Why study Western Esotericism?

Curiosity

The best reason to study anything is curiosity. Studying Western esotericism may be something for you if you have always been curious to understand what drives and motivates people, how they are searching for the meaning of existence, throughout history and in our own time. You may also find this field a challenge if you are interested in religious creativity and innovation. Esoteric thinkers have often come up with new and surprising (sometimes very surprising) solutions to enduring questions. Over the last centuries in particular, much religious creativity has been provoked by the challenges of modernity: people have embraced new kinds of esoteric beliefs and practices in order to cope with a perceived loss of meaning in an increasingly rationalistic society.

Find out what the textbooks do not tell you

The best attitude in studying anything is a healthy suspicion of authorities. Studying Western esotericism may definitely be something for you if you suspect that the standard textbook stories may not be telling the whole truth, and that there is something important missing in the way we are looking at our history and ourselves. Students of Western esotericism are typically people with a critical and independent attitude, who like to make up their own minds about what they do or do not find credible.

Intellectual challenge

Needless to say, you will be expected to take the same attitude to what you will be told during this study. You will be introduced to a dimension of Western culture and society which may be largely new to you. Even if you are already familiar with parts of that history, you will be introduced to new perspectives on it, new methods and theories, and new questions to ask. But most important is that you should not be content just to absorb facts, but will eventually come up with questions of your own. Whether you are doing the 3-course BA minor or a complete MA program, by the time you finish it you will have done more than learn just a few more interesting facts: your perspective on Western culture will have changed.