux Colombier (Ligugé, impr. Aubin), 1962.
- Consolation à Apollonios, texte et traduction avec introduction et commentaire par Jean Hani. Paris: Klincksieck, 1972.
- La Religion égyptienne dans la pensée de Plutarque. Paris: les Belles lettres, 1976.
- Plutarque, Oeuvres morales Tome VIII : Traités 42-45. Paris: Editions "Les Belles Lettres", 1980 (ISBN 978-2-251-00268-2).
- La Divine liturgie: aperçus sur la messe. Paris: Éditions de la Maisnie, 1981 (ISBN 2-85707-065-9).
- La Royauté sacrée: du pharaon au roi très chrétien. Paris: Guy Trédaniel, 1984 (ISBN 2-85707-133-7). Reprinted 2010: Paris, l'Harmattan, ISBN 978-2-296-11676-4.
- Mythes, rites et symboles. Les chemins de l'invisible. Paris, Guy Trédaniel Editeur, 1992 (ISBN 978-2-857074-91-5).
- La Vierge noire et le mystère marial. Paris: Guy Trédaniel, 1995 (ISBN 2-85707-723-8).
- Le monde à l'envers: essais critiques sur la civilisation moderne. Lausanne: l'Âge d'homme, 2001 (ISBN 2-8251-1441-3).
- Plutarque, Oeuvres morales Tome II : Traités 10-14. Paris: Editions "Les Belles Lettres", 2003 (ISBN 978-2-251-00372-6).
- Les métiers de Dieu: préliminaires à une spiritualité du travail. Paris: J.-C. Godefroy, impr. 2010 (ISBN 978-2-86553-219-3).
English Translations
- The Black Virgin: A Marian Mystery. San Rafael, CA: Sophia Perennis, 2007 (ISBN 978-1-597310-65-9).
- Divine Craftsmanship: Preliminaries to a Spirituality of Work. New York: Sophia Perennis, 2007 (ISBN 978-1-597310-68-0).
- The Divine Liturgy: Insights Into Its Mystery. San Rafael, CA: Sophia Perennis, 2008 (ISBN 978-1-597310-75-8)
- The Symbolism of the Christian Temple. San Rafael, CA: Sophia Perennis, 2007 (ISBN 978-1-597310-75-8)
- Sacred Royalty. London: The Matheson TrustThe Matheson TrustThe Matheson Trust is an educational charity based in London dedicated to further and disseminate the study of comparative religion, especially from the point of view of the underlying harmony of the major religious and philosophical traditions of the world....
, 2011 (ISBN 978-1-908092-05-2). Book excerpt
See also
- Perennial PhilosophyPerennial philosophyPerennial philosophy is the notion of the universal recurrence of philosophical insight independent of epoch or culture, including universal truths on the nature of reality, humanity or consciousness .-History:The idea of a perennial philosophy has great...
- Christian mysticismChristian mysticismChristian mysticism refers to the development of mystical practices and theory within Christianity. It has often been connected to mystical theology, especially in the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions...
- Jean BorellaJean BorellaJean Borella is a Christian philosopher and theologian. Borella's works are deeply inspired by Ancient and Christian Neoplatonism, but also by the Traditionalist School of René Guénon and Frithjof Schuon.-Early years:...
- René GuénonRené GuénonRené Guénon , also known as Shaykh `Abd al-Wahid Yahya was a French author and intellectual who remains an influential figure in the domain of metaphysics, having written on topics ranging from metaphysics, sacred science and traditional studies to symbolism and initiation.In his writings, he...
- Frithjof SchuonFrithjof SchuonFrithjof Schuon, was a native of Switzerland born to German parents in Basel, Switzerland. He is known as a philosopher, metaphysician and author of numerous books on religion and spirituality....
- Titus BurckhardtTitus BurckhardtTitus Burckhardt , a German Swiss, was born in Florence, Italy in 1908 and died in Lausanne, Switzerland in 1984. He devoted all his life to the study and exposition of the different aspects of Wisdom and Tradition.He was an eminent member of the "traditionalist school" of twentieth-century authors...