Ioan Petru Culianu ( January 5 , 1950 -- May 21 , 1991 ) was a Romanian historian of religion , culture , ideas , philosopher , political essayist , poet , mystic and short story writer . Ioan Petru Culianu or Couliano ( 5 January 1950 -- 21 May 1991 ) was a Romanian historian of religion , culture , and ideas , a philosopher and political essayist , and a short story writer .