‘God-working’ in the Internet: The Reception of Ancient Theurgy in the Digital Age
International Journal of the Classical Tradition October 23, 2025 Carlos Sánchez Pérez
Ancient theurgy, a ritual practice from Late Antique Neoplatonism that aimed to invoke the divine through symbols, has been transformed in the digital age into the concept of meme magic—the belief that digital memes can influence reality through collective imagination and symbolic power. This paper traces the historical trajectory of theurgy, examining key moments in its intellectual reception, and analyzes how hybridization and resignification allow ancient ritual traditions to evolve within internet subcultures, shaping new forms of magical thought in the 21st century.