Cambridge University Press 978-0-521-50983-1 - The Cambridge Handbook of Western Mysticism and Esotericism Edited by Glenn Alexander Magee Frontmatter More information THE CAMBRIDGE HANDBOOK OF WESTERN MYSTICISM AND ESOTERICISM Mysticism and esotericism are two intimately related strands of the Western tradition. Despite their close connections, however, scholars tend to treat them separately. Whereas the study of Western mysticism enjoys a long and established history, Western esotericism is a young field. The Cambridge Handbook of Western Mysticism and Esotericism examines both of these traditions together. The volume demonstrates that the roots of esotericism almost always lead back to mystical traditions, while the work of mystics was bound up with esoteric or occult preoccupations. It also shows why mysticism and esotericism must be examined together if either is to be understood fully. Including contributions by leading scholars,thisvolumefeaturesessaysonsuchtopicsasalchemy,astrology,magic, Neoplatonism,Kabbalism,RenaissanceHermetism,Freemasonry,Rosicrucianism, number symbolism, Christian theosophy, spiritualism, and much more. This handbook serves as both a capstone of contemporary scholarship and a corner- stone of future research. Glenn Alexander Magee is Professor and Chairman of the Department of Philosophy at the C. W. Post Campus of Long Island University. He is the author of Hegel and the Hermetic Tradition (2001) and The Hegel Dictionary (2011), as well as many articles on German philosophy and its connections with mysti- cism and esotericism. © in this web service Cambridge University Press www.cambridge.org Cambridge University Press 978-0-521-50983-1 - The Cambridge Handbook of Western Mysticism and Esotericism Edited by Glenn Alexander Magee Frontmatter More information © in this web service Cambridge University Press www.cambridge.org Cambridge University Press 978-0-521-50983-1 - The Cambridge Handbook of Western Mysticism and Esotericism Edited by Glenn Alexander Magee Frontmatter More information THE CAMBRIDGE HANDBOOK OF WESTERN MYSTICISM AND ESOTERICISM M Edited by GLENN ALEXANDER MAGEE Long Island University © in this web service Cambridge University Press www.cambridge.org Cambridge University Press 978-0-521-50983-1 - The Cambridge Handbook of Western Mysticism and Esotericism Edited by Glenn Alexander Magee Frontmatter More information 32 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10013-2473, USA Cambridge University Press is part of the University of Cambridge. It furthers the University’s mission by disseminating knowledge in the pursuit of education, learning, and research at the highest international levels of excellence. www.cambridge.org Information on this title: www.cambridge.org/9780521509831 © Cambridge University Press 2016 This publication is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception and to the provisions of relevant collective licensing agreements, no reproduction of any part may take place without the written permission of Cambridge University Press. First published 2016 Printed in the United States of America by Sheridan Books, Inc. A catalog record for this publication is available from the British Library. Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Magee, Glenn Alexander, 1966– editor. The Cambridge handbook of western mysticism and esotericism / edited by Glenn Alexander Magee. New York : Cambridge University Press, 2016. | Includes index. LCCN 2015042979 | ISBN 9780521509831 LCSH: Mysticism – History. | Occultism – History. LCC BF1999 .C3533 2016 | DDC 130–dc23 LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2015042979 ISBN 978-0-521-50983-1 Hardback Cambridge University Press has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for external or third-party Internet Web sites referred to in this publication, and does not guarantee that any content on such Web sites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate. © in this web service Cambridge University Press www.cambridge.org Cambridge University Press 978-0-521-50983-1 - The Cambridge Handbook of Western Mysticism and Esotericism Edited by Glenn Alexander Magee Frontmatter More information To Michael Murphy © in this web service Cambridge University Press www.cambridge.org Cambridge University Press 978-0-521-50983-1 - The Cambridge Handbook of Western Mysticism and Esotericism Edited by Glenn Alexander Magee Frontmatter More information © in this web service Cambridge University Press www.cambridge.org Cambridge University Press 978-0-521-50983-1 - The Cambridge Handbook of Western Mysticism and Esotericism Edited by Glenn Alexander Magee Frontmatter More information CONTENTS Acknowledgments page xi Editor’s Introduction xiii List of contributors xxxvii i antiquity 1 1 Ancient Mysteries 3 Charles Stein 2 Pythagoras and Pythagoreanism 13 Joscelyn Godwin 3 Parmenides and Empedocles 26 Jessica Elbert Decker and Matthew Mayock 4 Plato, Plotinus, and Neoplatonism 38 Gwenaëlle Aubry 5 Hermetism and Gnosticism 49 Roelof van den Broek 6 Early Jewish Mysticism 59 Daphna Arbel 7 Early Christian Mysticism 69 April D. DeConick ii the middle ages 81 8 Sufism 83 William C. Chittick 9 Kabbalah 95 Brian Ogren 10 Medieval Christian Mysticism 107 Bruce Milem vii © in this web service Cambridge University Press www.cambridge.org Cambridge University Press 978-0-521-50983-1 - The Cambridge Handbook of Western Mysticism and Esotericism Edited by Glenn Alexander Magee Frontmatter More information viii Contents 11 Hildegard of Bingen and Women’s Mysticism 118 Anne L. Clark iii the renaissance and early modernity 131 12 Renaissance Hermetism 133 Antoine Faivre 13 Christian Kabbalah 143 Peter J. Forshaw 14 Paracelsianism 156 Bruce T. Moran 15 Rosicrucianism 171 Hereward Tilton 16 Jacob Boehme and Christian Theosophy 184 Glenn Alexander Magee 17 Freemasonry 200 Jan A. M. Snoek 18 Swedenborg and Swedenborgianism 211 Jane Williams-Hogan 19 Mesmer and Animal Magnetism 223 Adam Crabtree iv the nineteenth century and beyond 235 20 Spiritualism 237 Cathy Gutierrez 21 H. P. Blavatsky and Theosophy 248 Michael Gomes 22 Rudolf Steiner and Anthroposophy 260 Robert McDermott 23 The Golden Dawn and the O.T.O. 272 Egil Asprem 24 G. I. Gurdjieff and the Fourth Way 284 Glenn Alexander Magee 25 C. G. Jung and Jungianism 297 Gerhard Wehr 26 René Guénon and Traditionalism 308 Mark Sedgwick 27 Via Negativa in the Twentieth Century 322 Arthur Versluis © in this web service Cambridge University Press www.cambridge.org Cambridge University Press 978-0-521-50983-1 - The Cambridge Handbook of Western Mysticism and Esotericism Edited by Glenn Alexander Magee Frontmatter More information Contents ix 28 Contemporary Paganism 334 Chas S. Clifton 29 The New Age 344 Olav Hammer v common threads 357 30 Alchemy 359 Lawrence M. Principe 31 Astrology 372 Kocku von Stuckrad 32 Gnosis 381 Wouter J. Hanegraaff 33 Magic 393 Wouter J. Hanegraaff 34 Mathematical Esotericism 405 Jean-Pierre Brach 35 Panpsychism 417 Lee Irwin 36 Sexuality 429 Hugh B. Urban Suggestions for Further Reading 441 Index 463 © in this web service Cambridge University Press www.cambridge.org Cambridge University Press 978-0-521-50983-1 - The Cambridge Handbook of Western Mysticism and Esotericism Edited by Glenn Alexander Magee Frontmatter More information © in this web service Cambridge University Press www.cambridge.org Cambridge University Press 978-0-521-50983-1 - The Cambridge Handbook of Western Mysticism and Esotericism Edited by Glenn Alexander Magee Frontmatter More information ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The idea for this volume grew out of discussions over meals at a week-long academic conference on Western esotericism, held at the Esalen Institute in May 2007. I would therefore like to thank, first of all, conference organizers Jeffrey J. Kripal and Wouter J. Hanegraaff – particularly the latter. It was in conversation with Professor Hanegraaff that I originally floated the idea of proposing a volume on Western esotericism to Cambridge. He encouraged me to do so, but the scope of the volume was later widened to include mysticism as well. Thus, what began as a proposal for a modest collection of about a dozen or so essays grew into the large volume that you now hold in your hands. Everything that happens at Esalen is due, directly or indirectly, to the generosity and inspiring influence of its “innkeeper,” Michael Murphy. Without Mike, there would have been no conference, no conversations, and no book. Thus, I dedicate this volume to him. For advice and guidance in the selection of authors and other matters, I must thank, again, Wouter Hanegraaff and Jeff Kripal, and also David Appelbaum, Antoine Faivre, Joscelyn Godwin, Lee Irwin, Peter Kingsley, Peter Manchester, Robert McDermott, Bernard McGinn, Barbara Newman, Frank Sinclair, and Arthur Versluis. Thanks are also owed to Beatrice Rehl, my editor at Cambridge, for her support, good humor, and patience. Indeed, I must thank the contributors for their patience as well, since this project has been plagued by many setbacks and delays. Now that it has finally come to fruition, I hope that everyone involved will consider it worth the wait. G.A.M. New York City July 2015 xi © in this web service Cambridge University Press www.cambridge.org Cambridge University Press 978-0-521-50983-1 - The Cambridge Handbook of Western Mysticism and Esotericism Edited by Glenn Alexander Magee Frontmatter More information © in this web service Cambridge University Press www.cambridge.org Cambridge University Press 978-0-521-50983-1 - The Cambridge Handbook of Western Mysticism and Esotericism