Description |
1 online resource (xix, 333 pages) : illustrations |
Contents |
Chapter 1: Introduction -- Chapter 2: Cosmopolitan Spirituality: Rectifying Materialism -- Chapter 3: The Progress Of Evolution And Spiritual Science -- Chapter 4: Re-Articulating History And Universal Visions -- Chapter 5: Spiritual Elites: Setting The Stage Of Social And Political Conviction -- Chapter 6: Merit-Based Karma And Social Engineering In Germany And France -- Chapter 7: Englands And Indias Spiritual Empire: Merit-Based Karma And Social Engineering -- Chapter 8: Cosmopolitan Spirituality: National Merit In Germany And France -- Chapter 9: A New And Improved Empire: British Spiritual Imperialism And Indian National Renewal -- Chapter 10: Epilogue |
Summary |
This book provides a comparative analysis of cosmopolitan (esoteric) religious movements, such as Theosophy, Groupe Independent des Etudes Esoteriques, Anthroposophy, and Monism, in England, France, Germany, and India during the late nineteenth-century to the interwar years. Despite their diversity, these factions manifested a set of common featuresanti-materialism, embrace of Darwinian evolution, and a belief in universal spiritualitythat coalesced in a transnational field of analogous cosmopolitan spiritual affinities. Yet, in each of their geopolitical locations these groups developed vastly different interpretations and applications of their common spiritual tenets. This book explores how such religious innovation intersected with the social (labor and economic renewal), cultural (education and religious innovation) and political (Empire and anti-colonial) dynamics in these vastly different national domains. Ultimately, it illustrates how an innovative religious discourse converged with the secular world and became applied to envision a new social orderto spiritually re-engineer the world. Perry Myers is Professor of German Studies at Albion College in Michigan, USA |
Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references and index |
Notes |
Online resource; title from PDF title page (SpringerLink, viewed November 4, 2021) |
Subject |
Religions -- History -- 19th century
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Religions -- History -- 20th century
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Religion
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Religions
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SUBJECT |
Europe -- Religion -- History -- 19th century
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Europe -- Religion -- History -- 20th century
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India -- Religion -- History -- 19th century
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India -- Religion -- History -- 20th century
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Subject |
Europe
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India
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Genre/Form |
History
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Form |
Electronic book
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ISBN |
9783030810030 |
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3030810038 |
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