Introduction
Uroboros (often ouroboros, sometimes ourovoros) is a transliteration of the Greek oúρoβóρoς (oúρηβóρoς). It has appeared in Latin as ourovorax. Uroboros is a composite word meaning “devouring its tail.” It is also synonymous with δρáκωv (dragon) and occasionally őϕiς (ophis). Whereas the gnostic Ophites and even contemporary snake handling sects within Pentecostal Christianity (originating in Appalachia) continue to exist sporadically throughout the Southern United States, these are perhaps more derivative of Minoan snake goddess cultic worship than uroboric devotion.
A Powerful Primordial Symbol
Uroboros means “tail devourer.” Devouring the tail indicates the eating of one’s own flesh (without swallowing – yet). Tertullian (1989) and Chrysostom (1989) remark of the “autocannibalism” within the Eucharistic meal, the Lord’s Supper, wherein Jesus instituted the bread and cup of wine as his body and blood which his followers are to take, eat, and drink in anamnesis of him....
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Bibliography
Aland, B., et al. (1998). ‘Aπoκάλuψις’ Iωávvou [Revelation of John]. In Greek-English New Testament (8th rev. ed., pp. 632–680). Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft.
Berthelot, M., & Ruelle, C.-É. (1888). Collections des anciens alchimistes grecs (Vol. 3 Vols). Paris: G. Steinheil.
Bion, W. R. (1967). The imaginary twin. In Second thoughts (pp. 3–22). London: Karnac. (Original work published 1950).
Bion, W. R. (2000). Emotional turbulence. In F. Bion (Ed.), Clinical seminars and other works (pp. 295–305). London: Karnac. (Original work published 1977).
Charbonneau-Lassay, L. (1991). The bestiary of Christ (Abridged Ed.). (trans: Dooling, D.M.). New York: Parabola.
Charlesworth, J. H. (Ed.). (1985). Odes of Solomon (trans: Charlesworth, J.H.). In Old Testament pseudepigrapha: Vol. 2. Expansions of the “Old Testament” and legends, wisdom and philosophical literature prayers, psalms, and odes, fragments of lost Judeo-Hellenistic works (pp. 725–771). Garden City: Doubleday.
Chrysostom, J. (1989). Concerning the statutes. In P. Schaff (Ed.), A select library of Nicene and post-Nicene fathers of the Christian church (pp. 317–489). Grand Rapids: William. B. Eerdmans.
Joyce, J. (1967). Finnegan’s wake. New York: Penguin. (Original work published 1939).
Lacan, J. (2004). Le seminaire x: L’angoisse (J.-A. Miller, Ed.). Paris: Éditions du Seuil.
Mead, G. R. S. (2005). Pistis sophia: The gnostic tradition of Mary Magdalene, Jesus, and his disciples. New York: Dover. (Original work published 1921).
Scharfstein, B. (Ed.). (1968). פרקי אבות [Pirke Avot-Sayings of the fathers]. New York: Ktav.
Tertullian. (1989). On the resurrection of the flesh. In A. Roberts & J. Donaldson (Eds.), Latin Christianity: Its founder, Tertullian (The ante-Nicene fathers) (Vol. III, pp. 549–596). Grand Rapids: William. B. Eerdmans.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this entry
Cite this entry
Killinger, J.E. (2020). Uroboros. In: Leeming, D.A. (eds) Encyclopedia of Psychology and Religion. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-24348-7_722
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-24348-7_722
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-24347-0
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-24348-7
eBook Packages: Behavioral Science and PsychologyReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences