The Ninth Century and the Holy Grail

by W.J. Stein, John Matthews

Much plagiarised and its contents distorted over the years, Stein's seminal work is a classic of original scholarly and spiritual research. In studying the central Grail narrative - Parzival by Wolfram von Eschenbach - Stein takes a twofold approach. On the one hand he searches historical records in order to identify actual people and events hidden behind the Grail epic's veil of romance. And on the other hand, he deciphers Eschenbach's hidden spiritual messages, revealing Parzival to be an esoteric document containing mighty pictures of the human being's inner path of development. Stein reveals the period of the ninth century to be of more than historical and academic interest. It is the karmic ground out of which the destiny of modern times grows - the mighty battle that must take place between the powers of the Grail and the sinister anti-Grail forces at large today.

384 pages, Paperback

First published April 15, 2001

Reviews

[Robbie Forkish]

Challenging but highly interesting history of the ninth century and how it relates to Wolfram von Eschenbach's Parzival and related legends. Includes details regarding the 8th Ecumenical Council and the abolition of the Trichotomy--the understanding that the human being consists of body, soul and spirit.

[Searanchgirl]

One of the most profound books on the Grail I have ever read. Since much of the book deals with the Wolfram von Eschenbach’s poem, I read this in-depth study in conjunction with Parzival, (a couple of different English translations of the poem) which enhanced the reading of Stein’s book.