‘There is no Religion Higher than Truth’ - H. P. Blavatsky’s Construction of an Esoteric Tradition H. P. Blavatsky

Blavatsky’s Work Co-founded the Theosophical Society in 1875 Wrote more than pages between First Major work: Isis Unveiled published in 1877 Second major work: The Secret Doctrine published in 1888 Made a creative synthesis of both ancient and modern, scientific and esoteric ideas collected from both the east and the west throughout her life.

Theosophy is: Divine Wisdom Eternal Universal Wisdom The Wisdom-Religion A True Scientific System Of Transcendental Origin The Common Esoteric Core in all World Religions Not a religion

Two central problems 1. Historical contextual problem – Pre-modern vs. modern ideas of truth and history 2. Philosophical problem – An unchangable Truth vs. chagable history and tradition

‘ There is no religion higher than Truth’

Four discourses 1. Blavatsky’s pre-modern discourse - the great wisdom of the past. 2. Blavatsky’s modern discourse - everything evolves. 3. Blavatsky’s philosophical discourse - The One Truth. 4. Blavatsky’s construction of an esoteric tradition - Truth and history

‘Our examination of the multitudinous religious faiths that mankind, early and late, have professed, most assuredly indicates that they have all been derived from one primitive source’ [i] Blavatsky, Isis, Vol. 2, 639. [i]

The deductive proces of the four discourses Discourse 1 vs. 2: Problem: How can there be a complete truth in the past when everything in cosmos evolves?

The deductive proces of the four discourses Discourse 1 vs. 2: Problem : How can there be a complete truth in the past when everything in cosmos evolves? Discourse 3 = Solution to 1 & 2: Split the world into two and thereby place absolute truth outside the world of history. Truth can thereby be complete at anytime, because it is outside of time. New Problem : How then is truth and history connected?

The deductive proces of the four discourses Discourse 1 vs. 2: Problem: How can there be a complete truth in the past when everything in cosmos evolves? Discourse 3 = Solution to 1 & 2: Split the world into two and thereby place absolute truth outside the world of history. Truth can thereby be complete at anytime, because it is outside of time. New Problem: How then is truth and history connected? Discourse 4: Solution to 3: By constructing an esoteric tradition. Solution: The esoteric tradition is the mediator between Truth and history