Author Description
Part 1. Approaches To The East. 1. Adventures In Wisdom-land: Orientalist Discourse In Early Theosophy / Christopher Partridge -- 2. Orientalist Vs. Theosophist / Donald S. Lopez, Jr. -- Part 2: Representations Of The East. 3. H. P. Blavatsky's Acquaintance With The Language Of The Gods / James A. Santucci -- 4. Early Debates In The Reception Of Buddhism: Theosophy And Esoteric Buddhism / Tim Rudbøg -- 5. H.p. Blavatsky's Early Reception Of Hindu Philosophy / Tim Rudbøg And Erik Reenberg Sand -- 6. The Mahatma Letters / Joscelyn Godwin -- 7. The Real Pure Yog: Yoga In The Early Theosophical Society And The Hermetic Brotherhood Of Luxor / Patrick D. Bowen -- 8. Emerging Representations Of The East: The Role Of Theosophical Periodicals, 1879-1900 / Gillian Mccann -- 9. Theosophy And Modernism: A Shared But Secret History / David Weir -- Part 3: Interactions With The East. 10. Theosophy In The Bengal Renaissance / K. Paul Johnson -- 11. The Marriage Between The Theosophical Society And The Arya Samaj / Erik Reenberg Sand -- 12. The West Moves East: Blavatsky's Universal Brotherhood In India / Tim Rudbøg -- 13. Allan Octavian Hume, Madame Blavatsky, And The Foundation Of The Indian National Congress / Isaac Lubelsky -- 14. Theosophy, Cultural Nationalism, And Home Rule / Mark Bevir -- 15. Experiments With Theosophical Truth: Gandhi, Esotericism, And Global Religious History / Michael Bergunder -- Afterword / Tim Rudbøg And Erik Reenberg Sand. Edited By Tim Rudbøg And Erik Reenberg Sand. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Electronic Reproduction. Oxford Available Via World Wide Web.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This collection investigates how the early Theosophical Society constructed, interpreted, and interacted with Eastern religious and philosophical traditions during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Edited by Tim Rudbøg and Erik Reenberg Sand, the volume brings together scholars of religious history to analyze the intersection of Western esoteric movements and Asian intellectual landscapes. The contributors utilize archival research, periodical analysis, and historical correspondence to argue that Theosophy served as a critical, albeit complex, mediator in the global exchange of ideas between East and West.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Analysis of Orientalist discourse within Theosophical literature and periodicals from 1879 to 1900.
- Examinations of the relationship between Theosophy and major movements like the Arya Samaj and the Indian National Congress.
- Case studies on key figures including H.P. Blavatsky, Allan Octavian Hume, and Mahatma Gandhi.
- Historical context regarding the reception of Buddhism and Hindu philosophy in Western esoteric circles.
Scope Limits
- The text focuses primarily on the formative years of the Theosophical Society and does not provide a comprehensive history of the organization throughout the 20th century.
- It does not offer a theological defense or critique of Theosophical doctrines, maintaining a strictly historical and sociological perspective.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Scholars and historians of religion recognize this volume as a significant contribution to the study of modern esotericism and its role in colonial-era cultural exchange. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which makes it a specialized resource for researchers interested in the intersection of Western occultism and Asian religious history.
Page Count:
352
Publication Date:
2019-01-01
Publisher:
Oxford University Press,
ISBN-10:
0190853891
ISBN-13:
9780190853891
Philosophy
History
Religion
Esotericism
Theosophical Society Chennai India
Orientalism
Theosophy
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