Insights into Christian Esoterism

Rene Guenon (1886-1951) is undoubtedly one of the luminaries of the twentieth century, whose critique of the modern world has stood fast against the shifting sands of recent philosophies. His oeuvre of 26 volumes is providential for the modern seeker: pointing ceaselessly to the perennial wisdom found in past cultures ranging from the Shamanistic to the Indian and Chinese, the Hellenic and Judaic, the Christian and Islamic, and including also Alchemy, Hermeticism, and other esoteric currents, at the same time it directs the reader to the deepest level of religious praxis, emphasizing the need for affiliation with a revealed tradition even while acknowledging the final identity of all spiritual paths as they approach the summit of spiritual realization. In the first part of the present work, Guenon addresses the role of sacred languages and the principle of initiation in the Christian tradition. The second part deals with such esoteric Christian themes and organizations as the Holy Grail, the Guardians of the Holy Land, the Sacred Heart, the Fedeli d'Amore and the 'Courts of Love', and the Secret Language of Dante. The book closes with a lengthy study on St Bernard of Clairvaux. Guenon's The Esoterism of Dante treats related themes.Guénon, René is the author of 'Insights into Christian Esoterism ' with ISBN 9780900588334 and ISBN 0900588330.