Theosophy (history of philosophy)

Theosophy is a collection of mystical and occultist philosophies concerning, or seeking direct knowledge of, the presumed mysteries of life and nature, particularly of the nature of divinity and the origin and purpose of the universe. Theosophy is considered part of Western esotericism, which believes that hidden knowledge or wisdom from the ancient past offers a path to enlightenment and salvation.

Theosophy comes from the Greek theosophia (θεοσοφία), which combines theos (θεός), "God" and sophia (σοφία), "wisdom," meaning "divine wisdom." From the late 19th century onwards, the term theosophy has generally been used to refer to the religio-philosophic doctrines of the Theosophical Society, founded in New York City in 1875 by Helena Blavatsky, William Quan Judge, and Henry Steel Olcott. Blavatsky's major work, The Secret Doctrine (1888), was one of the foundational works of modern theosophy. As of 2015^[update], members of organizations descended from, or related to, the Theosophical Society were active in more than 52 countries around the world. Modern theosophy has also given rise to, or influenced, the development of other mystical, philosophical, and religious movements.

The term theosophia appeared (in both Greek and Latin) in the works of early church fathers, as a synonym for theology: the theosophoi are "those who know divine matters." The derived term theosophy was originally also a synonym for theology; however, it acquired various other meanings throughout its history.

The term theosophy was used as a synonym for theology as early as the 3rd century C.E. The 13th century work Summa philosophiae attributed to Robert Grosseteste made a distinction between theosophers and theologians. In Summa, theosophers were described as authors only inspired by the holy books, while theologians like Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite and Origen were described as persons whose task was to explain theosophy. Therefore, the terms were the opposite of the present-day meaning.

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