| Jean Hani | |
| Birth Date: | 1917 |
| Death Date: | 30 September 2012 |
| Occupation: | Philosopher, scholar |
| Main Interests: | Metaphysics, Esotericism, Symbolism, Mythology, Greek Philosophy, Christianity, Religious texts, Comparative religion |
| Notable Ideas: | Christian mysticism and symbolism; critique of modernity |
Jean Hani (1917-2012) was a French philosopher and Traditionalist author, and a professor of Greek civilization and literature at the University of Amiens.
Very little is known about Jean Hani's personal life other than his year of birth. Jean Borella's mention of the author's modesty and his older age "studious retirement" seem to agree with this scarcity of information.[1]
Born in 1917, Hani proved a bright secondary student, pursuing his university studies in Classical Literature, and finally obtaining a doctorate with a dissertation about the influence of Egyptian religion on the thought of Plutarch.[2] Appointed a lecturer at the University of Amiens, he founded the Centre de Recherches sur l'Antiquité Classique, and he led for many years a Séminar of History of Greek religion.[1] After his retirement, in addition to his prolific activity as an author of Traditional works, he became a frequent collaborator of journals like Connaissance des Religions and Vers la tradition. Hani has been praised for his studies on Christian symbolism, particularly on the mass[3] and the esoterism of Christian architecture.[1] [4]
Three kinds of works may be discerned within Hani's production: works of Classical philology, works dealing with history of religions and works dealing with traditional and sacred symbolism. The first group is represented by his annotated translations of Plutarch, published partly within the well-known Collection Budé.[5] The second group is represented by his doctoral dissertation mentioned above.[2] And the third group includes works like Le Symbolisme du temple chrétien (1962), Les Métiers de Dieu (1975), La Divine liturgie (1981) and La Royauté sacrée (1984)[6] where his mastery of traditional hermeneutics and exegesis is firmly established. These books have been translated into English and several other European languages.[6]
According to Jean Borella,[1] the principles expounded in Le Symbolisme du temple chrétien have already been put into practice in the establishment of some contemporary monastic foundations. Borella also considers Hani to be the first author in academia to successfully marry Guénon's insights to the contemporary study of Hellenistic religions and Christianity.[1]