1. ‘There is no Religion Higher than Truth’ - H. P. Blavatsky’s Construction of an Esoteric Tradition H. P. Blavatsky 1831 - 1891

2. Blavatsky’s Work Co-founded the Theosophical Society in 1875 Wrote more than 10.000 pages between 1874 - 1891 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.

3. 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

4. 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

5. ‘ There is no religion higher than Truth’

6. 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

7. ‘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]

8. 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?

9. 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?

10. 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