A Review by The Mountain Astrologer's Mary Plumb
(Originally published in the Dec/January edition.
This review retains its published error regarding the birth date/data used below)
Signs for a Messiah is an extensive academic study of Jesus by Dr. Rollan McCleary, an astrologer living in Melbourne, Australia, who also holds a doctorate in religious studies. It is a compelling and very original book, written from within the author's multilayered understanding of the history, culture and complex theologies that influenced Jesus' life. Although I'm not qualified to assess the work on its historical or theological merits, I can recognize the author's breadth of knowledge and painstaking research and enjoy a superb demonstration of astrological inquiry.
Astrology pervades the book and McCleary's technique is wide-ranging; he not only ponders and broadly elucidates the archetypes of the signs that are prominent in his version of Jesus' horoscope (i.e. Gemini and Virgo), but also details very specific astrological data and interpretation to support his discoveries (just to give you one example from the hundreds I could choose, McCleary determines the "hyleg" in Jesus' horoscope by two different methods, and both hyleg positions are "under affliction aspect from Saturn at the time of crucifixion").
Besides using the usual methods (eg., solar returns, transits, progressions, eclipses), McCleary illustrates that many modern asteroids and Arabic Parts are important for revealing the horoscope of Jesus and copious events in his life.
Beginning with an exploration of the Magi—and how they recognized the "signs for a Messiah" (i.e. the triple Jupiter- Saturn conjunction in Pisces) as symbolic of the beginning of an era—the text covers a great range of ideas. McCleary proposes 6th September, at 1.35pm. L.M.T, Ê6 BCE in Bethlehem as the horoscope for Jesus. In Part One, he extensively examines the character of Jesus as seen through the Gospels and event charts from his life. This, the main section of the book, looks at Jesus the person but also treats Jesus' family life, the influence of the teachings of the Essenes, the Puer archetype, Jesus' relationship to his disciples, and his doctrines of sex and marriage. Throughout the book, the author speculates on Jesus sexual orientation, not in any simple terms, but viewed from myriad perspectives—e.g. gender issues as experienced by a young Jewish rabbi of his time, classical attitudes to sexual differences, experience of the Divine Feminine, the subtle discussions on such topics as the Female Pillar and the Redemeptive Male Principle. (One of the author's many provocative conclusions is that Jesus was "authentically male while spiritually remaining female". He then writes that "in his incarnation as a man his disposition could only be homosexual").
Part Two, "Messiah", offers further evidence to support the birth data by proposing and delineating horoscopes for some of the "miracles" attributed to Jesus, including Feeding the Multitudes, Miracle at Sea and Easter Morning. There is also an event chart for the Ascension (the "Leavetaking"); from this the author shows connections to the horoscope for the birth of modern Israel, 2000 years later.
Signs for a Messiah is a fascinating book on many levels: the author spent more than a decade in Asia and is informed about Eastern religions as well as Judaism and Christianity. His treatment is intellectually sophisticated and intricate, although I was occasionally slowed down by a ponderous sentence structure. The book collects and describes years of Dr. McCleary's research (he "discovered" the data for Jesusâ birth time in 1987, when transiting Uranus was in Sagittarius "almost exactly conjunct the Galactic Centre, a point associated with significant events in religion").
Any readers who are interested in astrology and the life of Jesus will be riveted by this book; others who have an appreciation for astrological research and broader religious studies will also find this book irresistible.
Note from Rollan: Unfortunately TMA supplied the wrong data for the chart I use for Christ. It is actually 10.1.35pm LMT 15th September 7 BC, not 1.35 pm 6th September 6 BC.
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