Mysticism and esotericism are two intimately related strands of the Western tradition. Despite their close connections, however, scholars tend to treat them separately. Whereas the study of Western mysticism enjoys a long and established history, Western esotericism is a young field. The Cambridge Handbook of Western Mysticism and Esotericism examines both of these traditions together. The volume demonstrates that the roots of esotericism almost always lead back to mystical traditions, while the work of mystics was bound up with esoteric or occult preoccupations. It also shows why mysticism and esotericism must be examined together if either is to be understood fully. Including contributions by leading scholars, this volume features essays on such topics as alchemy, astrology, magic, Neoplatonism, Kabbalism, Renaissance Hermetism, Freemasonry, Rosicrucianism, numerology, Christian theosophy, spiritualism, and much more. This handbook serves as both a capstone of contemporary scholarship and a cornerstone of future research.
The book concludes with an annotated bibliography, which makes it an essential resource for beginners and scholars alike. Antoine Faivre is Professor Emeritus at the École Pratique des Hautes Études (Religious Studies), Sorbonne.
This is the first systematic treatment of esotericism to appear in English.
This accessible guide provides readers with the basic knowledge and tools that will allow them to find their way in this bewildering but fascinating field.
Provides overview, from antiquity onwards, on various Western religious esoteric movements. This book includes topics such as: alchemy, Gnosticism, Hermeticism, Rosicrucianism, Theosophy and more.
See also Michael J. B. Allen, “Marsilo Ficino,” in Dictionary of Gnosis and Western Esotericism, edited by Wouter Hanegraaffet al. (Leiden: Brill, 2005), Vol. 1, pp. 360–367; M. J. B. Allen, The Platonism of Marsilio Ficino (Berkeley: ...
The neglected history of how intellectuals since the Renaissance have approached ideas of the occult which challenged biblical religion.
... sondern eine neue Bildniss aus der Seele , in Kraft des H. Geistes , einen Zweig aus seiner eigenen Essenz in Christi Geist ausgrünend , und im Licht der Gottheit innestehend , nicht anscheinend , sondern aus sich selber leuchtend .
Translated by Seymour Feldman. Vol. 1. Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society, 1984. Edward Gibbon The Autobiography. A new and revised edition by Dero A. Saunders. New York: Meridian Books, 1961. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe ...
How was the world generated and how does matter continue to be ordered so that the world can continue functioning?
This is the first full-length biography of British historian Frances Yates, author of such acclaimed works as Giordano Bruno and The Hermetic Tradition and The Art of Memory, one of the most influential non-fiction books of the twentieth ...