Esoteric Christianity

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The Temple of the Rose Cross, Teophilus Schweighardt Constantiens, 1618.

A 17th-century fresco from the Cathedral of Living Pillar in Georgia depicting Jesus within the Zodiac
circle.

Esoteric Christianity (linked with the Hermetic Corpus since the Renaissance) is an ensemble of
Christian theology which proposes that some spiritual doctrines of Christianity can only be understood
by those who have undergone certain rites (such as baptism) within the religion. In mainstream
Christianity, there is a similar idea that faith is the only means by which a true understanding of God
can be gained.[1] The term esoteric was coined in the 17th century and derives from the Greek
ἐσωτερικός (esôterikos, "inner").[2]

These spiritual currents share some common denominators, such as heterodox or heretical Christian
theology; the canonical gospels, various apocalyptic literature, and some New Testament apocrypha as
sacred texts;[citation needed] and disciplina arcani, a supposed oral tradition from the Twelve Apostles
containing esoteric teachings of Jesus the Christ.[3]
Contents

1 Mysticism
2 Ancient roots
3 See also
4 References
5 Further reading
6 External links

Mysticism
See also: Mysticism

The word "mysticism" is derived from the Greek μυω, meaning "to conceal",[4] and its derivative
μυστικός, mystikos, meaning 'an initiate'. In the Hellenistic world, 'mystical' referred to "secret"
religious rituals.[4] The use of the word lacked any direct references to the transcendental.[5] A
"mystikos" was an initiate of a mystery religion.

Theologians give the name mystery to revealed truths that surpass the powers of natural reason,[6] so,
in a narrow sense, the Mystery is a truth that transcends the created intellect.
Ancient roots
Greek mysticism influenced many early church theologians such as Clement of Alexandria and Origen.
Some modern scholars believe that in the early stages of non-Gnostic Christianity, a nucleus of oral
teachings were inherited from Palestinian and Hellenistic Judaism. In the 4th century, it was believed to
form the basis of a secret oral tradition which came to be called disciplina arcani. The mainstream
theologians, however, believe that it contained only liturgical details and certain other traditions which
remain a part of some branches of mainstream Christianity.[3][7][8] Important influences on Esoteric
Christianity are the Christian theologians Clement of Alexandria and Origen, the leading figures of the
Catechetical School of Alexandria.[9][need quotation to verify]

Reincarnation was accepted by most of Gnostic Christian sects such as Valentinianism and Basilidians,
but denied by the proto-orthodox one. 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.[10][11]

Despite this apparent contradiction, most modern Esoteric Christian movements refer to Origen's
writings (along with other Church Fathers and biblical passages[12]) to validate these ideas as part of
the Esoteric Christian tradition outside of the Gnostic schools, who were later considered heretical in
the 3rd century.[13]

Scholar Jan Shipps describes The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as having esoteric
elements.[14]
See also

Anthroposophy
Astrological age
Book of the 24 Philosophers
Charismatic Christianity
Christianity and Neopaganism
Christianity and Paganism
Christianity and Theosophy
Christian Kabbalah
Christian meditation
Christian mysticism
Christian mythology
Christian views on astrology
Christian views on magic
Esoteric astrology
Gnosticism
Manichaeism
Martinism
Neoplatonism
Occult
Origins of Christianity
Rosicrucianism
Spirituality
"The Esoteric Character of the Gospels"
Theosophy (Boehmian)

References
Patte, Daniel. The Cambridge Dictionary of Christianity. Ed. Daniel Patte. New York: Cambridge
University Press, 2010, 377.
Oxford English Dictionary Compact Edition, Volume 1, Oxford University Press, 1971, p. 894.)
G.G. Stroumsa, Hidden Wisdom: Esoteric Traditions and the Roots of Christian Mysticism, 2005.
Gellman, Jerome, "Mysticism", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Summer 2011 Edition),
Edward N. Zalta (ed.)
Parsons, William Barclay (2011), Teaching Mysticism, Oxford University Press, p. 3
The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume X. Published 1911.
Frommann, De Disciplina Arcani in vetere Ecclesia christiana obticuisse fertur, Jena 1833.
Edwin Hatch, The Influence of Greek Ideas and Usages upon the Christian Church, London: Williams
and Norgate, 1907, Lecture X.
Jean Daniélou, Origen, translated by Walter Mitchell, 1955.
Catholic Answers, Quotes by Church Fathers Against Reincarnation Archived June 28, 2011, at the
Wayback Machine, 2004.
John S. Uebersax, Early Christianity and Reincarnation: Modern Misrepresentation of Quotes by
Origen, 2006.
See Reincarnation and Christianity
Archeosofica, Articles on Esoteric Christianity Archived 2007-11-02 at the Wayback Machine
(classical authors)

Shipps, Jan. The Mormons: Looking Forward and Outward. Christian Century, August 16-23, 1978,
pp. 761-766.

Further reading

Anonymous (1985). Meditations on the Tarot: A Journey Into Christian Hermeticism. New York, NY:
Tarcher/Penguin. ISBN 978-1-5854-2161-9
Besant, Annie (2001). Esoteric Christianity or the Lesser Mysteries. City: Adamant Media
Corporation. ISBN 978-1-4021-0029-1.
Brown, Coleston (2007). Magical Christianity: The Power of Symbols for Spiritual
Renewal.Wheaton, IL: Quest Books. ISBN 978-0-8356-0855-8
Duncan, Anthony (1972, 1996). The Lord of the Dance: An Essay in Mysticism. Sun Chalice Books.
ISBN 978-0-9650-8395-9
Knight, Gareth (1975, 2010). Experience of the Inner Worlds. Cheltenham, Gloucestershire: Skylight
Press. ISBN 978-1-9080-1103-9
Knight, Gareth (2011). A History of White Magic. Cheltenham, Gloucestershire: Skylight Press.
ISBN 978-1-9080-1104-6
Powell, Robert. (2007). The Sophia Teachings: The Emergence of the Divine Feminine in Our Time.
Aurora, CO: Lindisfarne Books. ISBN 978-1-5842-0048-2
Rittelmeyer, Friedrich (Author), Mitchell, M.L. (Translator) (2004). Meditation: Letters on the
Guidance of the Inner Life 1932. Whitefish, MT: Kessinger Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-4179-7983-
7
Smoley, Richard (2002). Inner Christianity: A Guide to the Esoteric Tradition.Boston, MA:
Shambhala Publications. ISBN 978-1-5706-2810-8
Steiner, Rudolf (1997). Christianity As Mystical Fact And The Mysteries Of Antiquity. Great
Barrington, MA: Anthroposophic Press. ISBN 978-0-8801-0436-4

External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Esoteric Christianity.
 Esoteric/Mystic/Experiential Christianity
The Cornerstone of Esoteric Christianity
The Focus of Esoteric Futures
The Esoteric Christianity E-Magazine
Jacob Boehme Online

Categories:

Esoteric ChristianityChristian mysticismGreco-Roman mysteries