esoteric Christianity

{{multiple issues|

}}

Esoteric Christianity is a mystical approach to Christianity which features "secret traditions" that require an initiation to learn or understand.{{cite book |first=Guy G. |last=Stroumsa |year=2005 |title=Hidden Wisdom: Esoteric Traditions and the Roots of Christian Mysticism |place=Leiden |publisher=Brill |isbn=90-04-13635-5}} The term esoteric was coined in the 17th century and derives from the Greek {{lang|el|ἐσωτερικός}} ({{transliteration|el|esôterikos}}, "inner").{{cite encyclopedia |title=Esoteric |dictionary=Oxford English Dictionary Compact Edition |volume=1 |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=1971 |page=894}}

These spiritual currents share some common features, such as heterodox or heretical Christian theology; the canonical gospels, various apocalyptic literature, and some New Testament apocrypha as sacred texts;{{citation needed|date=February 2015}} and disciplina arcani, a supposed oral tradition from the Twelve Apostles containing esoteric teachings of Jesus the Christ.

Esoteric Christianity is closely related to Gnosticism, and survives in a few modern churches.

There are also esoteric Christian Societies such as the Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia.{{cite web |title=Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia – An Introduction (SRIA) |url=https://freemasonrymatters.co.uk/index.php/societas-rosicruciana-in-anglia-an-introduction-sria/ |website=freemasonrymatters.co.uk |date=17 June 2016 |access-date=12 November 2023}}

History

= Ancient roots =

Some modern scholars believe that in the early stages of proto-orthodox 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. Mainstream theologians, however, believe that it contained only liturgical details and certain other traditions which remain a part of some branches of mainstream Christianity.{{cite book |author=Frommann |title=De Disciplina Arcani in vetere Ecclesia christiana obticuisse fertur |publisher=Jena |year=1833 |language=la}}{{cite book |last=Hatch |first=Edwin |author-link=Edwin Hatch |title=The Influence of Greek Ideas and Usages upon the Christian Church |place=London |publisher=Williams and Norgate |year=1907 |chapter=Lecture X}} Important influences on esoteric Christianity are the Christian theologians Clement of Alexandria and Origen, the leading figures of the Catechetical School of Alexandria.{{cite book |last=Daniélou |first=Jean |author-link=Jean Daniélou |title=Origen |translator=Walter Mitchell |year=1955}}{{full citation needed|date=February 2024}}{{Request quotation|date=March 2015}}

= Present-day denominations =

A denomination of esoteric Christianity is The Christian Community.{{cite book |last1=Melton |first1=J. Gordon |last2=Baumann |first2=Martin |title=Religions of the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices |edition=2nd |year=2010 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=978-1-59884-204-3 |page=620}} 6 vols. It focuses on the experiential aspect of sacraments, with the Eucharist serving as "the Rite of the Consecration of Man".

Scholar Jan Shipps describes the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as having esoteric elements.{{cite journal |last=Shipps |first=Jan |title=The Mormons: Looking Forward and Outward |journal=Christian Century |date=August 16–23, 1978 |pages=761–766}}

Concepts

= Reincarnation =

Influenced by the Platonic doctrine of metempsychosis, reincarnation of the soul was accepted by most Gnostic Christian sects such as Valentinianism and the Basilidians, but denied by the proto-orthodox one.{{citation needed|date=June 2020}} While hypothetically considering a complex multiple-world transmigration scheme in De Principiis, Origen denies reincarnation in his work Against Celsus and elsewhere.{{cite web |website=Catholic Answers |url=http://www.catholic.com/library/Reincarnation.asp |title=Quotes by Church Fathers Against Reincarnation |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628000000/http://www.catholic.com/library/Reincarnation.asp |archive-date=June 28, 2011 |year=2004}}{{cite web |first=John S. |last=Uebersax |url=http://www.john-uebersax.com/plato/origen1.htm |title=Early Christianity and Reincarnation: Modern Misrepresentation of Quotes by Origen |year=2006}}

Despite this apparent contradiction, most modern esoteric Christian movements refer to Origen's writings (along with other Church Fathers and biblical passages) 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.{{cite web |website=Archeosofica |url=http://www.archeosofica.org/en/index.php/Members-Area-Registred/Esoteric-Christianity.html |title=Articles on Esoteric Christianity |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071102055758/http://www.archeosofica.org/en/index.php/Members-Area-Registred/Esoteric-Christianity.html |archive-date=2007-11-02 }}

esoteric Christianity

History

= Ancient roots =

= Present-day denominations =

Concepts

= Reincarnation =

See also

References

Further reading