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“Esoteric Christianity” is a term which refers to an ''ensemble'' of spiritual currents which regard Christianity as a Mystery religion.Western Esotericism and the Science of Religion: Selected Papers Presented at the 17th Congress 1 All these spiritual currents share a common denominator, which is:
Since the word Esotericism was not invented before the seventeenth century, the term Esoteric Christianity was not defined since then. However this does not mean that the system of beliefs and ascetic techniques which now belong to the term "Esoteric Christianity" did not exist before the seventeenth century. G.G. Stroumsa, Hidden Wisdom: Esoteric Traditions and the Roots of Christian Mysticism, Paperback, May 2005Wouter J. Hanegraaff, Antoine Faivre, Roelof van den Broek, Jean-Pierre Brach, Dictionary of Gnosis & Western Esotericism, Brill, 2005 CHRISTIANITY AS A MYSTERY RELIGION The word used by Early Christians to indicate the Christian Mystery is ''μυστηριων''. This very word, ''musterion'', dictated in modern scholars an entire direction of research. 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, The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume X. Published 1911 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''. 2
So roughly speaking Esoteric Christianity deals with an Esoteric (from the Greek ἐσωτερικός esôterikos = inner) knowledge which would alllow a deep comprehension of the christian mysteries which otherwise would remain obscure. In most currents of Esoteric Christianity , this esoteric knowledge is identified with the Disciplina Arcani of the early stages of Christianity, an ''unwritten'' apostolic tradition mentioned in several texts written by the Church Fathers . Frommann, De Disciplina Arcani in vetere Ecclesia christiana obticuisse fertur, Jena 1833 BRIEF HISTORY OF EARLY CHRISTIAN ESOTERICISM Most of modern scholars think that a nucleus of oral teaching was inherited from Palestinian and Hellenistic Judaism and formed the basis of secret oral tradition in the early stages of Christianity. This nucleus of oral teachings can be shown to form the background of both Jewish-Christian and Gnostic conceptions and probably is what came to be called in the IV century Disciplina Arcani . Frommann, De Disciplina Arcani in vetere Ecclesia christiana obticuisse fertur, Jena 1833 G.G. Stroumsa,Hidden Wisdom: Esoteric Traditions and the Roots of Christian Mysticism (Studies in the History of Religions), Paperback, 2005 E. Hatch, The Influence of Greek Ideas and Usages upon the Christian Church, chap. x., London, 1890 Undoubtedly, the most important influence on Christian Esotericism is due to Origen and Clement Of Alexandria . Clement of Alexandria and Origen were the main figures of the Didaskaleion ( Catechetical School Of Alexandria founded by St. Mark ), which is often considered as the first school of Esoteric Christianity. Clement's and Origen's esotericism, which forms a central aspect of their thought, has often been studied from various point of view. Danielou, Jean, Origen, trans. by Walter Mitchell (1955) Origen is often considered the greatest theologian and biblical scholar of the early Eastern church and one of the most prolific writers of all ages. According to Epiphanius ''Haer''., lxiv.63 Origen wrote about 6,000 works (''i.e.'', rolls or chapters), so it is an hard task to lay down the central core of his teachings. His main theological work ''De Principiis'' was translated into latin by Rufinus who admitted to have been changing the original text to fit orthodoxy. This changes made by Rufinus didn't help modern scholars to rebuild Origen's tought. Even thought is not totally clear if Reincarnation , along with the pre-existence of the souls, was part of Origen's beliefs, most of modern Esoteric Christianity movements refer to Origen's writings (along with other Church Fathers and Biblical passes) to validate the idea that reincarnation is part of Esoteric Christian teachings (cfr. Max Heindel , Annie Besant , Rudolf Steiner , Tommaso Palamidessi ). MEDIEVAL FORMS OF ESOTERIC CHRISTIANITY , Rosicrucian (do not confuse with the XX century Rosicrucian 's movements), Theosophy (history Of Philosophy) (do not confuse with Blavatsky 's Theosophy ) and Freemasonry . Even if these movements are radically different, and none of them ever claimed to be an Esoteric Christianity movement (how could they if the term itself was not yet invented!), they had to be mentioned regarding the great influence they will have on the Christian Esotericism of the XIX and XX century. MODERN FORMS OF ESOTERIC CHRISTIANITY Most of modern form of Esoteric Christianity are based on the writings of Origen , Clement Of Alexandria and the Church Fathers . The core conceptions of the major Esoteric Christianity movements is usually an interpretation of those writing (cfr. Max Heindel , Annie Besant , Rudolf Steiner , Tommaso Palamidessi ). Usually the main difference between Esoteric Christianity and '' Exoteric '' (or official) Christianity is not theological, nor speculative, but practical. If is true, and it is, that all of those movements admit reincarnation among their beliefs, and admit a complex energetic structure for the human being (such as Etheric Body , Astral Body , Mental Body and Causal Body ), those doctrinal differences are not the main one, which is mostly a practical difference. All of 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. In the same direction are Tommaso Palamidessi 's writings, which -we could say- are totally devoted to develop ascetic techniques and meditations. According to all of these esoteric scholars, the ensemble of those technique (which often are related with eastern meditation techniques as Chakra meditation or visualization) will lead to salvation and to the total renewal of the human being which is usually linked with the constitution of a spiritual body (often related with the experience of Resurrection ). Rudolf Steiner,Christianity As Mystical Fact, Steinerbooks, Tommaso Palamidessi, The Guardians of the Thresholds and the Evolutionary Way , ed Archeosofica, 1978 Max Heindel ,The Mystical Interpretation of Easter, Rosicrucian Fellowship REFERENCES SEE ALSO Annie Besant Archeosophy Christian Mysticism Emanuel Swedenborg Esotericism Max Heindel Hermeticism Martinism Rudolph Steiner Rosicrucian Christianity Theosophy Tommaso Palamidessi Christ (concept) |
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