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The Temple of the Rose Cross, Teophilus Schweighardt Constantiens, 1618.
The Temple of the Rose Cross, Teophilus Schweighardt Constantiens, 1618. Daniel Mogling (pseudonym Teophilus Schweighardt Constantiens) is the alchemist who allegedly wrote the work Speculum Sophicum Rhodostauroticum ("The

Esoteric Christianity is a term which refers to an ensemble of spiritual currents which regard Christianity as a mystery religion,[1][2] and profess the existence and possession of certain esoteric doctrines or practices,[3][4] hidden from the public but accessible only to a narrow circle of "enlightened", "initiated", or highly educated people. Mystery Religions, Sacred Mysteries or simply Mysteries, were "religious cults of the Graeco-Roman [5][6]

These spiritual currents share some common denominators, such as:

Contents

Christianity as a mystery religion

The word used by Early Christians to indicate the Christian Mystery is μυστηριων (mysterion). Christian Theology is discourse concerning Christian faith Christian theologians use biblical Exegesis, rational analysis and argument This article is about the canonical books of the New Testament New Testament apocrypha are a number of writings of the early Christian church that give accounts of the teachings of Jesus, aspects of the life of Jesus accounts Disciplina Arcani or Discipline of the Secret or Discipline of the Arcane, is a theological term used to describe the custom which prevailed in Early Christianity The Twelve Apostles (Greek apostolos, "someone sent out" e Early Christianity is commonly defined as the Christianity of the three centuries between the Crucifixion of Jesus ( c The term sacred mysteries generally denotes the area of Supernatural phenomena associated with a Divinity or a religious ideology. The Old-Testament versions use the word mysterion as an equivalent for the Hebrew sôd, "secret" (Proverbs 20:19; Judith 2:2; Sirach 22:27; 2 Maccabees 13:21). In the New Testament the word mystery is applied ordinarily to the sublime revelation of the Gospel (Matthew 13:11; Colossians 2:2; 1 Timothy 3:9; 1 Corinthians 15:51), and to the Incarnation and life of the Saviour and His manifestation by the preaching of the Apostles (Romans 16:25; Ephesians 3:4; 6:19; Colossians 1:26; 4:3). Theologians give the name mystery to revealed truths that surpass the powers of natural reason,[8] so, in a narrow sense, the Mystery is a truth that trascends the created intellect. The impossibility of obtaining a rational comprehension of the Mystery leads to an inner or hidden way of comprehension of the Christian Mystery which is indicated by the term esoteric in Esoteric Christianity. [9]

Even though revealed and believed, the Mystery remains nevertheless obscure and veiled during the mortal life, if the deciphering of the mysteries, made possible by esotericism, does not intervene. [10]

This esoteric knowledge would allow a deep comprehension of the Christian mysteries which otherwise would remain obscure.

Ancient roots

Some modern scholars believe that in the early stages of Christianity a nucleus of oral teachings were inherited from Palestinian and Hellenistic Judaism which formed the basis of a secret oral tradition, which in the 4th century came to be called the disciplina arcani. Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut Disciplina Arcani or Discipline of the Secret or Discipline of the Arcane, is a theological term used to describe the custom which prevailed in Early Christianity [11][7][12] Important influences on Esoteric Christianity are the Christian theologians Clement of Alexandria and Origen, the main figures of the Catechetical School of Alexandria. Saint Clement of Alexandria (born Titus Flavius Clemens) (c150 - 211/216 was the first notable member of the Church of Alexandria, and one of its most Origen ( Greek: Ōrigénēs, or Origen Adamantius, ca 185–ca The Catechetical School of Alexandria (founded ca 190 was a place for the training of Christian Theologians and priests in Alexandria. [13]

Origen was a most prolific writer - according to Epiphanius, he wrote about 6,000 books[14] - making it a difficult task to define the central core of his teachings. Epiphanius (ca 310&ndash320 &ndash 403 was bishop of Salamis and metropolitan of Cyprus at the end of the 4th century AD The original Greek text of his main theological work De Principiis only survives in fragments, while a 5th century Latin translation was cleared of controversial teachings by the translator Rufinus, making it hard for modern scholars to rebuild Origen's original thoughts. Rufinus may refer to Rufinus of Assisi, 3rd century saint and martyr Rufinus (French saint (d Thus, it is unclear whether reincarnation and the pre-existence of souls formed part of Origen's beliefs. Pre-existence, beforelife, or pre-mortal existence refers to the belief that each individual human Soul existed before conception, and at conception The soul, according to many religious and philosophical beliefs is the self-awareness, or Consciousness, unique to a particular living

While hypothetically considering a complex multiple-world transmigration scheme in De Principiis, Origen denies reincarnation in unmistakable terms in his work, Against Celsus and elsewhere. Contra Celsus, or (in correct classical Latin Contra Celsum, is the title of a major work by the Church Father Origen of Alexandria, refuting the anti-Christian [15][16]

Despite this apparent contradiction, most modern Esoteric Christian movements refer to Origen's writings (along, with other Church Fathers and biblical passages[17]) to validate these ideas as part of the Esoteric Christian tradition. The Church Fathers, Early Church Fathers, or Fathers of the Church are the early and influential theologians and writers in the Christian Church Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin [18]

Early modern esotericism

In the later Middle Ages forms of Western esotericism, for example alchemy and astrology, were constructed on Christian foundations, combining Christian theology and doctrines with esoteric concepts. Western esotericism (also Western mysticism, Western occult tradition, and Western mystery tradition) is a broad spectrum of spiritual Alchemy a part of the Occult Tradition is both a philosophy and a practice with an ultimately unknown aim involving the improvement of the alchemist as well as the making of Astrology (from Greek grc ἄστρον astron, "constellation star" and grc -λογία -logia) is a group of Systems [19]

In the 17th century this was followed up by the development of Theosophy and Rosicrucianism. As a means of recording the passage of Time, the 17th Century was that Century which lasted from 1601 - 1700 in the Gregorian calendar Theosophy ( Greek: θεοσοφία theosophia "knowledge of things divine" literally "god-wisdom" designates several bodies of ideas since The term Rosicrucian (symbol the Rose Cross) describes a secret society of mystics allegedly formed in late mediaeval Germany, holding a doctrine "built on [20] The Behmenist movements also developed around this time. Behmenism was a 17th Century European Christian movement based on the teachings of German mystic Jakob Böhme (1575-1624 In the 18th century, Freemasonry came about. The 18th century lasted from 1701 to 1800 in the Gregorian calendar, in accordance with the Anno Domini / Common Era numbering system

Modern forms of Esoteric Christianity

An illustration of the Rebirth (reincarnation) process, including the postmortem existence in the supraphysical realms.
An illustration of the Rebirth (reincarnation) process, including the postmortem existence in the supraphysical realms. In Metaphysics and Esoteric cosmology, a plane, other than the Physical plane, is conceived as a subtle state of Consciousness that transcends

Many modern Esoteric Christian movements admit reincarnation among their beliefs, as well as a complex energetic structure for the human being (such as etheric body, astral body, mental body and causal body). The etheric body, ether-body, æther body, a name given by Neo-Theosophy to a supposed vital body propounded in Esoteric philosophies The Astral body is a Subtle body posited by some religious philosophers intermediate between the intelligent soul and the physical body composed of a subtle material The mental body (the Mind) is one of the subtle bodies in Esoteric philosophies in some Religious teachings and in New Age thought The Causal body - originally Karana-Sarira - is a Yogic and Vedantic concept that was adopted and modified by Theosophy and Neo-Theosophy These movements point out the need of an inner spiritual work which will lead to the renewal of the human person according to the Pauline sense. Max Heindel and Rudolf Steiner gave several spiritual exercises in their writings to help the evolution of the follower. Max Heindel - born Carl Louis von Grasshoff in Aarhus, Denmark on July 23, 1865 - was a Christian Occultist, Rudolf Steiner ( 25 February 1861 – 30 March 1925) was an Austrian philosopher literary scholar educator artist playwright In the same direction are Tommaso Palamidessi's writings, which aim at developing ascetic techniques and meditations. Tommaso Palamidessi ( Pisa, February 16 1915 – Rome, April 29 1983 was an Italian Esotericist. According to all of these esoteric scholars, the ensemble of these techniques (often related with Eastern meditation practices such as chakra meditation or visualization) will lead to salvation and to the total renewal of the human being. Chakra ( Pali: chakka Tibetan: khorlo Malay: cakera is a Sanskrit term meaning Circle or Wheel This process usually implies the constitution of a spiritual body apt to the experience of resurrection (and therefore called, in Christian terms, resurrection body). This article concerns itself with Jesus Christ Christian, Islamic and other religious interpretations of resurrection in general Body of Resurrection is a typical term of Esoteric Christianity, used to indicate a spiritual body associated with a special enlightenment or experience [21][22][23]

See also

Schools

Traditions

Disciplines

Lineage

Central concepts

External links

Notes

  1. ^ Western Esotericism and the Science of Religion: Selected Papers Presented at the 17th Congress
  2. ^ Besant, Annie (2001). Esoteric Christianity or the Lesser Mysteries. City: Adamant Media Corporation. ISBN 9781402100291.  
  3. ^ From the Greek ἐσωτερικός (esôterikos, "inner"). The term esotericism itself was coined in the 17th century. (Oxford English Dictionary Compact Edition, Volume 1,Oxford University Press, 1971, p. 894. )
  4. ^ Wouter J. Hanegraaff, Antoine Faivre, Roelof van den Broek, Jean-Pierre Brach, Dictionary of Gnosis & Western Esotericism, Brill 2005.
  5. ^ Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary: esotericism
  6. ^ Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary: esoteric
  7. ^ a b G. G. Stroumsa, Hidden Wisdom: Esoteric Traditions and the Roots of Christian Mysticism, 2005.
  8. ^ The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume X. Published 1911
  9. ^ Besant, Annie (2001). Esoteric Christianity or the Lesser Mysteries. City: Adamant Media Corporation. ISBN 9781402100291.  
  10. ^ Tommaso Palamidessi, Introduction to Major and Minor Mysteries, ed. Tommaso Palamidessi ( Pisa, February 16 1915 – Rome, April 29 1983 was an Italian Esotericist. Archeosofica, 1971
  11. ^ Frommann, De Disciplina Arcani in vetere Ecclesia christiana obticuisse fertur, Jena 1833.
  12. ^ E. Hatch, The Influence of Greek Ideas and Usages upon the Christian Church, London, 1890, Chapter 10.
  13. ^ Jean Danielou, Origen, translated by Walter Mitchell, 1955.
  14. ^ Haer. , lxiv. 63
  15. ^ Catholic Answers, Quotes by Church Fathers Against Reincarnation, 2004. Catholic Answers, based in El Cajon, California, is one of the largest lay-run apostolates of Catholic Apologetics and Evangelization
  16. ^ John S. Uebersax, Early Christianity and Reincarnation: Modern Misrepresentation of Quotes by Origen, 2006.
  17. ^ See Reincarnation and Christianity
  18. ^ Archeosofica, Articles on Esoteric Christianity (classical authors)
  19. ^ Antoine Faivre, L'ésotérisme, Paris, PUF (« Que sais-je?»), 1992.
  20. ^ Weber, Charles, Rosicrucianism and Christianity in Rays from the Rose Cross, 1995
  21. ^ Rudolf Steiner, Christianity As Mystical Fact, Steinerbooks. Rays from the Rose Cross is a Christian Esoteric magazine established in June 1913 by Max Heindel, author of The Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception
  22. ^ Tommaso Palamidessi, The Guardians of the Thresholds and the Evolutionary Way, Archeosofica, 1978.
  23. ^ Max Heindel, The Mystical Interpretation of Easter, Rosicrucian Fellowship.
  24. ^ Heindel, Max, Freemasonry and Catholicism, ISBN 0-911274-04-9

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