Invisibles: The True History of the Rosicrucians

by Tobias Churton

It has been said that Rosicrucians possess the secrets of Man, God, and Nature, that they can turn lead into gold, that they govern Europe in secret, that they enjoy the elixir of life, that theirs is the true philosophy of Freemasonry, and that they can save or destroy the world. Most amazing of all perhaps is the Rosicrucian vision of an invisible, inviolable, and utterly secret body, the Hidden Guardians of the planet. Only they, it is alleged, possess the true key to understanding the spiritual and material essence of all religion. The story of how a young German nobleman, Christian Rosycross, escaped his boring cloister and sped to the east in search of wisdom about a century before Columbus sailed west, has been told many times since it first appeared in a booklet in 1614. The Fama Fraternitatis, the document in which the story first appeared, has been taken for historical fact. Never was there a story more controversial or more mysterious to tell.

Genres: History, Religion, Occult, Nonfiction, Spirituality, Philosophy

444 pages, Hardcover

First published July 15, 2009

About the author

Tobias Churton is a filmmaker and the founding editor of the magazine "Freemasonry Today". He studied theology at Oxford University and created the award-winning documentary series and accompanying book The Gnostics, as well as several other films on Christian doctrine, mysticism, and magical folklore, such as "A Mighty Good Man" (2002), a documentary on Elias Ashmole, his religious ideas and Masonic initiation in 1646. He is currently a lecturer on Freemasonry at the Exeter Centre for the Study of Esotericism, Exeter University. He lives in England.

Reviews

[James of the Redwoods · Rating 5 out of 5]

Needs to be in the library of any serious student of Rosicrucianism. Churton's final chapter alone makes this book worthy of a place on our reference shelves. Makes me tempted to move to Britain and enroll in Exeter University's master's program in Western Esotericism.

[David]

as a member of the order in crowbrough uk i can only state
DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL, AND LEAVE IT TO THE AUTHOR TO COMMENT

In 1604 a new star appeared in the night sky above Europe. Out of a frantic, fevered debate as to its meaning an incredible order was born- the movement of the INVISABILES, whose fowlers have been called Rosicrucian’s. Born from the pain of war & religionious confusion, the movement would change the world forever. It spoke to the souls of divided peoples, people searching for inner truth and spiritual reality, beyond the catastrophe of worldly blindness and failure. It still speaks.

Here is the facts begin the mysterious birthroot that emerges and disappears inspiring the highest endeavours from freemasonry to UNICEF. And countless works
Of charity to concepts of life and the sprit beyond dreams. Tobias churton reveals the secret brotherhood of the rosy cross as real and unreal a present and invisible
As material & spitual above all.

He reveals for the first time a reality of a movement. A movement whose story has never been told with such eloquence, behind all the misleading conspiracy stories lays the heart of a real movement of flesh and blood & sprit. For 400 years incredible stores have been woven around the “invisible” brothers of the rosy cross
Allegedly founded but the “knights of the golden stone” Christian rosenkreuz it is said they were the harbingers of the...” last light”… a fantastic outpouring of divine science & higher consciousness. Did they posses the secret of man & god? Could they turn dross in to gold? Have tried to govern Europe in secret? Are they the servants of powers beyond this world?? What is there true philosophy?
What power did there magick employ? Why did they attract the greatest minds European history? Isaac Newton, Robert boyle, Goethe, Mozart, Elias ash mole ,
Rene decrates, Erasmus Darwin, Coomenius, to name but a few….

The secret of the masters & mastery, the trace of magick- chrtons deeply moving
Narrative revels all for those with eyes to see invisibles is the only book to bring all of this together in the most comprehensive and up-to-date form told with style & beauty.

[Vicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chapter 17 The Age of Insanity give some details about clashes Harvey Spencer Lewis, founder of AMORC (1915 New York) had with Aleister Crowley at that time. The many competing influences in the U.S. as to who among them was the "rightful" purveyor of Rosicrucian mysteries prompted Crowley to plot to blackmail Lewis which failed to succeed. Crowley's claim of being the chief of all Rosicrucians thought that he could just cross the pond and take what Lewis had built! What a greedy pig! We fought a revolutionary war over shit like this! Freedom of religion is paramount in our founding documents! The fact that this British psycho thought he could actually take what Lewis had just because he CLAIMED authority from some unknown, unseen source is incredible! He was as bankrupt morally as he was financially, which was probably the impetus for his attempt to wrest control of what he saw as an easy meal ticket away from Lewis. What a dickhead!

[basker ville · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just wanted to come on here and throw in my 2 cents.
I’m reviewing this book a month after finishing, which — you know how it goes — the ideas and details are fleeting, especially when you start a dense book on AI right after.

I always like to give praise to the author because researching historical accounts in another language that span across Europe is no small task.

Could the book have been edited down more? Absolutely.
I fully understand that the original texts Fama Fraternitatis, Confessio Fraternitatis, and The Chymical Wedding of Rose needed to be mentioned, but at what frequency? It was far too much — endless names and vague references. I’m still not convinced whether this was a real functional organization or just a made-up urban legend.

I’m also unclear how one gets through, or how useful a master’s in esotericism with a minor in Rosicrucianism is, based on the repetitive, flavorless collection of names and dates that this book contained.

That said, my curiosity has been piqued by some of the ideas of Rosicrucianism, which include the following:
• Christian Mysticism
• Union with God
• Inner Transformation — letting go of ego, so the soul can be filled with God’s presence
• Contemplative Prayer — silent prayer, meditative or interior stillness, as opposed to vocal prayer
• Unknowing — God is beyond words and concepts
• Love is the Way — divine love is the truest path of God’s, more than intellectual reasoning

Historic Examples:
• Desert Fathers and Mothers — early Christian hermits who practiced solitude, silence, and prayer

Microcosm of the Macrocosm:
By knowing yourself deeply, one comes to know the cosmos.

Universal Reformation of Mankind:
A bold theme of the manifesto was that Europe was in decline: corrupt religion, shallow philosophy, misguided science.

[Timothy E · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lot of fascinating, in-depth information. I feel like I should read it again and take notes because there's just a lot to absorb and a lot of names to remember. I will say that when I finished I had a list of other books and authors to check out because this book really excited me to want to learn more.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good academic look at everything that sometimes gets bogged down in names but is overal really insightful

[Kenneth O'Bright · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started out great, but soon left me with a sleepy eye look and wondering if I really care about who wrote the Fama. Seems WAY to deep to grasp any forward research as it has already been done for you ad nauseam.

[Kevin Fuller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Churton traces the Rosicrucian impulse to Johann Valentin and largely avoids any romantic rendering of this society and instead presents it as some proto-post-modern 'game' invented by a circle of German intellectuals who just wanted the world to be a better place. Maybe I am a romantic, but Churton at times seems overwrought and technical...making too sure he doesn't romanticize his subjects, where I would like to hear more metaphysical meandering from him, which is what this subject deserves, in my humble view.

[Michael Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

The definitive work on this fascinating literary hoax that went on to become a global spiritual movement.