Frequently Asked Questions

'Does Western esotericism mean the same as “Hermetic Philosophy”?'

The technical description “History of Hermetic Philosophy and Related Currents” is used as an exact equivalent of “History of Western Esotericism”. Students in this field are not “doing philosophy”, but are doing critical historical research into a variety of currents directly or indirectly related to the so-called “Hermetic philosophy” of the Renaissance.

'Are students of Western esotericism actually believers in esotericism?'

Studying Western esotericism is one thing; believing in it is something else. Most scholars in this field, including those affiliated with GHF, study Western esotericism simply because of its relevance to a variety of
historical and contemporary developments in western religion and culture.

'Is Western esotericism an “esoteric” discipline?'

Western esotericism is an interdisciplinary field of study with no specific method of its own. Depending on the requirements of their specific subject and research questions, scholars use standard methods and theories as used in any other domain of the humanities and the social sciences.

'Is Western esotericism the same as New Age?'

By no means. The history of Western esotericism spans at least half a millennium and could even be traced as far back as the beginning of the common era. The New Age movements is a very specific contemporary manifestation of it, which has been in existence no longer than a few decennia.

'Is Western esotericism a religious subculture?'

Western esotericism has often been perceived as a semi-autonomous and more or less coherent movement or subculture; and as such, it has often been presented as distinct from, or opposed to, Christianity or Modernity. It is more correct, however, to see western esotericism as a neglected dimension of western culture generally. In the past it was part of Christian culture, nowadays it flourishes in the context of secular society.