The Once and Future John

I reviewed an earlier series of articles on St John published in the White Eagle magazine Stella Polaris, and this new collection contains a series of inspiring reflections on the central role that John plays in this teaching, including the author's connection to the Cathars, about which he has written separately. My own perspective in relation to John has been modified by my reading of the Gospel of the Beloved Companion and my detailed comparative textual commentary between these two gospels. Nevertheless, there is considerable common ground in terms of the centrality of love and light, the importance of the feminine principle and the special role that John plays in relation to Jesus, including material taken from the Acts of John. John also plays a role in the Lodge as an intermediary figure towards imitation of Christ– again this brings us back to love and light as the essence of spiritual presence.