Outline of Western esotericism

Overview and topical guide to Western esotericism

Western esotericism, also known as esotericism, esoterism, and sometimes the Western mystery tradition,[1] is a term scholars use to classify a wide range of loosely related ideas and movements that developed within Western society. These ideas and currents are united since they are largely distinct both from orthodox Judeo-Christian religion and Age of Enlightenment rationalism.[2] It has influenced, or contributed to, various forms of Western philosophy, mysticism, religion, pseudoscience, art, literature, and music.

Western esotericism is a religious movement that is theological, social, politics or philosophical interpretations of religion not represented or controlled by a specific organisation, sect or denomination.

## Common beliefs in Western esotericism

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* Perennialism \- The idea that all religions are part of one single universal truth

## Scholarship

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Main article: Academic study of Western esotericism

### Organisations and societies

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* European Society for the Study of Western Esotericism \- Scholarly society in Europe

### Journals

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* Aries \- Peer-reviewed academic journal published by Brill Academic Publishing on behalf of the European Society for the Study of Western Esotericism
* Magic, Ritual, and Witchcraft \- Peer-reviewed academic journal published by the University of Pennsylvania Press and released triannually

## Religions and movements of Western esotericism

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* Bogomilism \- 10th century neo-Gnostic sect of Christianity
* Catharism \- 12th to 14th century quasi-dualist and pseudo-Gnostic sect of Christianity
* Christian Kabbalah \- Christian sect based on the Jewish Kabbalah
* Christian theosophy \- An esoteric religious movement that has elements of Christianity and Judaism
* Esoteric Christianity \- Mystic and esoteric sects of Christianity
* Gnosticism \- Jewish and early Christian sect that believes in the existence of an evil demiurge who made the material universe
* Hermeticism \- Religion based around the teachings of Hermes Trismegistus, a syncretic figure combining elements of the Greek god, Hermes and the Egyptian god, Thoth
* Hermetic Qabalah \- Western esoteric religion involving mysticism and the occult that is based on the Jewish Kabbalah
* Illuminism \- A late 18th and early 19th century syncretic religion based on Gnosticism, Neoplatonism, Swedenborgianism and eastern religions.
* Kabbalah \- A type of Jewish mysticism
* Neoplatonism \- Religion based on Platonic philosophy and ancient Greek paganism
* New Age \- Western esoteric religious movement based on occultism, Spiritualism, New Thought and Theosophy that grew rapidly in 1970s and was started due to the counterculture of the 1960s
* New Thought \- 19th century religious movement in the United States that combined elements of ancient Greek, Roman, Chinese, Taoist, Hindu, Buddhist and ancient Egyptian religions and philosophies
* Occult \- Esoteric and supernatural beliefs outside of organised religion
* Proto-Gnosticism \- Christian religious movements similar to Gnosticism that existed in the first few centuries of Christianity
* Pythagoreanism \- Philosophy based on the teachings and beliefs of the 6th century BCE philosopher and polymath, Pythagoras
* Thelema \- An early 20th century religious movement founded by British occultist, Aleister Crowley

## References

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1. ^ Morris, Brian. Religion and Anthropology: A Critical Introduction, Cambridge University Press, 2006, p. 298.
2. ^ Baier, Karl (2021). "Esotericism". In Segal, Robert A.; Roubekas, Nickolas P. (eds.). The Wiley Blackwell Companion to the Study of Religion. Wiley Blackwell Companions to Religion. Wiley. p. 237\. ISBN 978-1-119-09278-0. Retrieved 12 August 2024.

## External links

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* European Society for the Study of Western Esotericism

Western esotericism at Wikipedia's sister projects

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