The Foundations of Re-Enchantment - Freemasonry, Theosophy, and the Occult Revival

In Foundations of Re-Enchantment, Christopher Coome tells an immersive and compelling story of the remarkable emergence of occult orginzations at the turn of the 19th century. He chronicles how major occult sodalities grew like ripples: the Hermetic Order of Golden Dawn, the Anthroposophical Society, and the Ordo Templi Orientis. These were some of the most delightfully bizarre, magnetic, and intellectually pyrotechnic individuals of the 19th century, and their antics, both intellectual and personal, make for some of the most engaging moments in the development of contemporary spirituality.

List of contents

• List of Figures


• Abbreviations


• Introduction


• Section I: The Structure of the Revival


• Chapter 1: The Theosophical Society


• Chapter 2: Rethinking Religion


• Chapter 3: Occident and Orient


• Chapter 4: The Golden and Rosy Dawn


• Section II: Fracture and Fragmentation


• Chapter 5: The Changing of the Guard


• Section III: The Neo-Revival


• Chapter 6: The Academia Masonica and Rudolf Steiner


• Chapter 7: Freemasonry, Sex Scandals and Psychic Powers


• Chapter 8: Crowley and Steiner: Prophets of the New Age


• Conclusion


• Bibliography


• Index

About the author

Christopher Coome is a Postdoctoral Fellow at Duke University. Since receiving his Ph.D. from Queen's University, he has designed and taught courses on Freemasonry, Western esotericism, and Mysticism.

Product details

• Authors: Christopher Coome
• Publisher: Oxford Academic
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Release: 15.09.2025
• EAN: 9780197809570
• ISBN: 978-0-19-780957-0
• Series: Oxford Studies in Western Esotericism
• Subjects: Non-fiction book > Philosophy, religion > Religion: general, reference works; Modern history to 20th century: c 1700 to c 1900, History, RELIGION / Institutions & Organizations, RELIGION / Mysticism, RELIGION / Deism, 19th century, c 1800 to c 1899, History of Religion, 18th century, c 1700 to c 1799, Mysticism, magic & ritual, Mysticism, magic and occult interests, Religion and science, Religion & science