DOI: 10.15774/PPKE.BTK.2020.012 Pázmány Péter Katolikus Egyetem Bölcsészet- és Társadalomtudományi Kar Történelemtudományi Doktori Iskola Vezet ője: Dr. Őze Sándor DSc Enyedi Tamás Újrahasznosított vallások: Egyiptom a századforduló Hermetikus és Thelemikus gondolkodásában Doktori (PhD) Értekezés Témavezet ők: Dr. Mezei Balázs DSc Dr. Bácskay András PhD Budapest,2019 DOI: 10.15774/PPKE.BTK.2020.012 Pázmány Péter Catholic University Faculty of Humanities and Social Studies Doctoral School of History Head of Doctoral School: Dr. Őze Sándor DSc Tamás Enyedi Recycled Religions: Egypt in Fin de Siécle Hermetic and Thelemic Thought Doctoral (PhD) Dissertation Supervisors : Dr. Mezei Balázs DSc Dr. Bácskay András Budapest, 2019. DOI: 10.15774/PPKE.BTK.2020.012 Table of Contents Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 1 Method, Sources, and Assumptions ........................................................................................... 7 The Occult Revival and History of the Golden Dawn ............................................................. 14 Disenchantment and the decline of religion ......................................................................... 14 Was there an Occult Revival? .............................................................................................. 20 Esoteric trends of the late nineteenth century ...................................................................... 25 An occult genealogy ............................................................................................................. 33 The Reception of Egypt ........................................................................................................ 37 Which Egypt it is? ................................................................................................................ 44 Sources, Influences, Beliefs and Ideas ..................................................................................... 47 Freemasonry ......................................................................................................................... 48 Theosophy ............................................................................................................................ 49 Kabbala ................................................................................................................................. 51 Hermeticism ......................................................................................................................... 53 Rosicrucianism ..................................................................................................................... 56 Egypt .................................................................................................................................... 58 Changes in approach to magic.............................................................................................. 71 Rituals, lectures, and other materials ....................................................................................... 74 The process of initiation ....................................................................................................... 74 Clothing and ritual implements ............................................................................................ 76 Neophyte .............................................................................................................................. 78 The Z documents interpretation ........................................................................................... 81 Zelator .................................................................................................................................. 87 Theoricus .............................................................................................................................. 87 Practicus ............................................................................................................................... 89 Philosophus .......................................................................................................................... 89 DOI: 10.15774/PPKE.BTK.2020.012 Equinox Ceremony ............................................................................................................... 90 Second Order ........................................................................................................................ 91 Ritual of the Portal of the Vault of the Adepti ..................................................................... 92 Adeptus Minor ...................................................................................................................... 93 Adeptus Maior and subsequent grades ................................................................................. 96 Consecration of the Vault of the Adepti ............................................................................. 100 The place and function of Egyptiana in the Rituals ........................................................... 101 The teachings of the grades of the Golden Dawn .............................................................. 104 Some notes and conclusions ............................................................................................... 109 Afterlife .............................................................................................................................. 114 Aleister Crowley, Thelema and Egypt ................................................................................... 117 Childhood and school years ............................................................................................... 117 University and the mystical awakening ............................................................................. 121 Member of the Golden Dawn ............................................................................................. 123 Looking for a road to travel ................................................................................................ 125 The Book of the Law .......................................................................................................... 127 Liber AL vel Legis ................................................................................................................. 133 Functions of the text ........................................................................................................... 133 The Stele of Revealing ....................................................................................................... 135 The structure of the Book of the Law ................................................................................. 136 Thelemic gods and their Egyptian counterparts ................................................................. 138 Other Egyptian elements in the Book of the Law ............................................................... 143 Conclusions ............................................................................................................................ 152 Bibliography ........................................................................................................................... 156 Primary Sources: ................................................................................................................ 156 Monographs: ....................................................................................................................... 159 Articles: .............................................................................................................................. 167 DOI: 10.15774/PPKE.BTK.2020.012 Summary ................................................................................................................................ 171 Összefoglaló ........................................................................................................................... 172 DOI: 10.15774/PPKE.BTK.2020.012 Introduction In 2017 a hidden war was raging in Nevada, between a faction of self-described witches and an “ancient secret order” called the Alpha Omega Rosicrucian Mystery School. The conflict broke out when Michael M. Hughes organized a gathering of witches and supporters in an effort to perform a ritual with the intent of cursing the Trump administration. This was dubbed as a group of satanic terrorists by David Griffin, leader of the A Ω, who vowed to protect the President with magic as well. In the ensuing conflict casualties amounted to a totaled Jaguar limousine and the death of a dog, all caused by magical attacks, according to Griffin. The events of this war reached the greater audience in the form of some articles in tabloids but otherwise the whole set of events would be unnoticeable. Save for one thing. The organization Alpha Omega, and David Griffin as well claims lineage to the nineteenth century Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, as the successor of MacGregor Mathers, initiated by the Secret Chiefs in that same tradition, clad in crimson robe with a golden nemyss, ankh, crook and scourge in hand. This group is one of the many successor organizations with some form of purported lineage to the most influential magical order of the turn of the century Britain. 1 The nineteenth century brought interesting changes to the field of Western esotericism, both in theory and in practice. The effects of these changes can still be felt in today’s esoteric sphere, popular culture, art, and