What is theosophy?
Answered from the commentary of A. J. Pollock and William Kelly
Theosophy professes to be a teaching that brings the soul into touch with God, and its name means “wisdom of God”. It is described as an Eastern system drawing chiefly on occult ideas and on Vedic and Buddhist thought, with aims that include promoting universal brotherhood, comparative religion and philosophy, and the investigation of occultism. But it is also described as a jumble of occult ideas and as an attempt to popularize Buddhism in Western lands.
In the passages that address it directly, the verdict is that Theosophy is a false and Satanic system. It is said to deny the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, reject Christ’s atoning work and salvation by grace, and make salvation a matter of attainment and works. Its teaching is said to leave sin unaddressed and to omit the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.
The above is AI generated summary based on the writers below.
What the commentators say
The passages the answer is drawn from, the most direct first, with the words that bear on the question marked.
The word Theosophy is compounded of two Greek words, Theos, God, and sophia, wisdom; and is intended to describe a teaching which professes to bring the soul into touch with God.
It is a very pertinent inquiry as to who is the promulgator of this system. God presents His truth through clear and holy channels, through vessels meet for His use. Who would drink water out of a filthy cup? We cannot dissociate a system from its founder, and so to inquire into the character of the founder of this society is reasonable and just. We will deal with facts. If Theosophy is of God we cannot afford to be without it, if it is not of God it is of the devil and the widest berth we can give it the better.
"Theosophy" is a jumble, registering the occult ideas of the world in general. In this country it is chiefly advocated by women; many of its Society's publications are written by them. Thus amongst books "recommended for beginners" are Elements of Theosophy, by Lilian Edger; First Steps in Theosophy, by Ethel M. Mallet; and The Path of Discipleship, by Annie Besant, the most prolific writer of all. The system is Eastern in the main.
The “Encyclopedia Britannica” (11th edition) tells us that Theosophy was founded in order: To establish a nucleus of the universal brotherhood of humanity. To promote the study of comparative religion and philosophy. To make a systematic investigation into the mystic potentialities of life and matter, or what is usually termed “occultism.”
The Theosophist’s theory of universal brotherhood is based upon a mystical conception of “the One Life”—an idea derived from and common to various forms of Eastern thought, Vedic and Buddhist.
Theosophy is an attempt to popularize Buddhism in Western lands, and behind this it is Satanic, enthralling and enslaving its dupes.
The Rev. C. Penney Hunt, B.A., who has written a very striking exposure of Freemasonry, says truly: “Freemasonry is simply Theosophy. It is the perpetuation of the worship of the old pagan gods of Egypt, Greece, India, etc.” (The Menace of Freemasonry to the Christian Faith, 4th edition, p. 8)
“Freemasonry is simply Theosophy. It is the perpetuation of the worship of the old pagan gods of Egypt, Greece, India, etc.” ( The Menace of Freemasonry to the Christian Faith, 4th edition, p. 8)
312 John 17:3. — "This is the eternal life." Weiss and Westcott suppose that we have here a definition, but Beyschlag rightly says that it would be incongruous in such utterances ("New Testament Theology," i. 263 f.). Theosophy seeks to turn to account our Lord's words here in the service of its theory. Thus Mrs. Besant: "The heavenly root [of all religions] is the Wisdom, the knowledge of God, which is Eternal Life … From any one of its branches a man may pluck a leaf for the healing of the nations" (Theosophist, July, 1907). And yet, even "many Christians do not know God" (Schofield, "The Knowledge of God," p. 32): see 1 Cor. 15:34; Titus 1:16.
How far the Bible is derived from the Hindu religion may be seen when it is stated that Theosophy denies the Father, Son and Holy Ghost; scouts the idea of the precious atoning work of Christ; refuses salvation by grace, and makes it a matter of attainment and works; that in Christian lands it propagates heathenism, allowing its teachers to uphold the use of Hindu idols; whilst in heathen lands it comes out boldly in its true colours and ridicules Christianity. Verily there is no truce between God and Satan.
Theosophy takes the opportunity given by the widespread expectation of the Lord’s personal return by the Christian community to proclaim “The Coming One,” and institutes a Society, “The Order of the Star in the East” to enrol members to wait for him. Their “Coming One” is a young theosophic Hindu and a Mahatma, by name Krisnamurti, the Lord Maitreza, in whose body they claim the Buddha, their Christ, will be reincarnated.
In other words, to learn Theosophy the poor dupe will have to resign himself to THINKING THOUGHTS presented to him, however fantastic and without any proof, and once the victim surrenders his individuality and will, and submits to be plastic clay in the hands of an unknown potter, it is only to be sport in the hands of demoniacal spiritualism with an Eastern colour.
We believe the great safeguard of the Christian today is the study, persistent and prayerful, of the Word of God. To bring Theosophy to the test of the Scriptures is like bringing straw soaked with petroleum into the fire—it is soon destroyed.
Verses
- Colossians 2:8See that there be no one who shall lead you away as a prey through philosophy and vain deceit, according to the teaching of men, according to the elements of the world, and not according to Christ.
- 1 Timothy 6:20–2120O Timotheus, keep the entrusted deposit, avoiding profane, vain babblings, and oppositions of false-named knowledge, 21of which some having made profession, have missed the faith. Grace [be] with thee.