Inner Christianity: A Guide to the Esoteric Tradition Paperback – Illustrated, 15 October 2002
by Richard Smoley (Author)
4.6 out of 5 stars 143 ratings
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Inner Christianity is the first introduction to mystical and esoteric Christianity for the general reader. It speaks from a nonsectarian point of view, unearthing insights from the whole of the Christian tradition, orthodox and heretical, famous and obscure. The esoteric tradition has traditionally searched for meanings that would yield a deeper inner knowledge of the divine.
While traditional Christianity draws a timeline from Adam's Fall to the Day of Judgment, the esoteric often sees time as folding in on itself, bringing every point to the here and now. While the Church fought bitterly over dogma, the esoteric borrowed freely from other traditions-Kabbalah, astrology, and alchemy-in their search for metaphors of inner truth. Rather than basing his book around exponents of esoteric doctrine, scholar Richard Smoley concentrates on the questions that are of interest to every searching Christian. How can one attain direct spiritual experience?
- What does "the Fall" really tell us about coming to terms with the world we live in?
- Can we find salvation in everyday life?
- How can we ascend, spiritually, through the various levels of existence?
- What was Christ's true message to humankind?
- From the Gospel of Thomas to A Course in Miracles, from the Jesus Prayer to alchemy and Tarot, from Origen to Dante to Jung, Richard Smoley sheds the light of an alternative Christianity on these issues and more.
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1 pages
Language
English
Publisher
SHAMBHALA - TRADE
Publication date
15 October 2002
Dimensions
This item: Inner Christianity: A Guide to the Esoteric Tradition
$43.17$43.17
Product description
Review
"A wide range of material . . . provides a solid introduction to esoteric Christianity."-- Library Journal
"Smoley traverses a vast continent of belief and practice in this lively guide to Christian esotericism, and he does so with great intelligence and style."--Philip Zaleski, editor of the Best Spiritual Writing series
"We overlook the very heart and soul of Christianity when we reduce it to rules, dogmas, and rigid moral directives. Inner Christianity helps correct that mistake by spelling out, clearly and thoughtfully, the subtle interior mysteries of this religion. This book could help many, Christians and others, find a new level of intelligence in Christian thought and practice. It could change the direction of your spiritual life."--Thomas Moore, author of Care of the Soul and The Soul's Religion
"In this deeply wise and important work, Richard Smoley restores the realm of inner space to the Christian tradition. Drawing upon a wide range of mystical and esoteric literature and practice, he shows how multidimensional is the Christian message, and how profound its understanding of the nature and purpose of the psyche. In a time of so much change and confusion, this potent book serves as a source of profound guidance and gnosis."--Jean Houston, Ph.D., author of A Mythic Life and Jump Time
"Richard Smoley has rolled away the rock of symbol, myth, metaphor, and obscuration and resurrected the radiant light of an inner Christianity. In clear and vibrant language, he makes the deepest wisdom of the Christian tradition available and accessible to everyone. This book is an empowerment of faith and spirit and will, I predict, become a classic for all who walk the path of Christ in the midst of their everyday lives."--David Spangler, author of Everyday Miracles, Blessing: The Art and the Practice, and Apprenticed to Spirit
About the Author
Richard Smoley is a graduate of Harvard College and Oxford University. He is the coauthor, with Jay Kinney, of Hidden Wisdom- A Guide to the Western Inner Traditions and the former editor of Gnosis magazine.
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Richard Smoley
Richard Smoley is one of the world's most distinguished authorities on the mystical and esoteric teachings of Western civilization.
Richard was born in Waterbury, Connecticut, in 1956. He attended the Taft School in Watertown, Connecticut, and entered Harvard in 1974. As an undergraduate, Smoley was managing editor of the university's venerable literary magazine, The Harvard Advocate, and edited an anthology entitled First Flowering: The Best of the Harvard Advocate, 1866-1976. Featuring prefaces by Norman Mailer and Robert Fitzgerald, the book was published by Addison-Wesley in 1977.
After taking a bachelor's degree magna cum laude in classics at Harvard in 1978, Richard went on to the University of Oxford in the U.K., where he edited The Pelican, the magazine of Corpus Christi College. He took another B.A. in the Honour School of Literae Humaniores (classics and philosophy) in 1980, and received his M.A. from Oxford in 1985.
The most important part of his stay at Oxford came from his contact with a small group that was studying the Kabbalah, one of the mainstays of the Western esoteric tradition. It was here that he was first introduced to many of the ideas he has discussed in his books and articles.
After two years at Oxford, Richard moved to San Francisco in 1980. During this time he continued his spiritual investigations, working with teachings ranging from Tibetan Buddhism to A Course in Miracles. He was also a member of the board of directors of the San Francisco Miracles Foundation, an organization sponsoring the work of A Course in Miracles.
In 1986, Richard started writing for a new magazine called Gnosis: A Journal of the Western Inner Traditions. After four years of writing for Gnosis and a brief stint as managing editor, he came on board as editor in November 1990. In his eight years as editor of Gnosis, he put together issues of the magazine on subjects as diverse as Gnosticism, Freemasonry, G.I. Gurdjieff, and the spirituality of Russia. In 1998 Gnosis won Utne Reader's award for best spiritual coverage. In May 1999, Richard's book, Hidden Wisdom: A Guide to the Western Inner Traditions, coauthored with Jay Kinney, was published by Penguin Arkana. (A revised edition was issued by Quest Books in 2006.)
Richard's book Inner Christianity: A Guide to the Esoteric Tradition, was published in fall 2002 by Shambhala Publications. An audio version read by Richard is available from Berkshire Media Artists Inc. The award-winning literary magazine The Sun featured him in a lengthy interview on Christianity in its September 2003 issue.
Richard has also worked as editor for Faith.com, a Web site on religion and spirituality, and as managing editor of Lindisfarne Books, a highly respected publisher of titles on the spiritual traditions. He is a consulting editor and frequent contributor to Parabola: The Journal of Myth and Tradition. He has served as guest editor of Science of Mind magazine, and works as a consultant for the New Century Edition of the works of Emanuel Swedenborg, sponsored by the Swedenborg Foundation in West Chester, Pennsylvania. He is a frequent contributor to the Australian magazine New Dawn. He presently lives in western Massachusetts, where he teaches philosophy as an adjunct professor at Holyoke Community College. He is also editor of Quest Books, operated by the Theosophical Society in America.
In January 2006, Tarcher/Penguin published The Essential Nostradamus, Richard's guide to this fascinating but elusive prophet. The Essential Nostradamus contains fresh and accurate new translations of Nostradamus's key prophecies, as well as an evaluation of his work -- and of prophecy in general.
In April 2007, Harper San Francisco (now Harper One) released the paperback edition of Richard's Forbidden Faith: The Secret History of Gnosticism (originally published in hardcover in 2006). This is an accessible and engaging history of the secret currents of Western civilization -- including Gnosticism, Manichaeism, Catharism, the Rosicrucian legacy, Freemasonry, Theosophy, and much more. It also explores how these currents have shaped modern trends and thinkers ranging from William Blake to C.G. Jung, and, in more recent times, Philip K. Dick, Harold Bloom, and A Course in Miracles.
Richard's book,Conscious Love: Insights from Mystical Christianity was published in April 2008 by Jossey-Bass.
He has also written a novel entitled The Gospel of Matthias, which tells the story of Christ in the context of esoteric Christianity. It's currently unpublished; if you'd like to get a copy, please contact Richard by e-mail.
Currently he works as editor of Quest Books and executive editor of Quest magazine, both published by the Theosophical Society in America.
Richard has appeared on several History Channel documentaries on prophecy and religious history. He lectures and gives workshops throughout the United States. Organizations that have sponsored his talks and workshops include:
* The New York Open Center
* The Friends of the Institute of Noetic Sciences, New York
* The California Institute of Integral Studies, San Francisco
* The Kabbalah Society, London
* The Theosophical Society in America, Wheaton, Illinois
* Krotona School of Theosophy, Ojai, California,
* Nine Gates Mystery School
* Zen Mountain Monastery, Mount Tremper, New York
* The Lumen Foundation, San Francisco
* The Krotona School of Theosophy, Ojai, California
*The Bodhi Tree Bookstore, West Hollywood
* The Swedenborg Foundation
* East-West Books, New York
* Pioneer Valley Anthroposophical Society, Hadley, Massachusetts
* The Kabbalah Society of East Tennessee
* The Seven Rays Institute Conference, Mesa, Arizona
* The Mythic Journeys conference in Atlanta, sponsored by the Joseph Campbell Foundation
* Friends of Jung, Kansas City
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marion wilson
5.0 out of 5 stars WonderfulReviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 31 December 2015
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Informed and inspiring account of living the inner life. Recommended.
2 people found this helpfulReport
fiona pycock
4.0 out of 5 stars Good readReviewed in Spain 🇪🇸 on 29 July 2019
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Good book
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Mirabai
2.0 out of 5 stars Not what I had expectedReviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 19 May 2019
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The author calls himself Christian but doesn't believe the basic tenants of the faith.
I don't recommend this book, particularly of you are a practicing Catholic like me.
Better to read The Universal Christ by Richard Rohr
I would never have bought this book if I had known the author's true opinions. It was a real disappointment.
19 people found this helpfulReport
Gaianyogi
5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best books I own!Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 19 June 2017
Verified Purchase
I own a lot of books from Amazon. By far, this is one of the most precious books I own. I mean that. I refer to it again and again. As far as I'm concerned, it is one of the greatest overviews of Esoteric Christianity out there. I've looked far and wide and there is nothing that is quite as good as this one in my opinion. It's scholarly but practical too. The only thing I'd like to see is a further in-depth guide to this tradition from Mr. Smoley. I want more!
This book discusses Christianity in a way you do not hear in church. It discusses the Christ within (Luke 17.20-21) and what that really means. Topics discussed like salvation, repentance, soul, spirit, and dozens of others have a slant on them that rings true. Do not think the way these topics are discussed is the same standard fare that you hear in church; it's not! It has an eastern flavour of enlightenment akin to Advaita Vedanta and Buddhist teachings, but with a western esoteric slant. If you are from the west and you like aspects of Buddhism and Hinduism, then I think you will really like this.
Rather that write a lengthy review, just get the book and really absorb it. You'll be glad you did.
The only thing I think could have been better was chapter one. It provides background material on various leaders throughout the history of esoteric Christianity. However, I would have like to have seen more of a comparison and contrast amongst the different strands of this tradition. But that doesn't detract from the quality of the rest of the book. It is really excellent scholarship.
I'm so glad I found this book years ago. It led me on a path that has enriched my life ever since. Thank you Richard Smoley. Well done!
Read less
26 people found this helpfulReport
Mr Cliff in the Fog
5.0 out of 5 stars Fun Spiritual Research BookReviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 19 April 2017
Verified Purchase
The book covers areas of Christianity not emphasized in its more politically and historically solidified form relating to inner spiritual development along with some of the less highlighted cultural context of the ancient Christian symbols. All in all, it is a fairly sober introduction to Christianity from a "new age" perspective. The author seemed to have the best of intent and cultural empathy with his audience when researching and writing this book. It's funny that I come from a more Orthodox background and disagree with his Christology. Whether you agree or not, this book will potentially help sharpen and possibly alter and expand your current spiritual and religious beliefs.
10 people found this helpfulReport
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Rafi
2 reviews
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September 30, 2011
I first read this book in 2004. And have been re-reading it sporadically ever since; each fresh review brings greater understanding. As a free lance esotericist, I have been exploring related subjects for more than 50 years.
But I am a 5th generation native of the Pacific NW, raised with the traditional views of the area. Meaning without religion at all. In addition, I am a left-wing labor populist. My view of Christianity was mostly that of the usual dismissive attitude of many activists. We just "knew" that this religion (or at least its institutions) was to blame for all of western society's ills.
Few realize that, logically, this is akin to condemning the entire idea of democracy because people are uninformed, the media trivializes or ignores important issues, and officials are more concerned with campaign money than the common good. Particularly in this era of economic determinism.
In my own case, the powerful environment of the NW always affected me in a way I would now call a form of nature mysticism. Late in life, I earned a degree in botany with a forestry minor. I soon concluded that ecosystem preservation could not be done without addressing the need for economic equity. Which is a matter of ethics and morals, the province of the world's religious traditions.
As an American, I had to learn how to present the case within the framework of western religion... Christianity. I already had an extensive background, both by experience and by research, in what Smoley calls the western esoteric tradition. A legacy that extends back to ancient Egypt. A legacy that I found to be, much to my surprise, also deeply at home within a Christianity rarely acknowledged by church hierarchs and virtually invisible to the general public. Although now an overworked cliche, it is, however, true that change in the greater culture begins with spiritual change in the individual self.
What Smoley has done is no less than situate what he calls inner Christianity within the whole arc of western civilization. By itself, that is a cure for the American tendency to live only in a limited present, as if context didn't matter. Yet he does much more. This book is also an appeal to the practical mind. He shows what works and why. And he does so by means of a terminology that separates difficult concepts into understandable levels in order that we are able to grasp some idea of the immensity of whole: the infinite divine.
Nor is the author content with leaving us at the psychological point of the beginner's feel-good encounters with light. He gives us the full truth. That this Way is hard work, takes time, and is sometimes dangerous. There's the dark night of the soul. It's not merely personal depression-- it's terrifying. It's to be lost and alone in a neverending now; no hope, no help, no end. Crossing that abyss is birth of the process towards spiritualized being. The legacy of a Christianity which recognizes the potential divinity within every human.
This book, Inner Christianity, is quite simply the best manual out there.
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Allenia
2 reviews
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August 10, 2012
I discovered this book about 5 to 7 years ago. It's sort of a grounding tool for me. I am always able to understand the "deep" of Christianity, a bit better each time I pick it up. And my awe and reverence for the true nature of God awakens from it's complacency in me. I LOVE THIS BOOK!
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Tera
3 reviews
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July 19, 2008
Can you review a book you've not yet finished? I'm going to at any rate, and add my other cent once it's all done.
I originally found this book on Amazon, then picked up a copy at my local bookstore. It's a bit of a dry read, but so far is well worth the slogging. I had been searching for a book or books dealing with the other nuances of Christian worship. Most books seem to be of the "go to church every weekend and that's enough" mentality, which is fine and all, but it still seemed like something was missing. After growing up reading about saints, mystics, hermetics and their take on faith I couldn't help wondering what had happened to our own mystic tradition. A tradition that valued direct connection to God and experiencing (Both actively and passively) the Divine. A quieter tradition that focused on the daily, individual relationship between God and man, and not so much the social "Ain't our God nifty?" aspect.
What I have (So far, at least) is this book which I am very much enjoying. Right now it's still laying out the groundwork of defining mysticism, the various groups along the way, common symbology, history and a healthy bit of psychology. Like I said, this isn't an Oprah book club read-in-a-weekend thing, but something to be taken in doses and reflected upon. It has given me new insight to the Bible, reading it not simply as an account of what some folks did in the desert a couple thousand years back, but of the soul's own journey in metaphore. That alone was worth the price of the book!
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Faithe
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April 29, 2019
Fantastic overview and touchstone for further inquiry
I found Inner Christianity to be a fantastic overview of the deeper understandings of Christianity and a touchstone for further inquiry. I’m looking forward to following up on several books that were mentioned, and I also feel that I gained a good foundation to help me digest other materials. I highly recommend the book for those who are drawn to this topic.
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Leanne Hunt
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November 11, 2016
I came to this book looking for a perspective on spirituality that didn’t involve institutional religion and dogma. The author gives a very balanced view of esoteric teachings, touching on everything from ancient insights into the nature of the cosmos and the doctrine of the Trinity to holy magic and secret societies of esoteric Christians through the ages. I found the distinction between mysticism— the focus on devotional practices that bring one into the presence of God — and esotericism — the pursuit of knowledge about the unseen realm— to be very helpful in informing my own spiritual journey. Also, the conclusions of the author in regard to the cost of following the esoteric tradition and its benefits. A good starting-point for anyone wishing to gain a better understanding of inner as opposed to outer Christianity.
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James R
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March 1, 2022
Yet another author attempting to salvage some part of Christianity rather than abandoning the system wholesale. People have been attempting to do this for a long time once inconvenient facts started to come out about their origins & history being often violent or based on lies.
Despite the disclaimer in this book that it's not a book of Christian apologetics, the author seems to have a preference for an orthodox Christian perspective. I do believe the word "Christian" has a meaning: that you accept in total the version of Christianity that was created by Roman Emperors & bishops with their creeds, dogmas, and all the rest around the year 400. Otherwise, "Christian" becomes a meaningless word since it can be watered down to mean whatever you want it to be (e.g. "I believe in Jesus" or "I believe in The Bible" or "I obey the Pope"). In reality, there has never been unity in "Christianity" and it's more of a catchall term that applies to anyone who thinks Jesus Christ is the key connection to the divine. That's a very vague notion.
The author states definitions & history from the perspective of the orthodox churches, although much of that history has been criticized & rejected by scholarship since the 19th century, but especially since 1990. In my view, the "orthodox Christian" way of life has been shown to be fundamentally flawed, and the answer has been for the "traditional" or "orthodox" groups to double down, or for people to create a "liberal" version. Both of these options are dead ends, and it's obvious with declines across the board in the churches.
The concept of "inner Christianity" is pointless, when the word "Christian" implies a system of obedience to a hierarchy & canonical books. I can only take seriously a person who first rejects totally all the official churches & their limitations. He implies that inner Christianity is ecumenical & doesn't really care about divisions in systems, but this is dishonest. Orthodox Christianity absolutely teaches that Christ is the only path & that you must accept a list of dogmas. Anyone trying to downplay this isn't being honest about what Christians believed in the middle ages.
I think people hold on to the word "Christian" today because of historical baggage & fear. They believe their salvation hinges simply on checklists & obedience. I would just drop the word & follow your spiritual inspirations where they lead you. I don't care about a hierarchy, canonical books, checklists, or dogmas, so I'm not a Christian, despite my deep interest in things that have been historically labeled "Christian." The churches became a dead end some centuries ago, despite the numbers & money they still have.
I can't take seriously any "Christian" that has been cozy with The Vatican or Christian kings of the past. There has been endless reference to "the church fathers" such as "St. Augustine" or "Origen", but I really question why we need to be dragging out these names and discussing ideas from questionable historical figures from long ago, both of whom had a lot of bad ideas. I'm not really sure of the purpose of dragging out history, much of which is forgery or lies. Who knows what Origen and St. Augustine really wrote or said (or if they even existed), I just question the truth & validity in any of it.
Bias: I'm a former sedevacantist Catholic who left the churches because I felt they had become dead & lifeless. I'd first thought the problem was Vatican II, but I later learned these issues go back to the council & emperors, and the focus on obedience & checklists. I also looked into various orthodox & breakaway movements, but they also felt dead to me. This led me to looking into other ways of thinking and systems, and this book is part of that search.
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Top reviews from Australia
There are 0 reviews and 1 rating from Australia
Mirabai
2.0 out of 5 stars Not what I had expected
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 19 May 2019
Verified Purchase
The author calls himself Christian but doesn't believe the basic tenants of the faith.
I don't recommend this book, particularly of you are a practicing Catholic like me.
Better to read The Universal Christ by Richard Rohr
I would never have bought this book if I had known the author's true opinions. It was a real disappointment.
19 people found this helpful
Report
Gaianyogi
5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best books I own!
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 19 June 2017
Verified Purchase
I own a lot of books from Amazon. By far, this is one of the most precious books I own. I mean that. I refer to it again and again.
As far as I'm concerned, it is one of the greatest overviews of Esoteric Christianity out there.
I've looked far and wide and there is nothing that is quite as good as this one in my opinion. It's scholarly but practical too.
The only thing I'd like to see is a further in-depth guide to this tradition from Mr. Smoley. I want more!
This book discusses Christianity in a way you do not hear in church. It discusses the Christ within (Luke 17.20-21) and what that really means.
Topics discussed like salvation, repentance, soul, spirit, and dozens of others have a slant on them that rings true. Do not think the way these topics are discussed is the same standard fare that you hear in church; it's not!
It has an eastern flavour of enlightenment akin to Advaita Vedanta and Buddhist teachings, but with a western esoteric slant. If you are from the west and you like aspects of Buddhism and Hinduism, then I think you will really like this.
Rather that write a lengthy review, just get the book and really absorb it. You'll be glad you did.
The only thing I think could have been better was chapter one. It provides background material on various leaders throughout the history of esoteric Christianity. However, I would have like to have seen more of a comparison and contrast amongst the different strands of this tradition. But that doesn't detract from the quality of the rest of the book. It is really excellent scholarship.
I'm so glad I found this book years ago. It led me on a path that has enriched my life ever since. Thank you Richard Smoley. Well done!
Read less
26 people found this helpful
===
Mr Cliff in the Fog
5.0 out of 5 stars Fun Spiritual Research Book
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 19 April 2017
Verified Purchase
The book covers areas of Christianity not emphasized in its more politically and historically solidified form relating to inner spiritual development along with some of the less highlighted cultural context of the ancient Christian symbols. All in all, it is a fairly sober introduction to Christianity from a "new age" perspective. The author seemed to have the best of intent and cultural empathy with his audience when researching and writing this book. It's funny that I come from a more Orthodox background and disagree with his Christology. Whether you agree or not, this book will potentially help sharpen and possibly alter and expand your current spiritual and religious beliefs.
10 people found this helpful
===
