Gnosis and Hermeticism from Antiquity to Modern Times

by Roelof Van Den Broek (Editor), Wouter J. Hanegraaff (Editor)

This volume introduces what has sometimes been called "the third component of western culture". It traces the historical development of those religious traditions which have rejected a world view based on the primacy of pure rationality or doctrinal faith, emphasizing instead the importance of inner enlightenment or a revelatory experience which was typically believed to entail an encounter with one's true self as well as with the ground of being, God. The contributors to this book demonstrate this perspective as fundamental to a variety of interconnected traditions. In Antiquity, one finds the gnostics and hermetics; in the Middle Ages several Christian sects. The medieval Cathars can, to a certain extent, be considered part of the same tradition. Starting with the Italian humanist Renaissance, hermetic philosophy became of central importance to a new religious synthesis that can be referred to as Western Esotericism". The development of this tradition is described from Renaissance hermeticists and practitioners of spiritual alchemy to the emergence of Rosicrucianism and Christian theosophy in the seventeenth century, and from post-enlightenment aspects of Romanticism and occultism to the present-day New Age movement.

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

432 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1997

About the author

Roelof "Roel" van den Broek is a Dutch religious scholar. He was a professor of Religious History of the Hellenistic period at Utrecht University between 1979 and 1991. He subsequently was a professor of history of Christianity until his retirement in 1997.

Reviews

[P. Es · Rating 4 out of 5]

Influence of 'magical thinking' and seemingly-nonrational modalities in modern thought.

[Roger Buck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very diverse selection of essays, some most enlightening - also in regards to the limitations and shadows of the New Age movement taking over the West. It seems to me this is book that can aid comprehension to readers astonished by Meditations on the Tarot. Conversely, readers of this book may, in turn be astonished by Meditations on the Tarot.

My review of Meditations on the Tarot here. http://corjesusacratissimum.org/2009/...

[Mitchell26 McLaughlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of good stuff in this book, but unfortunately most of it isn't relative to my purposes. Nevertheless, one will find it very insightful.