Christology: Toward a Synthesis of Christian Doctrine and Esoteric Teachings

Winter 2012

John F. Nash

Summary Palestinian mission. Mainstream Christology emerged from a process of exploration, de- his article compares and contrasts Chris- bate, and resolution—or suppression—of con- tian doctrine and modern esoteric teach- T troversy. The outcome, after several centuries, ings on the nature and person of Jesus the was the understanding that Jesus Christ was Christ and the purpose of his mission. It be- and remains a single “person,” fully human gins with a detailed examination of the posi- but also truly divine: the Second Person of the tions taken by the two sides and how those Trinity. That understanding has stood the test positions have evolved over time. Similarities of time and is still affirmed as infallible truth and differences of substance or emphasis are by the Roman, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran, noted between and within the respective posi- Anglican, and Reformed churches. Over the tions. The objective is to explore the possibil- last 250 years, some liberal theologians have ity of achieving convergence or synthesis of focused on the humanity of Jesus, to the point Christological understanding that could be of denying his divinity.1 The present article embraced by both practicing Christians and does not consider liberal theological view- esotericists. points, but a companion article focusing Traditional Christians and esotericists come thereon would be a worthwhile contribution to close to agreement on Christ’s divine status, the literature, and interested authors are en- the significance of his Palestinian mission, couraged to explore that theme. and his continuing involvement in Christiani- The gospel writers focused on Jesus Christ’s ty. The main area of disagreement lies in eso- teaching and healing ministry. Yet, under tericists’ assertion that Jesus and the Christ Pauline influence, mainstream Christian doc- had distinct origins and now have distinct re- trine has emphasized the redemptive signifi- sponsibilities within the Planetary Hierarchy. cance of his death and resurrection. Theories Esotericists also reject most western theories of redemption, or atonement, range from of atonement, though they might find Eastern blood sacrifice in expiation for man’s sins, Orthodox theories of redemptive healing con- still popular among evangelical fundamental- sistent with notions of planetary initiation. ists, to the unlocking of latent potential in Introduction human nature, favored by certain Eastern Or- thodox theologians. he life, ministry, death and resurrection of T Jesus Christ are the central events defin- ______ing, authenticating and promoting the world About the Author religion we know as Christianity. Early Chris- John F. Nash, Ph.D., is a long-time esoteric stu- tians’ experiences of the man they remem- dent, author, and teacher. Two of his books, Quest bered as Jesus of Nazareth crystallized over for the Soul and The Soul and Its Destiny, were time into mutually reinforcing formats: the reviewed in the Winter 2005 issue of the Esoteric New Testament, the liturgy, and an impres- Quarterly. Christianity: The One, the Many, was sive body of theology. reviewed in the Fall 2008 issue. His latest book: The Sacramental Church was published in 2011. Christology is the area of theology that ad- For further information see the advertisements in dresses issues concerning the person and na- this issue and the website http://www.uriel.com. ture of Jesus Christ and the purpose of his

An esoteric tradition emerged in Christianity terpart. Yet on critical issues it offers new as early as apostolic times and with it alterna- insights and explanations. It challenges the tive Christological perspectives. Gnosticism one-person understanding of Jesus Christ, as- was a conspicuous expression of that tradition serting that Christ was a high initiate and ava- during the first few centuries of the Common tar of the Planetary Hierarchy who “over- Era. Among the several Christologies it pro- shadowed” Jesus during the Palestinian minis- duced, one foreshadowed modern esoteric try. Esoteric teachers reject western theories teachings in distinguishing the human Jesus of atonement in favor of more positive ac- from the divine Christ. The esoteric tradition counts of his redemptive mission. Support for continued, despite strenuous efforts to sup- esoteric Christology has grown steadily in press it, and ran parallel with mainstream recognition of its intellectual merit and ex- Christianity throughout its 2,000-year history. planatory power. Former skeptics, turning to But later movements like Hermeticism and some form of spirituality in the backlash early Rosicrucianism focused on issues other against rationalism, are likely to prefer esoter- than Christology. ic over traditional Christology. Support is en- hanced by the precision with which esoteric New interest in esoteric Christology emerged teachings define and discuss such concepts as in the 19th century with the work of New “God,” “divine,” “soul” and “body,” all of England philosopher and healer Phineas which impinge on Christological understand- Parkhurst Quimby (1802–1866) and English ing. esotericist and feminist theologian Anna Kingsford (1846–1888).2 It continued over the Little effort has been made to reconcile tradi- next several decades with the work of Rudolf tional and esoteric Christologies. Authorities Steiner, founder of Anthroposophy;3 members in the mainstream churches consider their of the Society of the Golden Dawn and its own Christology to be infallible and un- derivatives; and members of modern Rosicru- changeable. The great majority of theologians cian groups, notably Max Heindel, founder of are either unaware of esoteric Christology or the Rosicrucian Fellowship.4 dismiss it as just one more assault on time- honored beliefs. For their part, esoteric teach- Esoteric Christology was strengthened by ers reject notions of infallibility and affirm the trans-Himalayan teachings on the Bodhisattva ongoing revelation of knowledge. Many eso- and the masters, introduced to the West by the tericists identify themselves with other world Theosophical Society and its offshoots.5 An- religions in preference to Christianity, and nie Besant and Charles Leadbeater led a some have gone on record with the opinion “Christianization” movement within the The- that Christianity is in its death throes, soon to osophical Society, counterbalancing its disappear along with other vestiges of the Pis- founders’ indifference or hostility toward cean Age. Of those who write about Christ, Christianity. Besant’s Esoteric Christianity, most present esoteric Christology with mini- published in 1905, was pivotal in that regard. mal reference to mainstream doctrine. It combined themes explored by Kingsford with insights from Theosophical teachings.6 The present standoff is unsatisfactory and Trans-Himalayan teachings were also com- perpetuates separateness. This article seeks to municated by Alice A. Bailey, former Theos- establish a basis for conversations on Christo- ophist and founder of the Arcane School. Bai- logical and related issues between Christians ley’s 24 books, most dictated by the Tibetan and esotericists. It identifies major areas of Master Djwhal Khul, appeared from 1922 agreement but also identifies areas of funda- onward. They offer the most detailed esoteric mental disagreement where progress will re- Christological teachings, and we shall quote quire further work and new insights. “Chris- extensively from them. tians,” in the present context, refers to adher- ents to traditional Christian doctrine, and “es- Modern esoteric Christology is not diametri- otericists” to people who subscribe to modern cally opposed to its traditional Christian coun- esoteric philosophy. It should be noted, how-

38 Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly, 2012. Winter 2012 ever, that we are not necessarily talking about The Greek equivalent of “Messiah” is Chris- two entirely distinct groups of people. Some tos, from which “Christ” is derived. Messi- traditional Christians are already open to eso- ah/Christ was a title, but the apostle Paul, who teric teachings, and some esotericists are prac- wrote his epistles between about 49 and 67 ticing members of mainline churches. What is CE, shortened “Jesus the Christ” to “Jesus lacking is a systematic basis for reconciling Christ,”16 essentially making “Christ” Jesus’ conflicting beliefs and alleviating the anxiety last name. “Lord” (Greek: Kyrios) could caused by that conflict. simply be a term of respect.17 But Paul drew upon the much greater significance of its He- Many more people could be drawn into this brew equivalent Adonai, which had served as middle ground if a synthesis of understanding a substitute for the unutterable YHVH “Lord became available. The challenges are consid- Jesus Christ” became Paul’s favorite appella- erable, and sensitivity is needed on both sides tion and one often used by early Christians.18 because deeply held beliefs are involved. But, given the large number of Christians in the Paul used those titles to proclaim Christ’s world and the prospect that Christianity could divinity: for example: form a major pillar of a New World Religion, God also hath highly exalted him [Christ], the stakes are high, and some effort to seek and given him a name which is above eve- synthesis would seem worthwhile. ry name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and Traditional Christology things in earth, and things under the earth; Evolution of Christology And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord [Kyrios/Adonai], to he man we know as Jesus Christ was giv- the glory of God the Father.19 T en the Aramaic name Yeshua by his mother Mary. Yeshua, whose Hebrew form In so doing he was redefining monotheism. was Yehoshuah, literally meant “He will Jewish and Islamic scholars would accuse save,” or simply “Savior.” Closely related Christianity of violating monotheistic princi- names were Esau and Joshua. The Greek ples in its Christology and trinitarian doctrine. equivalent of Yeshua was Iesous from which An important question debated during the first the English “Jesus” is derived. century was when Jesus Christ became divine. Jesus Christ expressed close kinship with God According to Paul, Christ was “declared to be the Son of God with power . . . by the resur- the Father and performed miracles in his own 20 name, including raising three people from the rection from the dead.” Mark, written 15–20 dead. Some people believed he was a prophet, years later, suggested that divine sonship was 7 granted at the baptism: “Thou art my beloved possibly a reincarnation of Elijah. Various 21 titles were assigned to him during and after Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Paul and his ministry.8 His followers drew upon scrip- Mark’s author could be considered adoption- tural precedents to describe Jesus as the “Son ists, referring to the belief that Christ was not of David”9 and the “Messiah.”10 “Son of always divine but was “adopted” by the Fa- Man” had deep Judaic roots and appears 82 ther sometime during his earthly life. Matthew times in the gospels. Sometimes Jesus used it and Luke, which were written even later, did to refer to himself, while on other occasions not refute the adoptionist position but implied he seemed to imply a divine manifestation to that Jesus was the Son of God from the time follow him.11 Occasionally people addressed of his conception. “God the Son” appears no- him as “Lord.12 The unclean spirits and even- where in the New Testament. tually his disciples called him the “Son of The Gospel of John identified Jesus Christ as God.”13 Further appellations, applied after his the Logos, conventionally rendered in English death and resurrection, included “the Last (or as “the Word.”22 The term had a long, compli- Second) Adam”14 and “the High Priest.”15 cated history in Greek philosophy. First discussed by the sixth-century BCE Heraclitus,

Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly 39 The Esoteric Quarterly logos acquired a range of meanings, including by ecumenical councils, so called because “ratio,” “proportion,” “harmony,” “reason,” bishops were invited from the whole of Chris- even “idea.” The fourth-century BCE Zeno tendom.27 Six ecumenical councils issued the Stoic viewed logos as a divine principle of Christological decrees, beginning with the natural law and rational ethics. His followers Council of Nicaea in 325 CE and ending with came to regard the Logos, now capitalized, as the Third Council of Constantinople in 680– the soul of the universe. Still later, the first- 681. century CE Jewish scholar Philo viewed the The procedure was simple: attending bishops Logos as a god-man in the style of the Egyp- discussed the issues at hand and then voted. tian Osiris.23 Separately, logos took on the The majority opinion was deemed to have additional meaning of “word” or “speech,” in been guided and endorsed by the Holy Spirit. the sense that speech is the manifestation of Published in the council’s formal proceedings, an idea. Designation of Christ as “the Word” it became dogma, open to possible clarifica- carried the connotation that he manifested the tion but never to be contradicted by later hidden nature and purpose of the Father. councils. Deliberations did not always follow Since Logos has a somewhat different mean- orderly parliamentary procedures, and out- ing in modern esoteric teachings, from now comes sometimes reflected politics as much on we shall use “the Word” in discussing tra- as theological insight. For example, the Coun- ditional Christology. cil of Ephesus in 431 CE pitted Cyril, patri- In addition to establishing “the Word” as an arch of Alexandria, against archrival Nestori- enduring title, John refuted Pauline/Markan us, patriarch of Constantinople. The latter was adoptionism by declaring that the Word was condemned and deposed before his delegation “in the beginning with God.”24 The fourth even arrived at the council. Upon their arrival gospel was written some 60 years after the Cyril’s faction intimidated the delegation to crucifixion, and the prologue containing the discourage further consideration. Nestorius critical Christological statements may have himself stayed away in fear for his own safe- been added still later. But the concept was in ty,28 but the Nestorian “heresy” was named place in time for Platonist philosopher Athe- after him. nagoras of Athens (c.133–c.190) to profess: The Council of Nicaea decreed that Jesus “[W]e acknowledge one God, uncreated, eter- Christ was/is “the Son of God . . . that is from nal, invisible, impassible, incomprehensible, the substance [Greek: ousia, Latin: substan- illimitable… we acknowledge also a Son of tia] of the Father, God from God, light from God. . . . [T]he Son of God is the Logos of the light, true God from true God . . . through Father, in idea and in operation; for after the whom all things came to be, both those in pattern of Him and by Him were all things heaven and those in earth.”29 The First Coun- made, the Father and the Son being one.”25 cil of Constantinople (381) drew from the The statement that the Word was “in the be- fourth gospel to affirm that Jesus Christ was ginning with God” called to mind Proverbs not created in time but was “begotten from the 8:22, which referred to Wisdom [Hebrew: Father before all the ages.” He “came down Chokmah, Greek: Sophia]. Indeed, in early from the heavens and became incarnate from Christianity, “Sophia” was often applied to the holy Spirit and the virgin Mary.”30 Both 26 Jesus Christ. For example the basilica of councils referred to the Father, Son, and Holy Hagia Sophia in Constantinople was dedicated Spirit, but “Trinity” was never used by the to him. Sophia eventually recovered her femi- Council of Nicaea and appeared only once in nine identity in Eastern Orthodox Christianity. the proceedings of First Constantinople.31 The Ecumenical Councils Trinitarian doctrine lagged behind Christolo- gy in its development. Christological and other theological issues were debated for centuries. When controversy The Council of Ephesus proclaimed the doc- threatened Christian unity, closure was forced trine of the hypostatic union: that Jesus Christ

40 Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly, 2012. Winter 2012 had both a divine and a human nature. “[T]he The Third Council of Constantinople declared Word from God the Father,” the bishops af- that Jesus Christ has “equally two natural vo- firmed, “has been united by hypostasis with litions or wills . . . and two natural principles the flesh and is one Christ with his own flesh, of action which undergo no division, no and is therefore God and man together.”32 Hy- change, no partition, no confusion.” The two postasis, customarily rendered in English as wills are not in opposition: “his human will “person,” will be discussed in due course. The following, and not resisting or struggling, ra- bishops added that Jesus Christ was “perfect ther in fact subject to his divine and all power- God and perfect man of a rational soul and a ful will.”38 body.”33 And, in a resolution of far-reaching By the end of the seventh century the church significance, they endorsed the statement that had created a detailed and consistent—if not the Son of God suffered and died on the cross. totally clear—description of the person, na- “[A]lthough according to his own nature he tures, and origin of Jesus Christ. It had dis- was not subject to suffering, [he] suffered in tanced itself from Gnostic docetism (from the the flesh for us according to the scriptures . . . Greek dokeō, “to seem”), which asserted that . For that purpose he gave his own body to the Word only seemed to take physical form; death.”34 Arianism, which asserted his creation in time; In a backlash against the Alexandrian victory Nestorianism, which asserted that Jesus Christ at Ephesus, the Council of Chalcedon (451) was two distinct persons; monophysitism, affirmed the single personhood of Jesus which asserted that his two natures were Christ. His divine and human natures, the merged; and monophylitism, which asserted council decreed, “undergo no confusion, no that he had a single will. change, no division, no separation; at no point Schismatic churches emerged when dissenting was the difference between the natures taken bishops, or sometimes their followers, refused away through the union, but rather the proper- to submit to the majority opinion. After the ty of both natures is preserved and comes to- Council of Ephesus a schismatic Nestorian gether into a single person and a single sub- church emerged with its primary base in Per- sistent being; he is not parted or divided into sia. Now known as the Assyrian Church of the two persons, but is one and the same only- East, it still exists. A schismatic monophysite begotten Son, God, Word, Lord Jesus church, based in Egypt, emerged from the Christ.”35 Council of Chalcedon. Known as the Coptic The one-person-two-natures understanding of Orthodox Church, it too remains active. The Jesus Christ—to be discussed in more detail two churches’ survival, in the face of repres- shortly—was now in place, but subsequent sion throughout the centuries—and in the pre- councils continued to refine that understand- sent—testifies to the tenacity of faith. ing. The Second Council of Constantinople In retrospect the various “isms” seem to have determined that “the Word of God has two been matters of emphasis rather than sub- nativities, that which is before all ages from stance, and the unity of Christendom could the Father, outside time and without a body, probably have been preserved if cooler heads and secondly that nativity of these latter days had prevailed. But the polarized atmosphere when the Word of God came down from the of the time did not encourage inclusiveness heavens and was made flesh of holy and glo- and consensus-building. rious Mary, mother of God and ever-virgin, and was born from her.”36 Worship of Jesus One Person, Two Natures Christ must not distinguish between his divine and human natures; rather, he is due “a single Arguments over vocabulary plagued the for- adoration God the Word in human flesh along mulation of Christological and trinitarian doc- with his human flesh, as has been the tradition trine from the very beginning. With political of the church from the beginning.”37 or intellectual enemies always ready to pounce, terminology became a minefield into

Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly 41 The Esoteric Quarterly which theologians—including some of the human being, recognized by the way he or she church fathers—stumbled at their peril. Any- looks, speaks, acts, and relates to others. Cer- one who understated the distinctions among tainly the family and followers of Jesus Christ the persons of the Trinity could be accused of regarded him as a person. Possibly the term Sabellianism, or modalism, while anyone who could be stretched to capture the principle that overstated them could be accused of trithe- unified Jesus Christ’s two natures. But it ism.39 Anyone discussing Jesus Christ could would fail to capture the principle that distin- be accused of monophysitism, which failed to guishes the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In- distinguish sufficiently between his human stead, theologians define “person,” in a Chris- and divine natures, or Nestorianism, which tological or trinitarian context, as an “individ- implied a division in his personhood. uating principle.” We might suggest “focus of consciousness,” or “self-conscious identity,” Eventually East and West each crafted a ter- but theologians have yet to embrace those minology to provide cover for theologians terms. who stayed within its boundaries. One word had to be redefined for the purpose. The While the divine and human natures were Council of Nicaea used the Greek words hy- both present in Jesus Christ, the full power of postasis and ousia and the Latin substantia the divine nature was unavailable, or was vol- synonymously; their English translation untarily withheld, so that the Word could par- would be “nature,” “essence,” or “substance.” ticipate in human affairs. Because of his di- By the time of the First Council of Constanti- vine nature Jesus Christ could perform mira- nople, 58 years later, hypostasis had acquired cles, read people’s minds, and foretell the fu- a new meaning, sharply contrasted with ousia. ture. Yet at times his knowledge seemed to be Hypostasis was now synonymous with limited. Paul wrote that Christ “made himself prosōpon and its Latin equivalent persona, of no reputation, and took upon him the form from which the English “person” is derived.40 of a servant, and was made in the likeness of In classical times prosōpon and persona re- men.”43 This is the doctrine of kenōsis, or ferred to the mask worn by an actor in a play “self-emptying.” Acceptance of the human or, sometimes, to the speaking tube through condition was expressed most remarkably by which an actor spoke.41 They had since come the passion and crucifixion. As the Council of to mean the character portrayed or, more gen- Ephesus noted, the Son of God suffered and erally, the “face” someone presented to the died on the cross. world. Hypostasis now had a similar meaning. That startling conclusion is an example of Meanwhile, the Latin substantia was left in an what theologians call communicatio idioma- uneasy position: it was the direct translation tum, or “interchange of properties.” Other ex- of hypostasis but continued to mean ousia, or amples would be that Jesus created the uni- “substance.” verse and Mary was the mother of God. Ac- Eastern Orthodox theologians customarily use cording to Jesuit scholar Gerald O’Collins, the hypostasis to refer to Jesus Christ or to the principle “involves naming the person of Je- Trinity, even when writing in English. While sus Christ with respect to one of his natures . . the term means little to the layperson, its post- . and attributing to him a property that be- Nicene technical meaning is fairly precise, longs to the other nature.”44 The propriety of resembling partzuf (Aramaic/Hebrew: “face”) naming with respect to one or other of the two in the Kabbalah.42 The hypostatic union is natures opens up important possibilities, and formally stated thus: Jesus Christ is one hy- we shall return to it in due course. postasis and two ousiai. The Trinity, by con- The hypostatic union began in 5 BCE, or trast, is three hypostases and one ousia. thereabouts, when Mary conceived Jesus in In place of hypostasis Western theologians her womb. From that moment onward the di- use persona or “person.” This latter term is vine and human natures were combined. The deceptively familiar, calling to mind a unique human nature, the ecumenical councils pro-

42 Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly, 2012. Winter 2012 claimed, consisted of body, soul and will. The thee whole”.46 Instead it came to mean belief, soul, it was determined elsewhere, did not or submission to dogma. The Apostles’ Creed, pre-exist the body.45 Upon Mary’s conception, which dates from the fourth century, states we must understand, a body, a soul, and pre- tersely that Jesus Christ “was conceived by sumably a human will were created and united the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suf- with the Word, which existed “in the begin- fered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, ning,” “before all ages.” dead, and buried.” Neither it nor the Nicene Creed of 328/381 mentions the Sermon on the Conciliar discussions of the natures and per- Mount, the transfiguration, or the Last Supper. son of the Jesus Christ focused almost entirely Yet profession of one or other of the creeds on his Palestinian mission. Apart from the use became the prerequisite for baptism and of “is” rather than “was” in describing the membership of the church. hypostatic union, the councils did not address the issue of whether the union continued after The focus on Jesus Christ’s death and resur- the mission was completed. Notwithstanding, rection, as distinct from his life and ministry, ecclesiastical authorities came to assume that can be traced to Paul.47 He explored several the union will last until the second coming, if theories of redemption or atonement in his not forever. In the Apostles’ Creed the believ- epistles. Generations of theologians continued er affirms: “I believe . . . in Jesus Christ . . . the process, producing theories distinguished [who] ascended into heaven, and is seated at from one another by the relative weight and the right hand of God the Father almighty; interpretation attached to the Greek words from there he will come to judge the living katallagē (“atonement” or “reconciliation”), and the dead.” Precisely what “seated at the lutrōsis (“redemption”), and sōtēria (“salva- right hand of God” means is not spelled out. tion” or “deliverance”). Atonement Paul declared that “Christ died for our sins . . . . For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ The major questions relating to Jesus Christ’s shall all be made alive.”48 Christ freed us from nature and person were settled by the seventh the bondage to sin, or perhaps to Satan. Ac- century. But the ecumenical councils did not cording to church father Irenaeus, Christ ran- rule on the purpose of his Palestinian mission, somed, or bought back—redeemed in a very and debate continued for much longer; indeed literal sense—humanity by the sacrifice of his it continues today, within mainstream church- blood.49 Another early theory of redemption es and elsewhere. emphasized Christ’s victory over sin and Jesus Christ, the gospels tell us, was baptized death. Through sin man brought spiritual, in the Jordan, taught the multitudes, and even physical, death into the world; through healed the sick. He preached the importance the resurrection Christ conquered death and 50 of common-sense morality versus compliance the power of evil that lay behind it. with the minutiae of Mosaic Law. The Ser- Augustine of Hippo drew upon Romans to mon on the Mount was a profound statement promote the penal, or judicial, theory of of ethical ideals. At the transfiguration Christ atonement. Humanity was viewed as de- revealed his divine nature. At the Last Supper praved, hopelessly mired in its own “actual” he instituted the Eucharist. He rose from the sins and the inherited, “original” sin of Adam. grave to demonstrate the reality of ongoing God the Father sat in judgment upon humani- life. Passages from the gospels are read daily ty, and his Son paid the penalty we deserved. in worship services around the globe. Particularly influential was the satisfaction Within a few centuries, however, institutional theory proposed by Anselm of Canterbury 51 Christianity was firmly wedded to the notion (c.1033–1109), further developed by Thom- that Jesus Christ was the Savior who died for as Aquinas, and eagerly embraced by the the sins of humanity. Meanwhile, “faith” lost Protestant reformers. Sin was an affront to its meaning of trust, as in “thy faith has made God. Aquinas argued that the more exalted

Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly 43 The Esoteric Quarterly the person injured, the greater the dishonor; to “healing”; “salvation” and “salve” come from strike a nobleman, for instance, was more se- the same root.54 Citing Maximus’ work, 20- rious than to strike a common man.52 Since century theologian Vladimir Lossky declared: God is infinite, the affront was infinite, and “Christ healed all that belonged to man, but only a person of infinite stature could make particularly his will.”55 “The work accom- amends. Yet only a person who fully em- plished by Christ is related to our nature,” braced human nature could make it on our Lossky continued. “It is a new nature, a re- behalf. The doctrine of stored creature which the hypostatic union Little effort has been made appears in the world. It is precisely fit that twofold to reconcile traditional and a new body, pure from requirement. esoteric Christologies. Au- all taints of sin, free from external necessity, sepa- Substitutionary atone- thorities in the mainstream rated from our iniquity ment is a key belief of and from every alien modern evangelical fun- churches consider their will.”56 damentalism. Elsewhere own Christology to be in- in the West, penal theo- fallible and unchangeable. Redemption, in Eastern ries have lost ground to theology, was linked to theories that emphasize The great majority of theo- the doctrine of theosis, or God’s love and Christ’s logians are either unaware deification. We find in moral example. Alt- scripture: “Whereby are hough the creeds remain of esoteric Christology or given unto us exceeding in force, attention is fi- dismiss it as just one more great and precious prom- nally being transferred assault on time-honored ises: that by these ye from Paul’s epistles to might be partakers of the the gospels. beliefs. divine nature”57 Athana- sius of Alexandria built upon that passage to Theologians in the eastern churches always declare: “He [the Word] was made man that subscribed to the Nicene Creed. Yet they at- we might be made god.” According to fourth- tached more importance to Christ’s transfig- century church father Gregory of Nyssa, theo- uration and resurrection, in which his divinity sis was the very purpose of humanity’s crea- was manifested, than to the passion and cruci- tion.58 Our destiny is to become “priests of the fixion. Correspondingly, they were less influ- cosmos, rendering by [our] dynamic engage- enced by Paul’s focus on sin and atonement ment with the world’s order, a degree of di- than were their western counterparts. The vine life, a sacred blessing as it were, to all eastern theologians also rejected the notion of the fabric of God’s created existence.”59 original sin. Adam, in their view, did not pos- sess the knowledge or will necessary to com- Christ’s incarnation, Gregory of Nyssa and his mit a sin of the magnitude envisioned by Au- followers argued, was not a repair mission, a gustine. As a result humanity was not willful response to humanity’s failure, but was a pre- and wicked so much as wounded and weak.53 ordained mission to unlock humanity’s latent capability. When “the Word was made flesh, In the first century CE Ignatius of Antioch and dwelt among us,”60 human nature was theorized that the life, death and resurrection exalted. Redemption, as a commentator on of Jesus Christ—and particularly the divine Gregory’s work remarked, meant the refash- love that he expressed for humankind— ioning of “the very boundaries of creaturely inspired moral transformation. Christ’s exam- existences.” The decrees of the Councils of ple and teachings were as important as his Ephesus and Chalcedon relating to the hypo- death. Seventh-century church father Maxi- static union added weight to Gregory’s teach- mus the Confessor viewed Christ’s redemp- ings. While theosis received a cool reception tive act as one of healing. Eastern theologians in the West, it became a key element of East- are fond of pointing out that sōtēria can mean ern Orthodox teachings.

Russian Orthodox priest Sergei Bulgakov the flesh.” Jesus Christ was to be distin- (1871–1944) agreed with Gregory of Nyssa guished from “the Word.” Theodore cited that Christ’s incarnation was motivated pri- Paul to speak of the union between them as a marily by God’s plan to glorify humanity. In union “of wills, of spirits, of personalities.”64 response to that plan “Man desires to become Theodore was doing little more than naming a son of God and enter into that glory of crea- the distinct natures, which, we are assured, is tion, and he is predestined to this. Out of natu- permissible. But he challenged the principle ral man, he is called to become a god-man.”61 of communicatio idiomatum, claiming that the The glorification of humanity began at the title of Theotokos, bestowed upon Mary, de- incarnation and was completed when Christ nied Jesus Christ’s full humanity. Theotokos ascended into heaven. Importantly, we are all literally means “God Bearer,” but Cyril of invited to participate in the hypostatic union. Alexandria interpreted it as “Mother of God.” The preferable title, Theodore suggested, was Esoteric Christology Christotokos (“Christ Bearer” or “Mother of Christ”). Historical Background Theodore was acclaimed “Doctor of the Uni- ate in the first century the Egyptian Gnos- versal Church.” Yet three years after his death L tic Cerinthus distinguished between Je- the Council of Ephesus condemned Nestorius sus and Christ. Jesus, in his view, was an or- (c.386–c.451) for taking a similar position. dinary man, the son of Joseph and Mary. “The Nestorius’s stand on the Theotokos may have Christ” was a heavenly being who descended been as close as he ever came to promoting upon Jesus in the form of a dove at the bap- 62 the heresy that bears his name. But his more tism in the Jordan. We recall that Mark extreme followers promoted a two-person seemed to suggest that Jesus’ divinity was Christology, in which Jesus Christ embodied bestowed on him at the baptism. Cerinthus the human nature, and the Word represented asserted that the Christ imparted to Jesus the divine nature.65 higher knowledge and the power to perform miracles. Christ withdrew before the crucifix- The eastern and western churches went their ion but will rejoin Jesus at the end of time.63 separate ways in 1054, and the Reformation Cerinthus’ views were refuted by the ecumen- officially began in 1517. Important theologi- ical councils, which decreed that the Son of cal issues were at stake in both, but neither God suffered and died on the cross. Attacked event was accompanied by any new challenge in his own time, allegedly by John the Evan- to mainstream Christology. The Protestant gelist and others, Cerinthus’ influence contin- reformers accepted the conciliar decrees with- ued, and suspicions arose that he wrote the out question. A work by the Lutheran mystic Book of Revelation. and Hermeticist Jakob Böhme (1575–1624) can be read as implying a Cerinthean distinc- Calling the higher being “the Christ” was tion between Jesus and the Christ.66 Otherwise problematic, perhaps reflecting Cerinthus’ Böhme’s references to Christ were surprising- ignorance of Jewish history. As noted earlier, ly orthodox. the term, literally “anointed one” or “messiah,” was bestowed on Jesus before his divine In the 1860s Phineas Quimby distinguished, associations became apparent; it had also been as Cerinthus had done, between Jesus and the bestowed on various individuals, like King Christ. He proposed that “Jesus embodied . . . David, before him. Notwithstanding, modern an intelligence called Christ, embracing all the esoteric writers have adopted the same con- attributes of man, and being a revelation of a vention. higher wisdom than had before appeared on the earth.”67 Anna Kingsford made a similar Theodore (392–428), bishop of Mopsuestia claim in the early 1880s and added her own and spokesperson for the theological school of insights. Multiple esoteric teachers soon did Antioch applied the full name Jesus Christ to the same. Within a few decades a sophisticat- the man “who is from the Jews according to

Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly 45 The Esoteric Quarterly ed esoteric Christology had emerged, in which immediately before it.”71 Steiner stated that, trans-Himalayan teachings played the major despite long preparation, Jesus’ lower vehi- role. cles “were able to accommodate only so much of the Christ’s power: “The Christ spirit had Jesus all kinds of abilities, but in the bodies of Jesus Esoteric teachings portray Jesus as a man who of Nazareth it had only the abilities that were 72 had advanced along the initiatory path possible in those bodies.” Here we see a through a number of previous incarnations. parallel to Paul’s notion of kenōsis: Christ’s 73 Alice Bailey noted his incarnations as Joshua “emptying” of his divine attributes. the Son of Nun; as Jeshua at the time of Ezra; At the end of the three-year ministry, Jesus– and as Joshua in the book of Zechariah, where 68 Christ journeyed to Jerusalem and there was he attained the third initiation. sentenced to death. It was Jesus who died on During his lifetime in Palestine Jesus entered the cross, and by that great act of renunciation into an intimate relationship with the Christ, he attained the fourth initiation. Theosophist allowing the latter to speak and act through Geoffrey Hodson suggested that, because of his body. Virtually all esoteric teachers agree his training in the mysteries, Jesus could have with Cerinthus that the relationship began at avoided crucifixion: “His submission to mar- the time of the baptism in the Jordan and end- tyrdom when he possessed the occult power ed at or near the time of the crucifixion. easily to have saved Himself and confounded Thereafter the two individualities pursued his enemies, is one of the sublime acts of distinct paths. This assertion contrasts with submission and self-restraint in the history of orthodox Christian teachings that the hypo- mankind.”74 static union will continue indefinitely. Alice Bailey claimed that Jesus went on to Annie Besant declared that the “man Jesus attain the fifth initiation as Apollonius of 75 yielded himself a willing sacrifice . . . to the Tyana. Thus esoteric writers refer to him as Lord of Love, who took unto Himself that the Master Jesus. Bailey explained that Jesus pure form as tabernacle, and dwelt therein for is not only active in the world but is in physi- three years of mortal life.”69 Rosicrucian Max cal embodiment. Writing in about 1920 she Heindel noted that an “ordinary man's vital declared that he is body would have instantly collapsed under the at present living in a Syrian body, and terrific vibrations of the Great Spirit who en- dwells in a certain part of the Holy Land. tered Jesus’ body.” Because of his initiatory He travels much and passes considerable training, Jesus’ etheric body was “attuned to time in various parts of Europe. He works the high vibrations of the life spirit.” Even so, specially with masses more than with indi- “that body, pure and high-strung as it was, viduals, though He has gathered around could not withstand those tremendous impacts Him quite a numerous body of pupils. He for many years, and when . . . Christ withdrew is upon the Sixth Ray of Devotion, or Ab- temporarily from his disciples . . . he drew out 70 stract Idealism, and His pupils are fre- of Jesus’ vehicles to give them a rest.” quently distinguished by that fanaticism Steiner declared that the descent of the Christ and devotion which manifested in earlier into Jesus’ physical vehicles was a gradual Christian times amongst the martyrs. He process extending throughout the three-year Himself is rather a martial figure, a disci- Palestinian ministry: “In the early days [after plinarian, and a man of iron rule and will. the baptism], the Christ and the body of Jesus He is tall and spare with rather a long thin of Nazareth were only loosely connected . . . . face, black hair, pale complexion and 76 [I]t was only towards the end of the three piercing blue eyes. years that the Christ spirit and the bodies . . . Theosophist Charles Leadbeater added that became one . . . and it only happened com- Jesus “lives among the Druses of Mount Leb- pletely in the death on the cross, or rather anon.”77

Trans-Himalayan teachings assert that the having received the Logos, is Son of God, as Master Jesus now heads the Sixth Ray ashram well as Son of Man.”83 Theosophist Annie within the Planetary Hierarchy. Religion is Besant also identified the Christ with the said to span the Second and Sixth Rays. Bes- Logos. Building on one of Kingsford’s ant declared that Jesus “took Christianity un- themes, she compared Christ with the sun der His special charge, ever seeking to guide gods: Mithras, Osiris, Tammuz and others, it to the right lines, to protect, to guard and who either incarnated or sent messengers to nourish it.”78 Jesus’ work, in Bailey’s words, Earth.84 Rudolf Steiner identified the over- included “fostering the germ of true spiritual shadowing entity as a “Spirit of the Sun” who life which is to be found amongst members of appeared to Moses in the burning bush.85 Max all sects and divisions, and neutralizing as far Heindel claimed that the Christ was the high- as possible the mistakes and errors of the est initiate of the “Sun Period,” an early phase churchmen and the theologians.”79 We can in the planetary evolution. Christ was now an assume that Jesus incurred some of the karma archangel and, like them, could not descend of the historical church. lower than the desire body. Thus he needed the body of Jesus to accomplish his mission in Bailey added: “No one so wisely knows as Palestine.86 [Jesus] the problems of the West, no one is so closely in touch with the people who stand for Trans-Himalayan teachings identified the all that is best in Christian teachings, and no Christ with the Lord Maitreya, the Bodhisatt- one is so well aware of the need of the present va of Hindu and Buddhist tradition, and even moment. Certain great prelates of the Angli- with the Imam Mahdi of Shia Islam.87 The can and Catholic Churches are wise agents of Christ is a high initiate of the human His.”80 Evidently, Jesus intends to exert more lifestream. Annie Besant and Charles Lead- direct guidance in the near future; he “will beater placed Maitreya on the Moon Chain.88 again take hold of the Christian Church in an By contrast, Alice Bailey stated that the Christ effort to respiritualize it and to reorganize it. achieved individualization on this Earth, in From the chair of the Pope of Rome, the Mas- ancient Lemuria. So rapid was his develop- ter Jesus will attempt to swing that great ment that “in Atlantean days He found Him- branch of the religious beliefs of the world self upon the Path of Probation as did also the again into a position of spiritual power and Buddha” who had individualized on the Moon away from its present authoritative and tem- Chain.89 Christ is said to have incarnated pre- porary political potency.”81 His continued in- viously as “Sri Krishna and as one other who volvement in Christianity would seem to re- was little known.”90 All agreed that the Christ fute claims that Christianity has no future po- serves as the World Teacher for the fifth root tential race and Head of the Hierarchy of Masters.91 The Buddha held the office of World Teacher Jesus’ responsibilities extend beyond religion, for the fourth root race, and the Master Ku- “for to Him is given the problem of steering thumi is expected to assume that role for the the thought of the occident out of its present sixth root race.92 state of unrest into the peaceful waters of cer- titude and knowledge, and of preparing the Besant described the Christ as an emissary of way in Europe and America for the eventual” the Solar Logos, the divine entity whose phys- reappearance of the Christ.82 ical body is the solar system. Other Theoso- phists seemed to agree.93 Indeed, when they The Christ speak of “the Logos,” they seem to refer ex- In 1881 Anna Kingsford declared that, at the clusively to the Solar Logos. Bailey, however, baptism, Jesus received “into his own spirit” linked Christ with the Planetary Logos. She the Logos, whom she equated with the bibli- described a hierarchy of Logoi extending cal Adonai. “Then,” she continued, “is ac- from planetary to galactic levels and beyond. complished the union of the two natures, the Helena Blavatsky also spoke of multiple Lo- 94 divine and the human . . . . For the Christ, goi, but it is unclear whether she placed

Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly 47 The Esoteric Quarterly them in a hierarchical structure. Perhaps the Avatar.”103 For the first time in human history, emergence, in our understanding, of the Plan- the Christ etary Logos fills Bishop John Robinson’s de- anchored on earth a tenuous thread of the mand for a “God down here” in place of the divine Will, as it issued from the Father's conventional “God out there.”95 Regardless of House (Shamballa), passed into the under- whether the focus is on the Planetary or the standing custody of the Kingdom of God, Solar Logos, the Theosophists and Bailey all and through the medium of the Christ was agreed that “the Logos” is triune, correspond- brought to the attention of mankind. ing to Christian notions of the Trinity. And all Through the instrumentality of certain distinguished their understanding of the Logos great Sons of God the three divine aspects from Christian doctrine of “the Word.” or characteristics of the divine Trinity— By the 1920s more detailed information was will, love and intelligence—have become a becoming available on the Planetary Hierar- part of human thinking and aspiration.104 chy and the seven rays. The Christ was recog- Also for the first time the Christ “transmitted nized as holding the office of Second Ray to humanity . . . an aspect and a potency of the Lord of Love-Wisdom and head of a major nature of God Himself, the Love principle of ashram that incorporates the work of other the Deity.”105 He provided a direct channel masters. Bailey described him as “the Great from the Logos to humanity. Heindel noted Lord of Love and Son of God”96 and as “the that, through his association with Jesus, the great Lord of Love and Compassion.”97 Christ “Through Him flows the energy of the second aspect [of Deity], reaching Him direct from possessed the twelve vehicles, which the heart center of the Planetary Logos via the formed an unbroken chain from the Physi- heart of Sanat Kumara.”98 Sanat Kumara is cal World to the very Throne of God. the Lord of the World, the one referred to in Therefore He is the only Being in the Uni- scripture as the “Ancient of Days,” or in eso- verse in touch with both God and man and teric Judaism as the “Ancient of Ancients.” capable of mediating between them, be- He came from the Venus Chain and “incar- cause He has, personally and individually, nated” during the Lemurian Age to serve as experienced all conditions and knows eve- the Planetary Logos’ “representative” for the ry limitation incidental to physical exist- present globe.99 ence.106 The Christ, in Bailey’s words, is “the abso- We understand that Christ had “a Second Ray lutely perfect expression of divinity for this soul, a Sixth Ray personality (which account- cycle.”100 His divinity was not demonstrated ed for His close relationship with the Master by the miracles reported in the gospels. Mira- Jesus), plus a First Ray mind.107 Esoteric writ- cles, Bailey explained, can be performed by ers typically say that Christ overshadowed any entity, good or evil, who has gained “an Jesus. The Greek verb episkiazein, translated intelligent understanding of matter.” Rather, as “to overshadow,” appeared in the Septua- divinity is “the expression of the qualities of gint and also in New Testament accounts of the second or building aspect of God— the annunciation and transfiguration.108 Bailey magnetism, love, inclusiveness, non- suggested, however, that their relationship separativeness, sacrifice for the good of the was one of “inspiration” that contrasting with world, unselfishness, intuitive understanding, overshadowing and with “appearance or man- cooperation with the Plan of God.”101 ifestation.”109 In inspiration, depicted as the positive counterpart of obsession, Bailey declared that the Christ was the first member of the human lifestream to achieve the free will and intelligent understanding the complete realization of divinity: “I and the of the Master or the disciple is enlisted on Father are One.”102 He was a “human-divine the side of the spiritual Agent; the spiritual man, functioning as a soul, becomes the

channel for forces, ideas and activities oth- Source, that state of Existence to which we er than his own but to which he gives full have given the name Shamballa.”116 Yet the intuitive assent. It is all carried forward seventh initiation, “the true and final resurrec- with full understanding and consciousness tion,” was “left incomplete.” The “affirmative of method, process and results. It is an act Voice,” Bailey wrote, of free spiritual cooperation, for the good will be heard when the Christ completes of humanity, in the work of a great spiritu- His work at the time of the Second Com- al Force or Being.110 ing. Then the great seventh initiation, Most esoteric teachers agree that Jesus died which is a dual one (love-wisdom in full on the cross. But they insist that the Christ did manifestation motivated by power and not die. Nor, in Bailey’s account, did either will), will be consummated, and the Bud- Jesus or Christ “rise out of a rocky sepulcher dha and the Christ will together pass be- and re-assume His discarded body.”111 How fore the Lord of the World, together see then are we to understand the resurrection? the glory of the Lord, and together pass to Leadbeater regarded it—along with the cruci- higher service of a nature and caliber un- fixion—in purely symbolic terms.112 Most known to us.117 other esoteric writers have steered clear of the issue. This is a serious deficiency, and we The Redemptive Mission shall return to it later. Esoteric writers reject any notion of judicial Once a distinction is drawn between Jesus and atonement. Anna Kingsford roundly con- the Christ, the inevitable question is: which demned notions of a blood sacrifice, which one appeared to the disciples and others after implied “a God whose just anger was capable the crucifixion? The sayings attributed to him of being appeased by slaughter . . . a spotless sin-offering for men, in propitiation of the in the gospels suggest that it was the Christ. 118 Further evidence is provided by the reports wrath of God.” We are saved, “not by any that his resurrected body could pass through Cross on Calvary eighteen hundred years ago walls but had a measure of solidity.113 We also . . . but by the Christ-Jesus . . . redeeming us from the world, and making us sons of God note that the disciples did not recognize him, 119 suggesting that he differed in appearance from and heirs of everlasting life.” The crucifix- the Jesus they knew. The post-resurrection ion, Kingsford averred, was significant in four body may have been a mayavirupa, corre- ways: humanity’s rejection of the god-man, sponding closely to Paul’s sōma pneu- renunciation of the lower self, Christ’s per- 114 sonal sacrifice, and “the Oblation of God for matikon. Manifestation of a mayavirupa is 120 considered to be an ability of fifth- and high- the Universe.” 115 er-degree initiates. Christ certainly could Esotericists agree that Christ did suffer. have manifested one. Assuming that Jesus did Charles Leadbeater pointed to the sacrifice he not attain the fifth initiation until his incarna- made simply by assuming physical form.121 tion as Apollonius, he would only have been Rudolf Steiner explained: “This union of the able to appear in his astral body, possibly recall-embracing, universal spirit of the Christ ognizable by the disciples but lacking solidity. with the body of Jesus of Nazareth involved untold suffering that was to continue for the By the time the Christ entered into the rela- 122 tionship with Jesus he was already a fifth- or three years.” sixth-degree initiate. Following the Palestini- For Kingsford the fall and the redemptive sac- an mission, according to Bailey, he “passed rifice were not one-time events but are being through the seventh Initiation of Resurrection played out throughout eternity. God “is al- and returned back to His original state of Be- ways making man in the image of God, and ing—to remain there throughout all the eterni- placing him in a garden of innocence and per- ties . . . . The Son of God has found His way fection. . . . And man is always falling away.” back to the Father and to His originating Yet man “is always being redeemed by the

Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly 49 The Esoteric Quarterly blood of the sacrifice always being made for Man is redeemed, Kingsford declared, when him by the Christ Jesus, who is Son at once of the Christ is born in him, for in Christ “the God and of man, and is always being born of man becomes transmuted from Matter into a pure virgin—dying, rising, and ascending Spirit.”128 The trans-Himalayan teachers em- into heaven.”123 phasized that Christ’s primary mission was to instill the sense of universal love and group Dion Fortune, writing in the Golden Dawn consciousness. Prior to his coming little em- tradition, declared that the crucifixion had phasis had been placed on God as Love in any cosmic significance: “The crucifixion of Our of the world religions. In Bailey’s words the Lord at the hands of Roman authority was but Christ, the Lord of Love, “inaugurated the the shadow thrown on the material plane by ‘age of love’ and gave to the people an ex- the struggle that was going on in the spiritual pression of a new divine aspect, that of world.”124 Besant saw the events in Palestine love.”129 She revealed that the Buddha and the as scenes in a cosmic drama depicted in world Christ both embodied the energy of Venus, mythology in which the Sun-God was born of which “is esoterically recognized as that mys- the zodiacal Virgo, only to be sacrificed in an terious force which is a blend of love and eternal ritual of death and rebirth. “Why,” knowledge, of intelligence and synthesis, and Besant asked, “have these legends mingled of understanding and brotherhood.”130 with the history of Jesus?” She answered her own question thus: The trans-Himalayan teachers assert that the Christ continues to be involved in human af- These are really the stories not of a par- fairs. As World Teacher, he has planetary re- ticular individual named Jesus but of the sponsibility for religion and education. In Bai- universal Christ: of a Man who symbolized ley’s account, Christ “has never left us but . . . a Divine Being, and who represented a has worked for two thousand years through fundamental truth in nature . . . . He was, the medium of His disciples, the inspired men as are all such, the “Son of Man,” a peculi- and women of all faiths, all religions and all ar and distinctive title, the title of an office, religious persuasions.” He works through the not of an individual. The Christ of the So- Christian Church, which “hides in its heart lar Myth was the Christ of the Myster- those who vibrate to the great love ray, the ies.125 Second Ray of Love-Wisdom.” Moreover, he Alice Bailey placed Christ’s sacrifice in the is to be thought of not as “the feeble Christ context of Sanat Kumara’s descent into mani- which historical Christianity has endorsed” festation during the Lemurian era. Sanat Ku- but as “a strong and able executive.”131 mara, in her words, “is the Great Sacrifice, As noted, the Christ heads a vast ashram. Ac- Who left the glory of the high places and for cording to Bailey he “presides over the desti- the sake of the evolving sons of men took up- ny of the great religions through the medium on Himself a physical form and was made in of a group of Masters and initiates Who direct the likeness of man.”126 Besant placed it in the the activities of these different schools of context of the eternal sacrifice made by the thought.” She added that one of those masters Second Aspect of Deity as it proceeds from is Jesus, who has primary responsibility for the First Aspect. The Deity, she wrote, Christianity: by His own will limits Himself, making as The Master Jesus, the inspirer and director it were a sphere enclosing the Divine Life, of the Christian Churches everywhere, coming forth as a radiant orb of Deity, the though an adept on the Sixth Ray under the Divine Substance, Spirit, within and limi- department of the Mahachohan, works at tation, or Matter without. This is the veil of present under the Christ for the welfare of matter which makes possible the birth of Christianity; other Masters hold similar the Logos . . . that Deity may manifest for posts in relation to the great oriental faiths, the building of the worlds.127

and the various occidental schools of again on earth, but a peace unlike aught thought.132 known before.137 Although they are human inventions and have The Spirit of Peace will, when the right often failed, the world’s religions, according time comes, vitalize the responsiveness of to Bailey, have achieved certain basic goals: humanity, via the influence of the Hierar- chy, to the will of God which has for basic Step by step man has been led through intent the bringing of peace on earth. What prayer, the voice of desire, through wor- is peace? It is essentially the establishing ship, the recognition of deity, through af- of right human relations, of synthetic rap- firmation of the fact of human identity of port with its resultant cooperation, of cor- nature with the divine, to a belief in the direct interplay between the three planetary vinity of man. [The Christ] has told us centers and an illumined, loving under- (and the New Testament in many places standing of the will of God as it affects emphasizes it) that we also are divine, all humanity and works out divine intent. It is of us are the Sons of God and that . . . we for this reason that the Christ, Who estab- are able to do still greater things than lished for the first time in planetary history Christ did. 133 a contact between the Hierarchy, Humani- Trans-Himalayan teachers have discussed ty, Shamballa and the Spirit of Peace in Christ’s second coming, or “reappearance”: His Own high place, in His first recorded he will, in the words of the Great Invocation, utterance said that He must be about His “return to Earth.” “[T]he Living Christ will Father’s business and then at the end of walk among men and lead them onward to- His life, reiterated the same thought in the wards the Mount of Ascension.”134 We under- words: “Father, not my will but Thine be stand that, preparation for the reappearance done,” thus carrying the thought up to the has called for important adjustments: “[T]he highest plane for He addressed the Father, entire [Planetary] Hierarchy shifted its loca- the first Aspect of Divinity.138 tion (since 1925 A.D.) from the higher mental Among the Christ’s objectives, when he reap- levels to the buddhic plane, thereby making pears, will be to restore the Mysteries and thus direct and unimpeded etheric reception possi- revive “the churches in a new form.”139 This ble.”135 Moreover, “The Christ can and does project will be part of the broader mission to function now upon the atmic plane and em- establish a New World Religion.140 Man, we bodies within Himself the great Point of understand, “is on the verge of establishing Revelation which has been expressed by me his divinity.”141 The New World Religion will in the words: ‘The Will is an expression of the provide opportunities to put that new sense of Law of Sacrifice.’”136 divinity to use: “[T]o our past programs of By Bailey’s description, the reappearance of prayer, worship and affirmation, the new reli- “Christ, the Avatar of Love” will be pro- gion of Invocation and Evocation can be add- foundly significant for humanity: ed, in which man will begin to use his divine power and come into closer touch with the Then shall the Coming One appear, His 142 footsteps hastened through the valley of spiritual sources of all life. the shadow by the One of awful power Toward Synthesis Who stands upon the mountain top, breath- ing out love eternal, light supernal and everal issues need to be addressed before peaceful, silent Will. Then will the sons of S any significant progress can be made to- men respond. Then will a newer light shine ward the synthesis of traditional and esoteric forth into the dismal, weary vale of earth. Christology. They concern our understanding Then will new life course through the of God; the manner of the divine incarnation veins of men . . . . So peace will come in human form; the hypostatic union; and the

Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly 51 The Esoteric Quarterly purpose of Christ’s Palestinian mission and flat Earth and a nearby firmament of planets continued relationship with humanity. and stars. God and the Incarnation Our understanding of Deity must adapt to modern scientific knowledge. The idea that Christian doctrine insists that Jesus Christ the God of an observable universe 92 billion was/is the Son of God. But the very concept light-years in diameter, containing an estimat- of “God” needs to be ed 1023 stars, would— clarified. Theologians For their part, esoteric teach- or could—take human speak of God as both ers reject notions of infallibil- form stretches kenōsis transcendent and im- ity and affirm the ongoing beyond any possible manent: infinite, eter- meaning.144 The “high nal and immutable but revelation of knowledge. God” of scripture, even also active in space Many esotericists identify the “infinite God” of and time. How the 13th-century scholasti- transcendent and the themselves with other world cism, must be seen as immanent are relat- religions in preference to existing within a larger ed—and how their re- Christianity, and some have divine system or struc- lationship can be rec- ture. Mathemati-cians onciled with state- gone on record with the opin- speak of different types ments by Thomas ion that Christianity is in its of infinity, some larger Aquinas and others than others. that God is “simple,” death throes, soon to disap- or without parts—is pear along with other vestiges Esotericists view the relegated to the cate- of the Piscean Age. Of those Planetary Logos as part gory of “mystery.” of the logoic hierarchy, Esotericists speak of who write about Christ, most but they must avoid an utterly transcendent present esoteric Christology giving the impression and unknowable God- that the Logoi are sepa- head and a Logos, or with minimal reference to rate beings, like admin- hierarchy of Logoi, mainstream doctrine. istrators in a layered through which the bureaucracy. They Godhead manifests and reveals itself. The should point out that the Logoi serve as chan- Godhead is infinite, eternal and immutable, nels for the divine essence and energies flow- but the Logos ensouls its domain of activity. ing from the Godhead. In a real sense they are The Planetary Logos, in Bailey’s account, “all One.” And the greatness and power of ensouls and interacts with the Earth and its that One—or of the Planetary Logos consid- lives. ered as distinct—is utterly beyond human comprehension. Christians would scoff at suggestions that the God of scripture can be equated to an entity Esoteric teachings assert that the Logos is tri- “at the bottom” of a logoic hierarchy. Yet in une. The Second Aspect—or what Theoso- fact the biblical Deity resembles the Planetary phists somewhat unfortunately call the Second 145 Logos quite closely. Notions of God gradually Logos—proceeds from the First in much expanded from the tribal deities of the patriar- the same way as the Christian God the Son chal era to the monotheistic “most high God” was begotten by the Father. Moreover, esoter- and “Lord of heaven and earth” of the gos- icists would readily agree that the Second As- pels.143 But early Christians felt comfortable pect was “begotten before all worlds,” or, in declaring that God took human form and was their own terminology, before the beginning born of the Virgin Mary. And God ruled a of the manvantara. universe that was quite small, consisting of a A potentially divisive issue concerns the relationship between Christ and God. Trans-

Himalayan teachers assert that the Christ was Blessed Trinity that, for us at our stage, we a high initiate and avatar of the Planetary Hi- can make no distinction between them.”148 erarchy. Traditional Christians would com- Theologians might complain that, no matter plain that the appearance on Earth of an avatar how “divine” the esoteric Christ is purported fails to capture the enormity of the truth that to be, his relationship with the Father is by the Word “came down from heaven” and in- adoption. (Adoptionism, we recall, was pro- carnated in human form. The term “avatar” moted by Paul but rejected by the fourth gos- has become problematic. In Hindu tradition it pel and the ecumenical councils.) Yet that referred to the incarnation of a deity: like complaint may be unfounded. According to Vishnu’s incarnation as Krishna. Today it is esoteric teachings, the Christ possessed a di- used in a number of contexts, some quite triv- vine monad, a fragment of logoic essence and ial. Esotericists sometimes give the impres- intent, from the very instant of his individual- sion that Christ was just one of many avatars ized existence. Even if that occurred “as late” who appeared on Earth. Whether or not as the Lemurian epoch, it would still be “be- equivalent events occurred in previous rounds fore all ages,” as the term was understood in or on previous globes, esotericists should biblical times. Traditional Christians and eso- acknowledge the uniqueness of Christ’s Pales- tericists can jointly affirm that Christ was and tinian mission for our present globe and is divine. round. Such acknowledgement would go a long way to meeting Christian demands that Esoteric teachings, of course, assert that all the incarnation be recognized as the pivotal human beings have a divine monad, and theo- event in history, effecting changes in humani- logians would question whether enough dis- ty’s very nature and potential. tinction is being made between the Christ and humanity. The difference is that, by the time Christian theologians would also reject the of his Palestinian mission, Christ had attained esoteric depiction of Christ as “not sufficient- monadic consciousness; we, by the most op- ly divine.” In response, esotericists should timistic assessment, are in the earliest stages emphasize that the Christ was deified to high- of such awakening.149 Theologians should er degree than is envisioned by the Eastern also remember that the Fourth Council of Orthodox doctrine of theosis. They should Constantinople, which stripped us of our in- emphasize that the seventh initiation, which nate divinity, never enjoyed the same authori- Christ attained or is the process of attaining, is ty as did the earlier councils, even in the eyes the highest possible on this planet. Christ- of mainstream Christians. Anglicans and Lu- hood, to quote Anna Kingsford, “is attained therans, in particular, accept the decrees of by the reception . . . of the Logos. This ac- only the first four ecumenical councils: Ni- complished, the two natures, the Divine and caea through Chalcedon. the human, combine.”146 Moreover, the Christ’s planetary role was, and remains, to The Hypostatic Union express the Second Aspect of Deity: the aspect of Love-Wisdom. Bailey explained: The doctrine of the hypostatic union secured a majority vote at the Councils of Ephesus and At the sixth and seventh initiations the Chalcedon, but it failed to win consensus or first, or will, aspect shines forth, and from produce clarity. Even after Chalcedon theolo- being a Master of Compassion and a Lord gians in East and West struggled to under- of Love the adept becomes something stand what had been decided. Not surprisingly more. He enters into a still higher con- the hypostatic union is once again a conten- sciousness than that of the group, and be- tious issue, this time between Christian doc- comes God-conscious. The great will or trine and esoteric teachings. But it is not an 147 purpose of the Logos becomes his. insurmountable obstacle to synthesis. Leadbeater affirmed that the Christ “is so ut- Christians might be willing to adopt the con- terly an expression or manifestation of the vention of naming the human nature of Jesus

Christ “Jesus,” and the divine nature “Christ,” Christ as “the head and front of humanity, the without sacrificing belief in a single person- highest living man.”151 Whether or not Chris- hood. Liberal theologians’ almost universal tians would accept such redefinition, they use of “Jesus,” and their near-rejection of the might be willing to concede that new revela- divinity of “Christ,” shows that such a con- tion makes possible revised perspectives on vention is already taking shape. How tradi- the hypostatic union. tional Christians would react to esotericists’ Yet another affirmation of the “hypostatic assertion that Jesus—representing the human union” comes from esotericists’ recognition of nature—pre-existed his conception in Mary’s the gradual awakening of the inner divinity of womb remains to be seen. the monad within every member of the human Despite what a superficial examination of eso- family. Awakening of that divinity can be ex- teric Christology might suggest, esotericists plained by the process of theosis or, equiva- are not necessarily Nestorians. Even if, as lently, by progress on the initiatory path. And they insist, Jesus and the Christ had distinct as Sergei Bulgakov suggested, the whole of origins, they should agree that there is merit in humanity can participate in the hypostatic un- the notion that the two entities came together ion through theosis. Few would doubt that the into a single person. We have already seen Master Jesus has already reached that stage. that “person” has a larger meaning in theological discourse than it does in everyday usage. The Palestinian and Ongoing Esotericists could affirm that, during his Mission three-year ministry JesusChrist acted, spoke, The purpose of Christ’s earthly mission never thought, and reflected on himself as a unified became crystallized in dogma, and the range person. By analogy, the solar angel and the of theories promoted by segments of tradi- human monad had distinct origins, but their tional Christianity is broad enough that esoter- present union is so strong that the angel serves icists can find areas of agreement within that as the individual’s higher Self. Few people range. would regard their solar angels as “someone else.” Esotericists could endorse the moral influence theory of atonement, but they would see great The more serious point of contention is the merit in Eastern Orthodox teaching, in which permanence of the hypostatic union. Christian redemption is seen as a great act of healing doctrine asserts the continuation of the hypo- and transformation, after which humanity’s static union beyond the resurrection. Yet that divine destiny became attainable. The descent assertion has little scriptural support and, as into human form by the Divine, according to we have seen, only implied support from the the stronger forms of theosis, permanently ecumenical councils. Thomas Aquinas af- expanded human nature and consciousness. firmed that the union was preserved at the Kenosis and theosis become complementary crucifixion because it did not depend on a consequences of the hypostatic union.152 150 physical body. Leadbeater applauded the language of the Christian theologians insist that the hypostatic Athanasian Creed that described Christ as union was essential to explain the redemp- “[e]qual to the Father, as touching his God- tion—though that may not be true for all theo- head; and inferior to the Father as touching ries of atonement. Esotericists also affirm a his Manhood. . . . One; not by conversion of “hypostatic union,” albeit with a slight re- the Godhead into flesh; but by assumption of 153 definition of that term. They regard Christ as the Manhood into God.” one who combined divine and human na- Esotericists’ reluctance to discuss the resur- tures—before, during and after the period rection and their silence on the post- when he overshadowed Jesus. Leadbeater, resurrection appearance of Christ are impedi- who emphasized Christ’s identity with the ments to convergence with Christian doctrine. Second Aspect of the Logos also described They will have to address those issues and

54 Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly, 2012. Winter 2012 offer constructive suggestions. Traditional She added: Christians proclaim, with Paul: “[I]f Christ be We need to awaken faith in the factual na- not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your ture of divine revelation, and galvanize the faith is also vain.”154 church of Christ into a truer appreciation The notion that Jesus and the Christ parted of Him and of His work. It is the living, near the end of the Palestinian mission to per- acting, thinking Christ with whom we form distinct planetary roles could be unset- must deal, remembering always that the tling for traditional Christians on two counts. Gospel story is eternally true and only They would be concerned about its impact on needs re-interpreting in the light of its worship of the one they consider their risen place in the long succession of divine reve- Lord, “sitting at the right hand of the Father.” lations. His Mission on earth two thousand And members of sacramental churches might years ago is a part of that continuity and is well feel that any suggestion that Christ did not an extraordinary story, having no rela- not die on the cross would undermine the va- tion to the past, emphasizing a period of lidity of the Eucharist. only 33 years and presenting no clear hope for the future.158 To help alleviate the first concern esotericists need to emphasize that, according to trans- Like traditional Christians, esotericists look Himalayan teachings, the Master Jesus retains forward to Christ’s second coming, or “reap- special responsibility for Christianity and the pearance.” But the two sides are far apart in Christ has overall responsibility for world re- describing the form it will take and the cir- ligions. They should also point out the divine cumstances in which it will happen. Esoteri- stature of the Christ and also the deification of cists reject suggestions that Jesus will reap- Jesus by virtue of his high initiation. The issue pear, except perhaps in the general externali- of the Eucharist involves many factors, in- zation of the Hierarchy; it is the Christ who cluding whether the real presence should refer will reappear. They totally discount the apoca- to the Christ rather than Jesus, and whether lyptic scenarios, promoted by “end-times” the sacrificial intent of the Eucharist actually fundamentalists. requires Christ’s death on the cross. These Esotericists reject notions that the Christ will issues are too complex to be resolved here, reappear to restore order to an unruly world. but Christians should be reassured by the writ- Rather, they envision humanity as capable and ings of Leadbeater and Geoffrey Hodson, who responsible for responding to the message of were priests in the Liberal Catholic Church as Christ’s earlier appearance and taking definite well as Theosophists. They affirmed not only strides towards the implementation of univer- the real presence in the Eucharist but also the sal love, brotherhood/sisterhood, sharing, and concept of transubstantiation.155 group consciousness. The Christ, esotericists Traditional Christians revere Jesus Christ as affirm, will reappear only when humanity has head of the church.156 Yet such a depiction put its house in order and can provide an envi- may underestimate the importance of his ronment in which he could carry out a mean- work. To quote Bailey, the Christ of Christi- ingful mission. anity We do not know when or where the Christ has been for two thousand years a silent, will reappear. Nor do we know what specific passive Figure, hidden behind a multitude form the reappearance will take, though there of words written by a multitude of men are suggestions that his presence will be ex- (commentators and preachers). The church pressed in groups of people as well as in an has pointed us to the dying Christ upon the individual body. Moreover, we are told that Cross and not to the living, working, ac- the Christ will be overshadowed by a still tive, present Christ Who has been with us higher entity, the Avatar of Synthesis.159 Per- in bodily Presence (according to His prom- haps we can see a parallel here with the de- ise) for twenty centuries.157

Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly 55 The Esoteric Quarterly scent, foretold by Christ, of the Holy Spirit on redemptive mission. The meaning of “re- the disciples at Pentecost. demption” is of course debated, and Chris- tians themselves hold widely different views Concluding Remarks on that issue. While esotericists—along with his article has examined the depictions of many modern Christians—regard penal theo- T Jesus the Christ and his mission offered ries of atonement as repugnant, they can find by traditional Christian doctrine and by mod- considerable merit in the Eastern Orthodox ern esoteric teachings. Comparison reveals view that Christ’s mission was one of healing, areas of fundamental disagreement but also transformation, and theosis. Some Orthodox greater consensus than might have been antic- theologians have suggested that Christ came ipated. to unlock humanity’s latent divinity. Esoteri- cists would go farther to depict Christ’s mis- Not surprisingly, a major obstacle to mutual sion as one of planetary initiation. understanding is terminology. Theologians in the early church went to considerable lengths Christians and esotericists can agree that Jesus to craft language to express the doctrines be- and the Christ—envisioned as united or dis- ing formulated. Their efforts were not entirely tinct—continue to guide religion, with special successful; differences between Greek and emphasis on Christianity. Although the two Latin terms were always problematic, and sides would differ on detail, they could also uncertainties remained even within the eastern agree that a major new intervention in human and western churches. Precisely what the doc- affairs lies ahead. trinal formulations meant or implied was nev- Hindering further convergence is the issue of er quite clear, and their meaning has not been whether divine revelation ended with scrip- clarified by the passage of time. Sadly, eccle- ture, capable only of subsequent interpretation siastical authorities locked themselves into and clarification, or whether new knowledge notions of infallibility, limiting the opportuni- has been revealed as humanity became capa- ty for new insights. As a result the major ble of assimilating and utilizing it. Esotericists Christian denominations are committed to take the latter viewpoint, insisting on the pos- dogmas based on a Greco-Roman world view sibility of new revelation and new insights. at variance with modern scientific, philosoph- The problem is determining how we can dis- ical, sociological, and psychological opinion. cern authentic revelation. Esotericists believe Esoteric teachings are not homogeneous ei- that modern esoteric teachings flowed from ther. Differences are found between the teach- sources high in the Planetary Hierarchy. Yet ings of Rudolf Steiner and Max Heindel, on they struggle, as do many others, to discrimi- the one hand, and trans-Himalayan teachings, nate among competing claims and distinguish on the other; some differences exist between meaningful knowledge from dangerous misin- the Theosophists and Alice Bailey. Neverthe- formation and trivia. less, all agree that Jesus and the Christ had This article does not claim to supply all the distinct origins and separated at or near the answers relating to Christology. Moreover, time of the crucifixion. Steiner and Heindel Christology is just one area separating tradi- regarded the Christ as a solar spirit or archan- tional Christians from esotericists. But estab- gel. Trans-Himalayan teachers regarded him lishing a conversation in this area is essential as a member of the human lifestream, whose if more comprehensive bridging endeavors are divinity was expressed through high initiation. to succeed. While the challenges should not They also assert that he carried out his Pales- be underestimated, the benefits could be sub- tinian mission through a mandate from the stantial; some two billion people identify Planetary or Solar Logos. themselves as Christian. The hope is that Traditional Christians and esotericists can practicing Christians will feel more comforta- agree that divine and human natures were ble when they venture into esoteric studies, jointly expressed by Jesus Christ during his and that esotericists will feel more comforta-

56 Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly, 2012. Winter 2012 ble expressing their understanding of reality in Christian language and images. The poten- work more closely reflects Rosicrucian tradi- tial for success is particularly great at this tion. time, as Christianity moves beyond its Paul- 4 Heindel was sometimes accused of plagiarizing ine, Sixth Ray character and esotericism reas- Steiner’s work, but he attributed his infor- sesses its own idealism. mation to “Elder Brothers of the Rose Cross” whom he first encountered in 1908. Moreover, The goal should not be to find a lowest com- Heindel provided insights not found in Stei- mon denominator to which each side could ner’s lectures and books grudgingly subscribe. We need to build a 5 “Trans-Himalayan teachings” owe their origins larger, more inclusive truth. Synthesis of to certain masters, or adepts, in Tibet and India. Christological understanding may not be at- They were communicated to a western audi- tainable on the intellectual level, where both ence by Helena Blavatsky, other members of Christian doctrine and esoteric teachings cur- the Theosophical Society, Helena Roerich, and Alice Bailey. rently reside, but it may be possible at the 6 buddhic, or intuitional, level. The fact that The first edition of Besant’s Esoteric Christi- esotericists find more in common with East- anity was published in Adyar, India. Besant’s discussion of the symbolism of the incarnation ern Orthodoxy than with western Christianity and the atonement owes much to Kingsford. may reflect the emphasis placed on mystical 7 Matthew 16:14. All scriptural citations are theology in the Orthodox churches. Christi- from the King James Bible. anity’s own esoteric tradition lies primarily in 8 Since our objective is to capture mainstream mysticism and mystical theology. Christian beliefs, challenges to the scriptural record are not considered herein. The history of western Christianity can point 9 For example, Mark 10:47; Matthew 15:22; to examples of important internal synthesis, Luke 19:47. and perhaps we can find inspiration in the 10 For example, Matthew 16:16. work of the 16th-century Anglican clergyman 11 Self-reference is evident in Mathew 12:40 and Richard Hooker. He steered his church onto Luke 18:31 but less clear in Mark 8:38 and the via media, or “middle road,” between John 1:51. 12 Roman Catholicism and continental Protes- For example, Mark 7:28; Matthew 8:2. 13 tantism, building on the strengths of each For example, Mark 3:11; Matthew 14:33. “Un- while avoiding its respective weaknesses. clean spirits” are customarily interpreted as “[I]n a time of bitter controversy,” his admir- demons. 14 1 Corinthians 15:45. ers declared, Hooker achieved “not a com- 15 Hebrews 4:14-5:10. promise for the sake of peace, but . . . a com- 16 For example, 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5; 5:23-28. 160 prehension for the sake of truth.” 17 Ibid., 143-145. 18 Gerald O’Collins, Christology: A Biblical, His- torical, and Systematic Study of Jesus,” 2/e (Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press, 2009), 142. 19 1 Philippians 2:6-11. A popular view is that Jesus was a social or 20 Romans 1:4. political activist. 21 2 Mark 1:11. Anna Kingsford served briefly as president of 22 John 1:1-14. Elsewhere (e.g., Luke 4:36; the London Lodge of the Theosophical Society 10:39), “logos” refers to words of power ut- and later founded the Hermetic Society, a fore- tered by Jesus. runner of the Golden Dawn. She did not sub- 23 Christian historian Eusebius of Caesarea was scribe to the mahatmas’ teachings, so valued so impressed with Philo that he declared him to by the Theosophists in India, and died the year be a church father! Helena Blavatsky published The Secret Doc- 24 John 1:2. trine. 25 3 Athenagoras of Athens, A Plea For the Chris- Steiner served as head of the German section tians §X, trans. B. Pratten, Early Christian of the Theosophical Society, but he never ab- Writings. sorbed much of the Society’s teachings, and his

26 In a parallel metamorphosis, the grammatically withstanding, the anathemas are routinely cited feminine Chokmah took on masculine qualities to refute not only pre-existence of the soul but in the Kabbalah. also reincarnation. 27 Ecumenical councils contrast with regional 46 Luke 17:19. councils, or synods, attended by bishops in a 47 Some scholars have argued that Paul either did particular region and whose resolutions were not know of, or ignored, the real message of binding only in that region. Christ. He referred surprisingly little to 28 William P. DuBose, The Ecumenical Councils Christ’s ministry prior to the crucifixion. But it (Edinburgh: Clark, 1897), 223-241. should be noted that the gospels were written 29 First Council of Nicaea, “Profession of Faith,” after Paul’s death. §1. Citations from the ecumenical councils are 48 1 Corinthians 15:3, 22. See also 1 Peter 2:21- all taken from Norman P. Tanner, ed. & trans. 24. Decrees of the Ecumenical Councils, vol. 1, 49 Some said the ransom was paid to God, others Washington, DC: Georgetown Univ. Press, to Satan. 1990. 50 An influential book exploring the notion of http://www.papalencyclicals.net/Councils/, last Christ’s victory over death was Gustav Aulén’s accessed Nov. 9. 2011. Christus Victor (London: SPCK, 1931). 30 First Council of Constantinople, “Exposition of 51 Anselm of Canterbury, Cur Deus Homo (“Why the 150 Fathers.” God [Became] Man”), c.1097 CE. 31 Ibid., “Letter of the Bishops.” 52 Thomas Aquinas, Shorter Summa, trans. C. 32 Council of Ephesus, “Twelve Anathemas.” Vollert (Manchester, NH: Sophia Institute 33 Ibid., “Formula of Union.” Press) §231, 297. 34 Ibid., “Third Letter of Cyril to Nestorius.” 53 Ware, The Orthodox Church, 219-220, 223. 35 Council of Chalcedon, “Definition of the 54 “Salvation” and “salve” come from sōtēria via Faith.” the late Latin salvationem. 36 Second Council of Constantinople, “Anathe- 55 Vladimir Lossky, The Mystical Theology of the mas Against the ‘Three Chapters’,” §2. Eastern Church, trans. anon., (Crestwood, NY: 37 Ibid., §9. St Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1944/1976), 38 Third Council of Constantinople, “Exposition 153. of Faith.” 56 Ibid., 155. 39 O’Collins, Christology, 177-180. 57 2 Peter 1:4. 40 Ibid., 185-186. 58 J. A. McGuckin, “The Strategic Adaptation of 41 Ibid., 183. Theologians cite the etymology of Deification,” Partakers of the Divine Nature prosōpon/persona to suggest that a person of (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2008), the Trinity is the mouthpiece through which a 105-107. particular quality of the Godhead speaks. 59 Ibid., 107. 42 After the primeval catastrophe the divine ves- 60 John 1:14. sels were not repaired directly. Instead, five di- 61 Sergei Bulgakov, The Lamb of God, 1933, vine “personifications,” or partzufim (singular trans: B. Jakim (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans partzuf) were created. In a second stage the Publ. Co., 2008), 187. partzufim were organized into the familiar ten 62 Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church, sephiroth. ch. 11, §123. Online: 43 Philippians 2:7. http://www.ccel.org/s/schaff/history/2_ch11.ht 44 O’Collins, Christology, 173-174. Italicization m, last accessed Nov. 9, 2011. in original. 63 Ibid. 45 The Anathematisms of the Emperor Justinian 64 Theodore of Mopsuestia, Commentary on the Against Origen. Nicene Creed. trans. A. Mingana. http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf214.xii.x.h http://www.tertullian.org/fathers/theodore_of_ tml#fnf_xii.x-p1.2, last accessed Nov. 9, 2011. mopsuestia_nicene_02_text.htm, last accessed The emperor’s anathemas of Origen are often Nov. 9, 2011. attributed to the Second Council of Constanti- 65 Nestorianism is relevant to our theme only nople, which he convened. But no record exists because it contributed to the debate over the that they were ever put to a vote, and they do hypostatic union. Neither it nor monophysitism not appear in the council’s proceedings. Not-

can be considered an esoteric branch of Chris- encreutz but followed Steiner’s lead in their tianity. depiction of Christ. 66 Jakob Böhme, Four Tables of Divine Revela- 86 Heindel, The Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception, tion. Reproduced in Robin Waterfield, ed., Ja- part III, ch. xv. Trans-Himalayan teachings do cob Boehme (Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic not recognize a “Sun period.” They identify the Books, 2001), 214-239. previous phases of the planet’s evolution as an 67 Phineas P. Quimby, essay, “The Body of Jesus unnamed Chain 1, the Venus Chain, and the and the Body of Christ,” Quimby Resource Moon Chain. Center, 1863. 87 Bailey, Initiation: Human and Solar, 43. See 68 Alice A. Bailey, Initiation: Human and Solar also Charles W. Leadbeater, Christian Gnosis (New York: Lucis Publishing Company, 1922), (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publ. House, 56. c.1923/2011), 112. This work was first pub- 69 Annie W. Besant, Esoteric Christianity, reprint lished in 1983, long after Leadbeater’s death. (Wheaton, IL: Quest Books, 1914/2006), 69. 88 Besant & Leadbeater, Man: Whence, How and 70 Max Heindel, The Rosicrucian Cosmo- Wither, 77. Conception, 1910, part III, ch. xv. 89 Bailey, Esoteric Psychology II , 210. http://www.rosicrucian.com/rcc/rcceng00.htm, 90 Bailey, The Externalization of the Hierarchy last accessed Nov. 9, 2011. (New York: Lucis, 1957), 557. Elsewhere Bai- 71 Steiner, lecture, Berlin, Nov. 1913. ley seems less sure that the Christ incarnated as 72 Rudolf Steiner, lecture, Berlin, Nov. 18, 1913, Krishna. See The Reappearance of the Christ The Fifth Gospel, trans. A. R. Meuss, 3/e (For- (New York: Lucis, 1948), 107; The Rays and est Row, U.K.: R. Steiner Press, 1995), 222. the Initiations (New York: Lucis, 1960), 254. 73 Philippians 2:7. 91 See for example Bailey, Initiation: Human and 74 Sandra Hodson, ed., Illuminations of the Mys- Solar, 43. tery Tradition (Manila, Philippines: Theosoph- 92 Annie W. Besant & Charles W. Leadbeater, ical Publ. House, 1992), 258. Man: Whence, How and Wither (Adyar, India: 75 Bailey, Initiation: Human and Solar, 56-57. Theosophical Publ. House, 1913/1971), 78. Jesus and Apollonius were close contemporar- See also Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the ies; the latter’s birth is placed as early as 15 New Age II (New York: Lucis, 1955), 596. Ac- CE, whereas Jesus is believed to have died in cording to early Theosophist Alfred P. Sinnett, 30 CE. So their incarnations may have over- Maitreya will become the Buddha for the sixth lapped. Overlapping incarnations may not be root race. See his Esoteric Buddhism (London: possible for ordinary people, but Tibetan Bud- Theosophical Publ. House, 1883/1972), 130. dhism speaks of bodhisattvas and even high 93 See for example Leadbeater, Christian Gnosis, lamas incarnating simultaneously in two or 106-107. more bodies. 94 Helena P. Blavatsky, The Secret Doctrine I 76 Bailey, Initiation: Human and Solar, 56. (Theosophical Univ. Press, 1888), 246. 77 Charles W. Leadbeater, The Masters and the 95 John A. T. Robinson, Honest to God (London: Path (Adyar, India: Theosophical Publ. House, John Knox, 1963). Robinson was the Anglican 1925/1953), 42. bishop of Woolwich, England. 78 Besant, Esoteric Christianity, 74. 96 Bailey, The Externalization of the Hierarchy, 79 Bailey, Initiation: Human and Solar, 57. 397. 80 Ibid. 97 Bailey, Initiation: Human and Solar, 43. 81 Alice A. Bailey, The Destiny of the Nations 98 Ibid., 44. (New York: Lucis, 1949), 59. 99 John F. Nash, “Sanat Kumara,” The Beacon, 82 Ibid. March/April 2002, 13-20. John F. Nash, The 83 Anna B. Kingsford, lecture, London, July Soul and Its Destiny (Bloomington, IN: Autho- 1881, Clothed with the Sun, 2/e (London: Wat- rhouse), 83-84. kins, 1889), 103. 100 Bailey, The Destiny of the Nations, 38. 84 Besant, Esoteric Christianity, 91ff. 101 Alice A. Bailey, Esoteric Psychology II (New 85 Steiner did not acknowledge the existence of a York: Lucis, 1942), 60. hierarchy of masters; consequently he assigned 102 Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age II, 468. higher beings to the angelic hierarchy. Rosi- 103 Bailey, The Externalization of the Hierarchy, crucians recognize masters like Christian Ros- 347.

104 Ibid., 605-606. 133 Bailey, The Externalization of the Hierarchy, 105 Ibid., 299. 400-401. Parenthesis in original. 106 Heindel, The Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception, 134 Bailey, Initiation: Human and Solar, 471. part III, ch. xv. 135 Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age II, 405, 107 Bailey, The Destiny of the Nations, 39. Paren- 426. Parenthesis in original. thesis in original. 136 Ibid. 108 Luke 1:35; Matthew 17:5. 137 Bailey, The Reappearance of the Christ, 13-14. 109 Bailey, The Externalization of the Hierarchy, 138 Bailey, The Externalization of the Hierarchy, 307 161-162. 110 Ibid. 139 Bailey, The Reappearance of the Christ, 122. 111 Bailey, The Rays and the Initiations, 730. 140 Bailey, The Externalization of the Hierarchy, 112 Leadbeater, Christian Gnosis, 143-147. Lead- 402ff. beater explained Jesus’ death and resurrection 141 Bailey, A Treatise on White Magic, 339-340. in terms of Egyptian initiation rites. He also 142 Bailey, The Externalization of the Hierarchy, declared that Jesus was stoned to death, not 401. crucified. Since Leadbeater left the work un- 143 Mark 5:7; Matthew 11:25. published, we do not know whether those 144 Scientists even speak of an infinity of other statements represented his considered opinion. universes, with which we shall never come into 113 John 20:20–29. contact. 114 1 Corinthians 15:44. 145 Terminology is once again problematic. How- 115 Bailey, The Externalization of the Hierarchy, ever, “Second Aspect” does not imply Sabelli- 697. See also Alice A. Bailey, A Treatise on anism or modalism; nor does “Second Logos” Cosmic Fire (New York: Lucis, 1925), 772. imply tritheism. 116 Alice A. Bailey, The Rays and the Initiations 146 Kingsford & Maitland, The Perfect Way, 297. (New York: Lucis, 1960), 730. 147 Bailey, Initiation, Human and Solar, 22. 117 Ibid., 83-84. 148 Leadbeater, Christian Gnosis, 117. 118 Anna Kingsford & Edward Maitland, The Per- 149 “Consciousness,” normally considered to be a fect Way, or the Finding of Christ (London: soul attribute, may not be the appropriate term Field & Tuer, 3/e, 1890), 96-97. to describe monadic awareness. See for exam- 119 Ibid., 113. ple Nash, The Soul and Its Destiny, 266-270. 120 Ibid., 106. 150 See the discussion in Jean-Pierre Torrell, Saint 121 Charles W. Leadbeater, The Science of the Sac- Thomas Aquinas: the Person and His Work, raments (Adyar, India: Theosophical Publ. rev. ed. (Washington, DC: Catholic Univ. of House, 1920), especially 198-199. America, 2005), vol. 1, 190. 122 Steiner, lecture, Berlin, Nov. 1913. 151 Leadbeater, Christian Gnosis, 116. 123 Kingsford & Maitland, The Perfect Way, 176. 152 See the extensive discussion in Bulgakov, The 124 Dion Fortune, Applied Magic (Wellingbor- Lamb of God, 213–47. ough, U.K.: Aquarian Press, 1962), 20-21. 153 Leadbeater, Christian Gnosis, 116-117. 125 Besant, Esoteric Christianity, 89. 154 1 Corinthians 15:14. 126 Bailey, Initiation: Human and Solar, 28-29. 155 Leadbeater, The Science of the Sacraments, 23, 127 Besant, Esoteric Christianity, 109-110. Echo- 119, 179. Also Sandra Hodson, ed., Light of ing one of Kingsford’s themes, Besant related the Sanctuary (Manila, Philippines: Theosoph- the “veil of matter” to the Cosmic Mary, the ical Publishers, 1988), 104. World Mother. 156 Roman Catholics view the pope as Christ’s 128 Kingsford & Maitland, The Perfect Way, 188. “vicar on Earth” and temporal head of the 129 Alice A. Bailey, Education in the New Age church. (New York: Lucis, 1954), 53. 157 Bailey, The Reappearance of the Christ, 64. 130 Bailey, The Destiny of the Nations, 140-141. 158 Ibid. 131 Bailey, The Externalization of the Hierarchy, 159 Bailey, The Externalization of the Hierarchy, 511-512, 590. 303. 132 Bailey, Initiation: Human and Solar, 46-47. 160 Collect for Nov. 3, feast of Richard Hooker, The Mahachohan heads up the great Third Ray Book of Common Prayer. The outcome of ashram, under which are major ashrams ex- Hooker’s efforts was the emergence of Angli- pressing the fourth-through-seventh rays. canism as a distinct branch of sacramental

Christianity. For a discussion of the via media and related issues see John F. Nash, The Sac- ramental Church (Eugene OR: Wipf & Stock, 2011), especially 47-48, 120.