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Jean Borella (born in
Nancy, France Nancy ; Lorraine Franconian: ''Nanzisch'' is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the northeastern Departments of France, French department of Meurthe-et-Moselle. It was the capital of the Duchy of Lorraine, which was Lorraine and Barrois, an ...
, May 21, 1930) is a
Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
philosopher A philosopher is a person who practices or investigates philosophy. The term ''philosopher'' comes from the grc, φιλόσοφος, , translit=philosophos, meaning 'lover of wisdom'. The coining of the term has been attributed to the Greek th ...
and
theologian Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...
. Borella's works are inspired by Ancient and Christian
Neoplatonism Neoplatonism is a strand of Platonism, Platonic philosophy that emerged in the 3rd century AD against the background of Hellenistic philosophy and Hellenistic religion, religion. The term does not encapsulate a set of ideas as much as a chain of ...
, but also by the
Traditionalist School The Traditionalist or Perennialist School is a group of 20th- and 21st-century thinkers who believe in the existence of a perennial wisdom or perennial philosophy, primordial and universal truths which form the source for, and are shared by, all ...
of
René Guénon René Jean-Marie-Joseph Guénon (15 November 1886 – 7 January 1951), also known as ''Abdalwâhid Yahiâ'' (; ''ʿAbd al-Wāḥid Yaḥiā'') was a French intellectual who remains an influential figure in the domain of metaphysics, having writte ...
and
Frithjof Schuon Frithjof Schuon (, , ; 18 June 1907 – 5 May 1998) was a Swiss metaphysician of German descent, belonging to the Perennialist or Traditionalist School of thought. He was the author of more than twenty works in French on metaphysics, spirituali ...
.


Biography

Borella's father, who was Italian, made a career in military aviation before his death in 1937 in an air crash, when Jean was seven years old. Borella's mother was French from
Lorraine Lorraine , also , , ; Lorrain: ''Louréne''; Lorraine Franconian: ''Lottringe''; german: Lothringen ; lb, Loutrengen; nl, Lotharingen is a cultural and historical region in Northeastern France, now located in the administrative region of Gr ...
. Borella had a
Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
education and traditional public school secondary studies which reinforced in him the idea that he would be a defender of the faith. By age 14, Borella understood
Cartesian Cartesian means of or relating to the French philosopher René Descartes—from his Latinized name ''Cartesius''. It may refer to: Mathematics *Cartesian closed category, a closed category in category theory *Cartesian coordinate system, modern ...
proof of the existence of
God In monotheism, monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator deity, creator, and principal object of Faith#Religious views, faith.Richard Swinburne, Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Ted Honderich, Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Ox ...
. In 1950, he stayed for a short while in a
Benedictine , image = Medalla San Benito.PNG , caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal , abbreviation = OSB , formation = , motto = (English: 'Pray and Work') , foun ...
monastery, but left, disappointed. Borella attended university in
Nancy, France Nancy ; Lorraine Franconian: ''Nanzisch'' is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the northeastern Departments of France, French department of Meurthe-et-Moselle. It was the capital of the Duchy of Lorraine, which was Lorraine and Barrois, an ...
. Two of Borella's philosophy professors had significant influence on him, Georges Vallin and Guy Bugault. Vallin,
French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
Orientalist and philosopher, primarily taught the principles of
Vedanta ''Vedanta'' (; sa, वेदान्त, ), also ''Uttara Mīmāṃsā'', is one of the six (''āstika'') schools of Hindu philosophy. Literally meaning "end of the Vedas", Vedanta reflects ideas that emerged from, or were aligned with, t ...
. Bugault taught the philosophy of
Khâgne (), officially known as , is a two-year academic program in the French “” (≈undergraduate) system, with a specialization in literature and the humanities. It is one of the three main types of (CPGE, informally ), contrasting with other CPGE ...
. While both Vallin and Bugault were readers of
René Guénon René Jean-Marie-Joseph Guénon (15 November 1886 – 7 January 1951), also known as ''Abdalwâhid Yahiâ'' (; ''ʿAbd al-Wāḥid Yaḥiā'') was a French intellectual who remains an influential figure in the domain of metaphysics, having writte ...
, they did not speak of Guénon in class or in private conversations with Borella. Borella graduated in 1953 with a degree in philosophy, and, in the same year, became familiar with Guénon, and then with
Frithjof Schuon Frithjof Schuon (, , ; 18 June 1907 – 5 May 1998) was a Swiss metaphysician of German descent, belonging to the Perennialist or Traditionalist School of thought. He was the author of more than twenty works in French on metaphysics, spirituali ...
. In 1954, Borella married a Polish woman. By 1957, Borella was a professor of philosophy in
Gérardmer Gérardmer (; or archaic ''Geroldsee'', and ''Giraumoué'' in local Vosgian) is a commune in the Vosges department in Grand Est in northeastern France. Population Culture The Festival international du film fantastique de Gérardmer (literally ...
. In 1962, he became professor in
Nancy, France Nancy ; Lorraine Franconian: ''Nanzisch'' is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the northeastern Departments of France, French department of Meurthe-et-Moselle. It was the capital of the Duchy of Lorraine, which was Lorraine and Barrois, an ...
, where he taught philosophy and French until 1977. In 1982, he was at the University of Paris X: Nanterre. Borella has three daughters, the youngest of which is a
Benedictine , image = Medalla San Benito.PNG , caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal , abbreviation = OSB , formation = , motto = (English: 'Pray and Work') , foun ...
nun A nun is a woman who vows to dedicate her life to religious service, typically living under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience in the enclosure of a monastery or convent.''The Oxford English Dictionary'', vol. X, page 599. The term is o ...
, and four grandchildren.


Bibliography

* Bérard, Bruno, and Jean Borella. ''Jean Borella, la révolution métaphysique: après Galilée, Kant, Marx, Freud, Derrida. Religions et spiritualité''. Paris: Harmattan, 2006. * ''Esotérisme guénonien et mystère chrétien'', L’Age d’Homme, Lausanne, 1997. * ''Histoire et théorie du symbole'', L’Age d’Homme,Lausanne, 2004 (édition revue et corrigée du "Mystère du signe", Maisonneuve et Larose, 1989). * ''La charité profanée'', Editions Dominique Martin Morin. * ''La crise du symbolisme religieux'', L’Age d’Homme, Lausanne, 1990. * ''Le poème de la Création''. Traduction de la Genèse 1-3, Ad Solem, 2002. * ''Le sens du surnaturel'', Ad Solem, Genève 1996. * ''Lumières de la théologie mystique'', L'Age d'Homme, Lausanne, 2002. * ''Penser l’analogie'', Ad Solem, Genève 2000. * ''Symbolisme et réalité'', Ad Solem, 1997. * ''The sense of the supernatural'' * ''Guénonian Esoterism and Christian Mystery'' * ''The Secret of the Christian Way: A Contemplative Ascent Through the Writings of Jean Borella'' , Borella, Jean, and G. John Champoux.. SUNY series in Western esoteric traditions. Albany: State University of New York Press, 2001. * ''The Torn Veil'' * Love and Truth: The Christian Path of Charity (trans: ''La charité profanée)'' * The Crisis of Religious Symbolism & Symbolism and Reality (trans: ''La crise du symbolisme religieux & Symbolisme et réalité)''


Further reading

* Renaud Fabbri, ''The Problematic of the Unity of Religions''Editorial: Remarks on Jean Borella’s ''The Problematic of the Unity of Religions''
/ref> Vincit Omnia Veritas. III,1 *
Jean Hani Jean Hani (1917-2012) was a French philosopher and Traditionalist author, and a professor of Greek civilization and literature at the University of Amiens. Life and Works Very little is known about Jean Hani's personal life other than his year ...
: ''Le Monde à l'envers, Essais critiques sur la civilisation moderne'', Lausanne, l'Âge d'homme, « Delphica », 2001, * Meramo, Basilio, and Bernard Tissier de Mallerais. ''Les hérésies de la gnose du professeur Jean Borella''. Sion: Editions Les Amis de saint François de Sales, 1996. * A Metaphysics of the Christian Mystery: An Introduction to the Work of Jean Borella - Author: Bruno Berard


References


External links


Intelligence spirituelle et Surnaturel


{{DEFAULTSORT:Borella, Jean 1930 births Living people Writers from Nancy, France French Christians French philosophers Christian philosophers Traditionalist School French male writers