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Esoteric Christianity is a term which refers to an ensemble of spiritual currents which regard Christianity as a mystery religion.[1] [2]
All these spiritual currents share some common denominators, which are:
- the Christian theology (expressed by the Symbolum Apostolorum)
- the use of the four canonical gospels as sacred texts (sometimes some New Testament apocrypha might be added)
- the acceptance of an oral tradition inherited by the Apostles and in which the inner teachings of Jesus Christ are transmitted (this oral tradition is often referred as disciplina arcani)[3]. Esotericism refers to the doctrines or practices of esoteric knowledge, or otherwise the quality or state of being esoteric, or obscure.[4] Esoteric knowledge is that which is specialized or advanced in nature, available only to a narrow circle of "enlightened", "initiated", or highly educated people.[5] The word esotericism was not invented before the seventeenth century.[6] Hence the term was not defined before 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. [7][8]
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,[9] 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. [10]
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.[11]
So roughly speaking Esoteric Christianity deals with an esoteric (from the Greek ἐσωτερικός esôterikos = inner) knowledge which would allow 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.[12]
Brief History of Early Christian Esotericism
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. These oral teachings can be shown to form the background of both Jewish-Christian and Gnostic concepts and are probably what came to be called, in the IV century, disciplina arcani.[13][14][15]
Clement of Alexandria and Origen; the main figures of the Didaskaleion (Catechetical School of Alexandria founded by St.Mark) which is often considered to be the first school of Esoteric Christianity; were an important influence on Christian Esotericism. Clement's and Origen's esotericism, which forms a central aspect of their thought, has been studied from various points of view and is open to interpretation.[16] 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 Origen wrote about 6,000 works (i.e., rolls or chapters)[17], making it a difficult task to define the central core of his teachings. His main theological work De Principiis was translated into Latin by Rufinus who admitted to changing the original text to fit orthodoxy[citation needed]. The changes made by Rufinus make it hard for modern scholars to rebuild Origen's original thoughts. It is not totally clear if reincarnation, along with the pre-existence of the soul, was part of Origen's beliefs. 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.[18][19]
Despite this apparent contradiction most modern Esoteric Christian movements refer to Origen's writings (along, with other Church Fathers and biblical passages -see Reincarnation and Christianity -) to validate these ideas as part of the Esoteric Christian tradition (cfr. Max Heindel, Annie Besant, Rudolf Steiner, Tommaso Palamidessi).
Medieval forms of Esoteric Christianity
Antoine Faivre (Directeur d'études émérite at the EPHE) points out in his Esotericism that late medieval esoteric speculation, for example in alchemy and astrology was constructed on Christian foundations.[20] Therefore, most late medieval western esotericism can be considered as a kind of Esoteric Christianity in which Christian Theology and doctrines are elaborated and combined with esoteric concepts. Five of these movements in particular should be mentioned here because of the great influence they will have on the Christian Esotericism of the XIX and XX century. Most new Esoteric Christianity movements claim to derive directly or indirectly from them. Even if these movements are radically different from each other, and none of them ever claimed to be an "Esoteric Christian" movement since the term itself was not yet invented. These movements are Bogomilism, Templarism, Rosicrucianism[21] (not to be confused with the XX century AMORC and derived organizations), Theosophy (history of philosophy) (not to be confused with Blavatsky's Theosophy) and Freemasonry.
Modern forms of Esoteric Christianity
Most of the modern forms 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 are usually based on an interpretation of these writings[22] (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 it is true, and it is, that all of these 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), these 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 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. This process usually implies the constitution of a spiritual body apt to the experience of resurrection (and therefore called, in Christian terms, resurrection body).[23][24] [25]
See also
Schools
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