High-Grade Freemasonry and Illuminism in the Eighteenth Century
Oxford University Press eBooks October 14, 2008 DOI: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195320992.003.0008 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Historical analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that Freemasonry served as a key vehicle for transmitting theosophical and alchemical traditions in the 18th century, with Illuminist societies representing high-grade, overtly esoteric forms of Freemasonry. |
Abstract
This chapter examines 18th-century Freemasonry and illuminism and its influence on the history of Western esotericism. After Rosicrucianism supplied the myth of a secret society cultivating hermetic sciences, Freemasonry provided a vehicle for the historical transmission of theosophical and alchemical traditions. The Illuminist societies were high-grade varieties of Freemasonry and they were overtly esoteric in their ideas and practices.