The current issue of Din, the Norwegian journal for the science of religions, is dedicated to the subject of esotericism. The issue should be of interest both to newcomers to the field, as well as to more senior researchers, with a general introduction to the theoretical approaches of the field (Asprem), and subjects ranging from the 19th century Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn (Edland), via Aleister Crowley (Winje) and the German völkisch movement and anthroposophy (Emberland), to the more recent Order of Odd Fellows (Rostad) and the New Age oriented Share International (Kolstø).
The issue can be ordered here: http://www.mamut.net/novus/shop/
(Click on “3 Tidsskrifter / Journals” in the sidebar to the left, and Din will appear.)
The journal is in Norwegian.
Abstracts:
Egil Asprem: “På epleslang i kunnskapens tre: en kritisk drøfting av teori i nyere esoterismeforskning.”
The academic study of Western esotericism has gone through a process of professionalization during the last two decades. Access to new institutional platforms has given more room for debates and theoretical reflections on the foundations of research on esotericism. This article deals critically with recent discussions on the definition and theorisation of “esotericism” and its place within the broader disciplinary frameworks of religious studies and the history of ideas. It argues that the recent debate has brought the field to a paradoxical position where the scope of the term “esotericism” is mostly agreed upon, while the theoretical justification for the usage remains contested. It is also argued that much of the disagreement is due to three different strategies taken by scholars in order to approach the subject matter; historical, typological, and discursive. This article extracts valuable points from the different perspectives in order to single out some commonalities despite the differences. I will subsequently suggest new directions for esotericism research by emphasizing a closer allegiance with the critical approaches within religious studies and the sociologically oriented history of ideas.
Janemil Kolstø †: “‘Ingen avstand mellom oss.’ En beskrivelse av Share International som esoterisk diskurs.”
In this article, Share International is presented as an esoteric discourse linked to Antoine Faivre’s essentialist notions of esotericism which usefulness in recent debates has been contested. Based on Faivre’s characteristics and a structural discourse analysis of the communication between Share International’s inspirer Benjamin Creme and individuals interested in his message, Share International is defined as a “group” partaking in an esoteric discourse in line with other New Age organizations.
Terje Emberland: “Antroposofi, völkisch-tenkning og nazisme – ideologisk naboskap og rivalisering i det kultiske miljø.”
The anthroposophical movement that grew out of a political and religious sub-culture in late-19th-century Germany is characterised by anti-rationalism, occult racial theories, the cult of the “Germanic” past, illuminated politics, and utopian social experiments. These impetuses gave the teaching of Rudolf Steiner its distinctive character. The same sub-culture was also a source of inspiration to the early national socialist movement. The documented contacts between anthroposophy and National Socialism in these early days do, however, only imply a general ideological family likeness, stemming from a shared cultural climate. This family resemblance can be explained by the concept of “the cultic milieu”, developed by the sociologist Colin Campbell: According to this concept, anthroposophy, political and religious völkisch groups, as well as early National Socialism, can be seen as part of the same cultic milieu, whose shared structures and channels of communication facilitated the exchange of people and ideas between the different groups.
Aslak Rostad: “Vennskap, kjærlighet og sannhet. Esoterisme i Odd Fellow Ordenen.”
Bilag: “Lukkede ordensselskaper i Norge”
“‘Friendship, Love and Truth’ Esotericism in the Norwegian Order of Odd Fellows.” This article seeks to uncover the motives for why the largest fraternal organisation in Norway, The Order of Odd Fellows, keeps its rituals secret by analysing the order’s membership publications. Following Hugh Urban’s postulate that 18th-century esoteric societies gave members of the aristocracy opportunity to step out of a changing society and maintain their traditional values, this article claims that a modern fraternal organisation such as the Odd Fellows fills some of the same functions but now represents middle-class values. The Odd Fellows’s membership publications show that the order understands itself in opposition to a morally decaying society marked by materialism and egoism, while the order is regarded as a guardian of the same society’s true core values, in terms of traditions, absolute moral commands, clear power structures etc. The order therefore creates a distance to the society and allows its members to step out of it, while at the same time making them society’s moral elite. The article concludes that secrecy surrounding the rituals is on the one hand a means to keep the society at a distance, and on the other to create the idea that initiated members have a deeper insight into central values of the Norwegian society than outsiders.
Geir Winje: “Aleister Crowley – en vestlig tantriker?”
This article discusses why some scholars and biographers insist on viewing Aleister Crowley as an occultist who built a bridge between Eastern tantrism and Western esotericism. After presenting the main elements of Hindu and Buddhist tantra, the article considers The Confessions of Aleister Crowley. This work is no ordinary autobiography, but an autohagiography; a text that instead of trying to tell the truth constructs an image of the author as a man corresponding to his own ideals. These ideals seem to be inspired by a number of sources; occult traditions, a variety of religions, modernity, art and nature. Tantrism is not mentioned in The Confessions, but may give meaning to some aspects of Crowley’s life. The main element seems in this case to be sexual magic. However, a closer look at the practices behind this notion suggests Western origins, disguised as Tantric in an orientalistic sense.
Vidar Edland: “Egyptiske låneelementer i The Hermetic Order of Golden Dawns rituallære.”
The title of this article translates as “Egyptian Elements in the ritual corpus of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn.” The article starts out by discussing the cultural context of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, followed by a short presentation of the order and the role of Ancient Egyptian religion in the naming of the order and its temples. Then, the article analyzes occurrences of Egyptian references in the order’s founding text, The Cipher Manuscripts, before surveying the larger, and more magical-oriented corpus of teachings and practices that was introduced to the order in 1892. The article demonstrates how Egyptian religious myths, symbols and deities, Isis and Osiris in particular, were appropriated into the order’s teachings.
Book review: Jørn Øyrehagen Sunde (red.) 2008: Dekalogen. 13 essay om
menneske og samfunn i skjeringspunktet mellom rett og religion.
Reviewed by Gina Dahl
