Ebook: The Secret History of Lucifer

In her new account of an old religion, Lynn Picknett explains that Lucifer means 'the light bringer' and was a personification of the Morning Star, the planet Venus and its goddess. 'He' was originally 'she' -- a divine representation of love, light and human warmth. The early Christian Church appropriated the name Lucifer, and it became synonymous with darkness and the Devil. Yet many great thinkers have covertly followed the old Luciferan way, most famously Leonardo da Vinci, who encrypted the symbols of his heretical beliefs in his work, visible only to those who have the key.

From Publishers Weekly

Though dense with research, readers interested in religious conspiracies, particularly those for which Christianity is held responsible, will find Picknett's redemption of Lucifer as "Light-bringer" and "enlightener" fascinating. Picknett, author of many conspiracy-oriented books about topics like the Turin shroud, the Templars and most recently Mary Magdalene, sets out to correct misconceptions about Lucifer, who she claims is not synonymous with the devil or Satan. Lucifer, she writes, "is emphatically not the Evil One, but the spirit of human progress, the fight to learn and grow, to be independent and proud." Divided into two parts, the first is dedicated to Lucifer's relationship with the feminine and his subsequent "fall" from morning star to bringer of hell as a result of his feminization, while the second traces Lucifer's emergence in history as Satan. Filled with ironic undertones, Picknett's exploration of Lucifer's association with womanhood is the more interesting of the two sections, offering well-researched interpretations of the Judeo-Christian creation myth, ancient goddess traditions, and pagan rituals. Picknett's depth and range of knowledge is impressive and if readers can forgive the annoying and repeated self-references to her many other works, they will encounter a thick, interesting and alternative view of an intriguing topic. *(Aug.) *
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Review

"'A thought-provoking book that considers many issues, not least the role and image of women in Christianity.' Good Book Guide 'Lynn Picknett... presents the Magdalene in a fresh and disconcerting way.' Washington Post Book World 'Picknett's book... puts Mary Magdalene back on top of her pedestal.' Nexus"