#80 | The Psychedelic Gospels: The Forgotten Roots Of Christianity w/ Jerry Brown
Jerry Brown is the co-author of The Psychedelic Gospels: The Secret History of Hallucinogens in Christianity. Jerry, as well as his wife and co-author Julie Brown, began their journey into the psychedelic history of early Christianity after noticing telling depictions of psychedelic mushrooms on display in the frescoes and architecture of the many chapels and cathedrals that exist across Europe.
Jerry tells the story of how he and his wife Julie first made this baffling discovery, and also explains as to why it has not been documented and researched until very recently. We examine the possible role psychedelics would have played in the early centuries of Christianity, and more broadly, the origins of religion itself, as well as how our own personal experiences have led us toward having an open-minded exploration of this subject. What does it mean for there to be these depictions of psychedelic mushroom in early Christian art? How does this subject and research fit into the broader "Psychedelic Renaissance" that is currently underway in multiple scientific disciplines? Jerry and I discuss this and much more in this episode.
Bio:
Jerry B. Brown, Ph.D., is an anthropologist, author and activist. From 1972-2014, he served as Founding Professor of Anthropology at Florida International University in Miami, where he designed and taught a course on “Hallucinogens and Culture.” The course examines the use of psychoactive plants by tribal and classical cultures, including Ancient India and Greece, and by and discusses the discoveries of the modern mind-explorers, the “psychonauts of the twentieth century.
Episode Notes:
- Learn more about the Psychedelic Gospels, as well as Jerry and Julia's work: https://psychedelicgospels.com
- Purchase the book: https://www.amazon.com/Psychedelic-Gospels-History-Hallucinogens-Christianity/dp/1620555026
- Get updates on the Psychedelic Gospels:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/psygospels
Twitter: https://twitter.com/psygospels
- The music featured in this episode comes from "The Lily & The Lamb: Chant & Polyphony from Medieval England" (https://youtu.be/jpe6-oXa0ZQ) as well as the tracks "White Dresses" and "Symphony #69" by Pogo from the album Broken Beats.
