Esoteric Christianity is an ensemble of spiritual currents which regard Christianity as a mystery religion, and profess the existence and possession of certain esoteric doctrines or practices, hidden from the public but accessible only to a narrow circle of "enlightened", "initiated", or highly educated people.
These spiritual currents share some common denominators, such as:
- heterodox or heretical Christian theology;
- the four canonical gospels, various apocalyptic literature, and some New Testament apocrypha as sacred texts; and
- disciplina arcani, a supposed oral tradition from the Twelve Apostles containing esoteric teachings of Jesus the Christ.
Read more about Esoteric Christianity: Mystery Religion, Ancient Roots, Early Modern Forms, Modern Forms
Famous quotes containing the words esoteric and/or christianity:
“It is an esoteric doctrine of society that a little wickedness is good to make muscle; as if conscience were not good for hands and legs.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“Give me Catholicism every time. Father Cheeryble with his thurible; Father Chatterjee with his liturgy. What fun they have with all their charades and conundrums! If it weren’t for the Christianity they insist on mixing in with it, I’d be converted tomorrow.”
—Aldous Huxley (1894–1963)