Two broadly different approaches to spiritual practice exist within virtually every religious tradition. Though the specific characterization and evaluation of these different practices vary among authors, their general nature is reasonably clear. The exoteric path represents the more conventional approach to religion involving ongoing participation in the practices and activities of an established religious community (synagogue, church, mosque, temple, etc.). Alternatively, the esoteric path tends to be more individualistic and mystical in orientation. Within a given tradition, the two approaches are never in opposition to each other but can nonetheless involve complex, bivalent inter-relations. The present paper examines these two forms of practice in terms of their informational characteristics. It is primarily concerned with the amount of information each style of practice generates and processes within a small set of general but relevant contexts. It shows that the two styles of practice result in highly characteristic differences in the generation and processing of information. In addition, the paper argues that important consequences of these differences concern how they both reflect and impact the practitioner’s religious faith and their sense of self.

We have taken this as an occasion to revisit the role of browsing in seeking information especially the information of new connections no matter the realm. When one is attempting to go beyond the norm, the recognized public knowledge, one has to search without ordinary finding aids. Finding aids are generally based on what is known. Documents are assigned subject headings from within a list of terms for what is known. Going beyond the norm requires a level of comfort with the unknown and with ambiguity. Setting aside any judgments about Hubbard and Shannon, we see two men capable of striking out into the unknown and making new connections.

Libraries during the classical period in Greece and Rome flourished. These first literate Western societies, promoted literacy and laid the foundation for the development of libraries and the profession of Library and Information Science. However, literacy declined during the middleages and as a result books and libraries all but vanished. One institution survived that was devoted to the preservation of the written word: the Catholic Church. The role of priests and monasteries in the development of cataloging, preservation and the organization of manuscript production pioneered what are common practices in the library profession today. This study traces the evolution of the Catholic Church in the historic development of libraries. A historical approach is used that includes documentary research. Two overarching research questions will be explored: In what ways did the Catholic Church impact the historical development of the Library and Information Science profession? What is the impact of that role today? Findings will provide insight into the relationship of the Catholic Church and its role not only in the development of library and information science, but also its important role in the preservation of religious texts and other information objects.

Pre-classical Greek polytheism, in practice and in poetry, promotes the idea that religion itself is inconsistent. Piety to one deity comes into conflict with piety to another, symbolizing a chaotic and challenging human condition. The late fifth and fourth centuries BCE, however, saw the advent of written prose speeches and dialogues and, at the same time, a movement toward a more transcendent and unified view of religion. Are these two trends related?

Through an intertextual, close rhetorical study of Plato’s Phaedrus and Isocrates’ Busiris, I argue that they are. The advent of circulated prose documents exposed inconsistencies native to polytheism to scrutiny from rival philosophers in the context of a litigious Athenian culture that had already executed Socrates on charges of impiety. This prompted an allegorical debate between Plato and Isocrates about the value of written communication that had its crux in contention over the definition of piety. Both of these influential writers’ attempts to find an intellectual high ground in the debate contribute to a trend toward a more transcendent and unified religion in ancient Athens. A few centuries later, the Graeco-Roman world would adopt the thorough transcendence and unity of monotheism.

While one would not want to draw too strong an analogy with our own context, this study serves as a reminder that new forms of dissemination can expose religious discourse to cultural forces that demand response. The response can change religion significantly, creating new religious paradigms and undermining older traditions.

Music is important in most Christian churches. It is used for many purposes such as supporting belief systems, encouraging proper behaviors, and offering care and comfort. In this discussion, I present an ethnographic, naturalistic study of a largely GLBT (gay lesbian, bisexual, transgender) congregation and how music is used to support the theology and social needs of the church. The discussion will offer a historical as well as a contemporary overview of the use of music as used in the Metropolitan Community Church Austin (a member of the United Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches ((UFMMC)) and how it has evolved since the church’s founding as an independent congregation in 1976. I conclude by offering an explanation for this evolution based on social, political, personal, and administrative situations as they have changed over the 36 years since the founding of the church.