The Anamnesis of Philip Kindred Dick

This day marks the anniversary of the beginning of a series of experiences Philip K. Dick went through in 1974. He called these his 2-3-74 experience as they extended from the 20th of February into March of that year. It is also a few days prior to the anniversary of when Phil passed beyond the reach of the Black Iron Prison, having undergone a series of strokes in 1982 resulting in his being disconnected from life support on March 2nd.

It seems that it is this day, the Anamnesis of Philip K. Dick, whose time has come for consideration for inclusion in our observances. Though traditionally, a saint's day is his death day, it is also difficult to think of Phil as a saint in any traditional sense. He fits the archetype of the Prophet better, a sort of modern agnostic/gnostic prophet of the Gnosis. I offer the following as a possible lectionary form for celebrating this day.



THE COLLECT

O, thou great and living God who seekest us out ever more steadfastly and ardently than we seek thee; we bid thee, invade our false worlds, shatter our misperceptions, grant us that we may know thy presence, though we be unworthy and unready. We pray thee, grab hold of us when thy gentle touch we ignore, break through to us when we would bar thy way, speak with thy shattering voice when thy whisper goes unheeded by us. For we cannot be who we are without thee, nor be freed from our occlusion without thy aid. End our forgetfulness as thou ended the forgetfulness of thy servant Philip Kindred Dick; and grant us, O Lord, the precious remembering that will lead us back to thee.


THE LESSON

The Lesson is taken from the Sophia of Jesus Christ:

The Savior appeared - not in his previous form, but in the spirit. And his likeness resembled a great angel of light. But his resemblance I must not describe. And he said: "Peace be to you, My peace I give you!" And they all marveled and were afraid. The Savior laughed and said to them: "What are you thinking about? Are you perplexed? What are you searching for?"
Philip said: "For the underlying reality of the universe and the plan." The Savior said to them: "I want you to know that all men born on earth from the foundation of the world until now, being dust, while they have inquired about God, who he is and what he is like, have not found him. Now the wisest among them have speculated from the ordering of the world and its movement. But their speculation has not reached the truth."

Here endeth the lesson.


THE GOSPEL

The Gospel is taken from the gospel according to St. Philip

The Sophia whom they call the barren is the mother of the angels. When a blind man and one who sees are both together in darkness, they are no different from one another. When the light comes, then he who sees will see the light, and he who is blind will remain in darkness. Truth did not come into the world naked, but it came in types and images. The world will not receive truth in any other way.

Here endeth the Gospel.


Valis

Robert Crumb comic strip about Philip K. Dick's theophany

Wikipedia Entry

Phildickian Gnosticism