Esotericism in Western Culture

This expanded new edition of Western Esotericism: A Guide for the Perplexed (2013) brings foundational text up to date, providing readers with the knowledge and tools that will enable them to explore further. Wouter J. Hanegraaff surveys key topics for which "esotericism" has become the preferred label: gnosticism and hermetism in antiquity, the so-called "occult sciences" (astrology, alchemy, magic), Renaissance hermeticism, Rosicrucianism, Christian theosophy, occultism, spiritualism, and related currents up to and including the New Age. The scholarship and coverage in this edition has expanded to cover not just the primarily "pagan" and Christian but also the Jewish and Islamic dimensions, as well as the global dissemination of esotericism. New sections in the book include Jewish Esotericism, Islamic Esotericism, global perspectives and politics, as well as a new final chapter on The Future of Esotericism. The book has been updated throughout to reflect current scholarship and increased accessibility for non-specialists.>

Préface
An accessible and historically grounded introduction to esotericism as a vital dimension of Western culture from late antiquity to the present.

Auteur

Wouter J. Hanegraaff is Professor of History of Hermetic Philosophy and Related Currents at the University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and President of the European Society for the Study of Western Esotericism.

Texte du rabat

This expanded new edition of Western Esotericism: A Guide for the Perplexed (2013) brings foundational text up to date, providing readers with the knowledge and tools that will enable them to explore further. Wouter J. Hanegraaff surveys key topics for which "esotericism" has become the preferred label: gnosticism and hermetism in antiquity, the so-called "occult sciences" (astrology, alchemy, magic), Renaissance hermeticism, Rosicrucianism, Christian theosophy, occultism, spiritualism, and related currents up to and including the New Age. The scholarship and coverage in this edition has expanded to cover not just the primarily "pagan" and Christian but also the Jewish and Islamic dimensions, as well as the global dissemination of esotericism. New sections in the book include Jewish Esotericism, Islamic Esotericism, global perspectives and politics, as well as a new final chapter on The Future of Esotericism. The book has been updated throughout to reflect current scholarship and increased accessibility for non-specialists.

Contenu
Preface to second edition 1. What do we mean by esotericism 2. A brief historical overview 3. Apologetics and polemics 4. Worldviews 5. Knowledge 6. Practice 7. Modernization 8. Between the disciplines 9. Sources and resources 10. The future of esotericism Index