Western Esotericism

Antoine Faivre is Professor Emeritus at the École Pratique des Hautes Études (Religious Studies), Sorbonne. He has published extensively, including Access to Western Esotericism and The Golden Fleece and Alchemy, both also published by SUNY Press. Christine Rhone has translated numerous books, including Faivre's Theosophy, Imagination, Tradition: Studies in Western Esotericism, also published by SUNY Press.

• IntroductionFive Meanings of the Word "Esotericism"Sixth Meaning: A Group of Specific Historical CurrentsFrom the Religionist and Universalist Approach to the Historico-Critical ApproachA New Manner of Constructing the ObjectState of Research and InstitutionalizationPast and Present Obstacles to the Recognition of this Specific FieldPerspectives: Throwing New Light on Old Questions1. Ancient and Medieval Sources of the Modern Western Esoteric Currents I. The First Eleven Centuries 1. Alexandrian Hermetism2. Other Non- Christian Currents3. In Christian Thought of the First Eleven CenturiesII. In Medieval Thought 1. Aspects of Theology2. "Sums" and Universal Syntheses3. Hermetism, Astrology, and AlchemyII. Initiatic Quests and Arts 1. Jewish Kabbalah2. Chivalry and Initiatic Societies3. The Arts2. Esotericism in the Heart of the Renaissance and the Flames of the Baroque I. A Discovery of Humanism: Philosophia perennis 1. Re-emergence and Success of the Corpus Hermeticum2. Christian Kabbalah3. Homo Universalis: Activity, Dignity, and SynthesisII. The Germanic Contribution: Nature Philosophy and Theosophy 1. Paracelsism2. Jacob Boehme and the Theosophical Current3. The First Rosy-CrossIII. Readings of the World and of Myths 1. Philosophia Occulta2. Alchemy: Science of Humanity, Nature, and Myths3. A Hermetico-Emblematic Art3. Esotericism in the Shadow of Enlightenment I. Sunburst of Theosophy 1. At the Dawn of Illuminism2. The Great Theosophers3. Faces of IlluminismII. From the Arts of Reading to the Art of Subtle Fluids 1. Continuity of the Occult Sciences2. Alchemy, Shadow Side of the Enlightenment, and the Light of Mythology3. Animal MagnetismIII. A Century of Initiations 1. Strict Observance and Rectified2. Other Masonic and Paramasonic Systems3. Initiation in Art4. From Romantic Knowledge to Occultist Programs I. The Era of Naturphilosophie and the Great Syntheses 1. Nature Philosophy in the Romantic Era (1790-1847)2. Main Representatives of This Current3. Naturphilosophie and Animal Magnetism4. Esotericism on the Edge of Naturphilosophie (1815-1857)5. Esotericism in Art (1815-1847)II. Universal Tradition and Occultism 1. From the Romantic East to the India of the Theosophical Society2. Advent of the Spiritualism and Occultism (1847-1860)3. Growth of Occultism in the Era of Scientism, and Continuity of Theosophy (1860-1914)III. Esotericism in Initiatic Societies in Art (1848-1914) 1. Masonic or Paramasonic Societies2. The Theosophical Society3. Esoteric Arts and Literature5. Esotericisms of the Twentieth Century I. Gnoses in the Wake of the Western "Tradition" 1. "Traditional Sciences," Christian Theosophy, and New Forms of Gnosis2. Presence of Christian Theosophy3. Gnosis and Science: Toward a New Pansophy?II. At the Crossroads of "Tradition" 1. René Guénon2. The Perennialist Current3. Initiatic Societies4. "Tradition": A Multifaceted NotionIII. Arts and Humanities 1. Arts and Literature2. Psychology and the Humanities3. Historiography of Western EsotericismBibliographyIndex of Names