Malleus Maleficarum: The Witch Hammer: Historically Annotated Edition - Paperback

by Heinrich Kramer (Author), Jakob Sprenger (Author)

Including a detailed historical annotation on witchcraft through the ages, a historical examination of belief and persecution *** Jakob Sprenger, German theologian of the 15th century, and Heinrich Kramer are the authors of the 'Malleus Maleficarum' or 'Witch Hammer' (1489), which first formulated in detail the doctrine of witchcraft, and formed a textbook of procedure for witch trials. They were appointed inquisitors under the bull 'Summis desiderantes affectibus' of Innocent VIII in 1484, and their work is arranged in three parts - 'Things that pertain to Witchcraft'; 'The Effects of Witchcraft'; and 'The Remedies for Witchcraft.' It discusses the question of the nature of demons; the causes why they seduce men, and particularly women; transformations into beasts, as wolves and cats; and the various charms and exorcisms to be employed against witches. *** Echoes of the Eternal is a monumental series that brings together the defining texts of the world's spiritual, religious, and mythic heritage. From the sacred scriptures of Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, and other global faiths, to the mystical writings of saints and sages, the myths of ancient civilizations, and the arcane literature of secret societies and occult traditions-this collection explores the full spectrum of humanity's search for the divine, the mysterious, and the transcendent. Each volume shapes spiritual consciousness and cultural identity across time. Whether it is the poetic wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita, the visionary revelations of the Qur'an, the esoteric allegories of the Kabbalah, the shamanic myths of indigenous peoples, or the secret doctrines of the Rosicrucians and Freemasons, this series reveals how humans have long sought to explain existence, destiny, and the unseen forces of the cosmos.