Esoteric discourse and the European history of religion: in search of a new interpretational framework
Scripta Instituti Donneriani Aboensis January 16, 2019 Kocku von Stuckrad
The term 'esotericism' is often used interchangeably with 'New Age' or as a reference to secret initiatory knowledge accessible only to an inner circle. In academic research over the past fifteen years, however, scholars have critically examined these assumptions and instead apply 'esotericism' to currents in Western culture that have significantly influenced religious history. New Age and secret initiatory knowledge are only two aspects of these traditions, and not the most important ones. The author proposes analyzing Western esotericism as part of a broader study of European religious history, accounting for the pluralisms, polemics, diachronic developments, and diverse discourses that have shaped Western culture.