Esoteric Christianity refers to mystical, inner layers of meaning and interpretation of the Bible and Christian theology that go beyond a surface, exoteric understanding. Esoteric Christianity sees the Bible as having hidden, secret, or inner meanings that are accessible only to those initiated into certain esoteric knowledge and practices.
Some key aspects of Esoteric Christianity include:
Allegorical and Symbolic Interpretation of Scripture
Esoteric Christianity does not take the Bible purely at face value but believes large portions, especially the Old Testament, are written in allegory and symbol. For example, Adam and Eve represent fallen humanity, the Exodus symbolizes the journey of the soul, and biblical prophets represent attained states of higher consciousness.
Gnosticism
Gnosticism was an early esoteric Christian movement that believed the physical world was created by an inferior Demiurge and that humans contain a divine spark of wisdom or “gnosis” that enables them to escape materiality. Gnostics focused on attaining secret mystical knowledge rather than following orthodoxy and church authority.
Hermeticism
Hermeticism draws on writings attributed to Hermes Trismegistus which teach spiritual alchemy and esoteric knowledge of nature and the divine. Hermeticism influenced esoteric currents in Christianity that sought hidden knowledge of God and the self.
Kabbalah
Kabbalah is the esoteric mystical tradition of Judaism that became incorporated into some streams of esoteric Christianity, such as Christian Kabbalah. Kabbalists use Hebrew scripture to derive secret spiritual meanings and pathways to God that ordinary readers would miss.
Alchemy
Medieval alchemy developed intricate symbolic systems to represent the spiritual transformation of the soul. Carl Jung explored how alchemical symbology related to the inner work of individuation in psychology. Many esoteric Christian movements used alchemical imagery.
Theosophy
Theosophy refers to mystical insight into the divine nature. Various Christian mystics and movements have claimed access to secret knowledge of God through theosophical contemplation. Theosophy heavily influenced esoteric notions of Christ.
Occultism
The word occult means hidden or secret knowledge. Various forms of Western esotericism and occult mysticism had close relations with branches of esoteric Christianity. This includes magical practices, astrology, Tarot, and divination.
Eastern Influences
Some schools of esoteric Christianity blended Christian motifs with Eastern traditions like Hinduism or Buddhism. The most prominent example is the theosophical movement founded by Helena Blavatsky.
Esoteric Practices
Esoteric Christianity emphasizes experiential knowledge of the divine through practices like meditation, chanting, asceticism, ecstatic prayer, mortification of the flesh, and contemplation of mystical visions.
Hidden Teachings of Jesus
Esoteric Christian movements believe Jesus had secret teachings for the inner circle of disciples that were never written down. These involved advanced spiritual knowledge reserved for an elite few ready for initiation.
Reincarnation
Some esoteric Christian groups incorporate the concept of reincarnation, drawing on Eastern religion. They argue that hints of reincarnation have been suppressed from orthodox Christianity.
Unity of All Religions
Universalism and syncretism are hallmarks of the esoteric perspective that all world religions contain a core of the same perennial mystical truth expressed differently in each tradition. Jesus can be united with other enlightened figures like Buddha or Lao Tzu.
Secret Brotherhoods
There is a recurrent mystical dream of a secret society of spiritually enlightened persons existing behind the scenes guiding humanity’s evolution throughout history. Various esoteric Christian currents incorporated this idea in the form of a Great White Brotherhood of saints and adepts.
Androgyny and Sexuality
Some esoteric Christian groups, like certain Gnostic sects, approached sacred sexuality and androgyny as a means to spiritual wholeness, unlike the conventions of orthodox Christianity. This is related to Hermetic and alchemical wedding imagery.
Esoteric Cosmology
Esoteric Christianity proposes alternative elaborate mythological systems about the nature of God, creation, humanity, angels and demons, heavens and hells, and the cosmic order. These esoteric cosmologies can rival Tolkien or Dante in imaginative scope.
Immanence vs. Transcendence
Exoteric Christianity focuses on God’s radical transcendence and separation from creation. Esoteric Christianity emphasizes God’s deep immanence within the human heart, the material world, and even the darkness. God is found within, not without.
Nondualism
Some esoteric Christian currents are nondualistic, more akin to Advaita Vedanta Hinduism. They highlight the oneness of God, soul, and universe rather than making firm distinctions between Creator and creation.
Subversiveness
Throughout history, esoteric Christian movements have often been marginalized as heretical or subversive. Charges of heresy have come from various sides against esoteric currents. This underground status enhanced the aura of taboo and thrill for members.
Apocalypticism
Esoteric Christian groups frequently have an intense apocalyptic dimension expecting huge imminent transformations on earth driven by spiritual forces. This is connected to their sense of possessing urgent radical knowledge for the coming new age.
Persecution Complex
Marginal esoteric Christian movements often nourished a psychological complex of being persecuted, imagining themselves as an oppressed minority fighting nobly against religious and political powers. This added to the sectarian enthusiasm.
Utopianism
Visionary speculation about a perfect spiritual society on earth or in the afterlife runs through many esoteric Christian groups in various forms. They dream of a forthcoming messianic age or utopia for humanity.
Charismatic Leadership
Charismatic prophets, gurus, or authoritarian leaders who claim special spiritual powers, occult gifts, and divine authority are characteristic of many esoteric Christian movements. Devotion to the leader is required.
Elitism
Esoteric Christianity by its nature fosters elitism. Its premise is that most people are not spiritually equipped for the secret knowledge only certain enlightened individuals can access, understand, and disseminate to proper initiates.
Syncretism
Incorporating ideas from pagan folk magic, Greco-Roman mystery religions, Egypt, Hermeticism, alchemy, Gnosticism, Kabbalah, and Eastern beliefs is common in esoteric Christianity due to its syncretic worldview.
Metaphysical Religion
Esoteric Christianity functions as a mystical metaphysical path to personal enlightenment akin to New Age or New Thought spirituality, concerned more with inner spiritual states, occult forces, and psychic development than traditional theology.
Interiority
Exoteric Christianity focuses on revealed doctrines and outward righteous deeds, while esoteric Christianity is centered inwardly on each individual’s private experiences, insights, contemplation, altered states, and perceived communion with spiritual realms.
Sacramental Worldview
Esoteric Christianity regards material creation as permeated by divine energies and presences. Mountains, plants, geometric shapes, and colors carry spiritual meanings and properties that the enlightened can interpret for revelations.
Fohat
Fohat is an esoteric term referring to a mystical cosmic lifeforce energy. Theosophists believe Fohat is the primordial electrical force that binds the universe together and gives rise to and permeates matter.
Christification
Some esoteric Christians seek to become Christ-like or godlike through spiritual evolution, a process called Christification or theosis. This brings self-realization of one’s inner divine nature.
Ascended Masters
Ascended master refers to an enlightened immortal being who aids from the spiritual plane. The Great White Brotherhood and Ascended Masters were introduced into Christianity by movements like Theosophy.
Spiritual Hierarchy
A spiritual hierarchy of beings at various evolutionary levels is posited to exist in esoteric models, including masters, angels, and light beings intervening in human affairs for our growth and guidance.
Emanations
Emanation is a metaphysical notion that all creation comes forth in successive descending waves from the Godhead. It is connected to the Kabbalistic concept of the Tree of Life with its hierarchies and spheres of divine manifestation.
Planes and Dimensions
Esoteric cosmology recognizes alternative planes or dimensions of reality beyond the physical plane that intersect with our experience. These provide higher centers of consciousness and existence.
Ascension
Ascension refers to raising consciousness up the spiritual planes and dimensions toward the total illumination of enlightenment. It is the esoteric process of spiritualizing the mind and body into higher frequencies.
Incarnation vs. Reincarnation
In exoteric Christianity, incarnation is God becoming flesh as Christ once in linear history. In esoteric Christianity, reincarnation or re-embodiment are part of our soul’s progressive cycle of incarnations until it is fully deified.
Spiritual Alchemy
This is the inner alchemical work of mystically transmuting coarse psychic energies into “gold” of higher consciousness through esoteric practice. It leads to wholeness and reconciles opposites.
Esoteric Healing
Esoteric healing refers to alternative energy-based therapies that work on subtle energy fields and draw on sacred geometry, spirit guides, mystical symbols and rituals for magical results.
Angelology
Angelology is the esoteric mystical study and interaction with angels. Knowledge of angels, demons, their names and functions was transmitted through grimoires and magical texts influencing esoteric Christianity.
Divine Feminine
Exoteric Christianity is dominated by masculine language for God. Esoteric Christianity makes room for the Divine Feminine such as in the figure of Mary, Sophia, Shekinah, or goddesses to balance the masculine divinity.
Esoteric Orders
Various secret societies and esoteric orders transmit and preserve occult teachings and practices blending Christianity with Hermeticism, mystical Freemasonry, and Theosophy e.g. Rosicrucianism, Martinism, Odd Fellowship, and more.
Mystery Schools
Mystery schools are organizations dedicated to teaching esoteric wisdom, often through rites of initiation. Famous mystery schools reflect the ancient model reborn for esoteric seekers today.
Sacred Geometry
Sacred geometry discerns mystical meaning in shapes and proportions like circles, squares, spirals. Esoteric Christianity incorporates geometry via Kabbalah, alchemy, and magical insignia like the pentagram.
Tree of Life
The Kabbalistic Tree of Life is a sacred geometry diagram of 10 divine emanations linked to 22 Hebrew letters and esoteric meanings that became highly significant in esoteric Christianity.
Hermetic Axiom
“As above, so below” is the phrase summarizing the esoteric correlation between the celestial planes and happenings on earth so knowing one helps know the other. This principle permeates esoteric Christianity.
Esoteric Exegesis
Esoteric biblical exegesis interprets scripture according to symbolic, occult, and mystical keys discerned via inspiration or esoteric tradition instead of scholarly critical methods. Numbers and letters yield hidden meanings.
Logos
Logos refers to divine creative power, wisdom, or logic. Esoteric Christianity draws connections between the Platonic cosmic Logos, the Word in John 1:1, and Christ as incarnation of the Logos or universal Mind.
Theosis
Theosis, meaning divinization or deification, is the process of ascension to mystical unity with God achieved through spiritual discipline, contemplation, virtue, and receiving grace. Eastern Orthodox theology emphasizes theosis.
Henosis
Henosis is the esoteric Christian aim of mystical union with God or the Absolute. Initiation leads to dissolving the ego and soul into transcendent divine oneness, similar to concepts in Platonism, Gnosticism, or Eastern Orthodoxy.
Vibrations
Esoteric cosmology views the universe as a multiplicity of vibrating energetic frequencies. By raising personal vibration, we gain health, prosperity, clarity. Lower vibrations give negative outcomes.
Planetary Spheres
Esoteric astronomy borrows ancient and occult astrological systems of planetary spheres influencing human affairs theurgically through music, math, and spiritual correspondences.
Magical Correspondences
This refers to the esoteric technique of mapping associations between mundane and spiritual phenomena, like astrology does. Knowing correspondences gives knowledge of hidden connections in the cosmos.
Arcana
Arcana refers to secret esoteric knowledge only available to initiates. Mystical arcana manifests in cryptic systems like Tarot, geomancy, and Kabbalah that reveal occult meanings to trained practitioners.
Watchtowers
Watchtowers represent cardinal directions, elemental forces, and zones of mystical power. They derive partly from John’s Revelation and feature heavily in esoteric Christian systems like Enochian magic.
Enochian Magic
Enochian magic derived from the Elizabethan era invokes angels linked to an esoteric language and cosmos revealed in the Enochian system. Rosicrucians and the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn practiced it.
Ascension Symptoms
This refers to physical and psychological symptoms allegedly caused by spiritual ascension and shifting energies as one’s body and mind become refined into higher frequencies and purpose. Headaches, fatigue, and mood swings are common symptoms.
Esoteric Cosmogony
Esoteric cosmogony describes mystical esoteric accounts of the creation of universe, realms, beings. Gnosticism offers a prime example of elaborate esoteric cosmogony running counter to orthodoxy.
Spiritual Evolution
Esoteric thinkers like Rudolph Steiner outline an evolutionary cosmic journey of spirit through matter to return to full divinity. Christianity is part of humanity’s spiritual evolution toward this mystical goal.
Esoteric Apocalypticism
This refers to esoteric teachings about coming global spiritual transformations connected to the Book of Revelation, emergence of the Divine Feminine, galactic ordering, and human ascension predicted by prophets.
Spiritual Technology
Various esoteric Christian movements integrate modern technology as part of their spirituality, especially the internet, social media, and algorithms to enhance networking, prediction, data mining, and automation of spiritual functions.
Christian Transhumanism
This school sees radical technological enhancement and even technological immortality as part of God’s plan to extend Creation and human potential. Christianity and transhumanism work together.