From Adyar to Canterbury

"From Theosophy to Christian Faith" is a book by an otherwise unknown author, E R McNeile. The author, presumably an Anglo-Catholic, was a former member of the Esoteric Section of the Theosophical Society Adyar. The preface is written by Charles Gore, Anglican Bishop of Oxford. Gore says that the book was to some extent written on his suggestion. Although published in 1919, the manuscript is about ten years older, and hence doesn't mention the "Liberal Catholic Church" founded by the Theosophists as a Christian front group. The cult of Jiddu Krishnamurti (Alcyone) is only mentioned in passing.

McNeile criticizes Theosophy on a number of points. The impersonal view of the divine is a central point of contention. Theosophy is also attacked for not being scientific in its study of the paranormal. Nor is it scholarly in its approach to Eastern religions. (The platform of the Theosophical Society claims that scientific exploration of paranormal phenomena and scholarly research on Eastern religions are some of its goals). The clairvoyance of the Theosophists isn't objective or neutral, since all members of the Esoteric Section pledge absolute loyalty to its Head and to the Masters even before embarking on supersensible explorations. Hence, everyone will automatically conform to the creed as promulgated by Besant and Leadbeater, the leaders of the Society at Adyar. (Why the author accepts the revelations of Christianity is left somewhat unclear.) At several points, the author compares Theosophy to Gnosticism, here not intended as a compliment!

The notions of karma and reincarnation is another important difference between Christianity and Theosophy. Forgiveness of sin is impossible in Theosophy. Everyone suffers justly and has to suffer until his negative karma has worked itself out. This makes a belief in reincarnation inevitable, since nobody can become perfect in just one lifetime. The author is somewhat inconsistent here, however. She doesn't believe in a complete forgiveness of sins either, not without some penitential suffering from the side of the sinner. Nor does she believe that everyone becomes perfect in this life, instead claiming that the souls of the departed continue to improve themselves after death (presumably in Purgatory). A Theosophist would perhaps argue that McNeile's Catholic perspective is in some ways similar to their own, while not going far enough!

McNeile claims that the Theosophists follow caste in India, and that its Indian membership is caste divided. So is the staff at Adyar. She contrasts Theosophy negatively with two other reform groups in India, Brahmo Samaj and Arya Samaj. McNeile points out - correctly, I think - that the Theosophical notion of karma is inconsistent. In India, it's considered pointless to aid somebody with bad karma (it's supposed to be a form of punishment, after all). Theosophists, by contrast, claim that such unfortunate people *should* be helped, presumably because this improves the karma of the helper. To McNeile, Theosophy is parasitical on Christian morality at this point.

Most of "From Theosophy to Christian Faith" is a pure exposition of the "Catholic" faith (minus the Papacy). To be honest, the book gets tedious and too preachy after a few chapters. Interestingly, the author attacks Psuedo-Dionysius as too impersonalist, pagan and Neo-Platonist. True mysticism is cataphatic and personalist, such as the mystical visions of Bernard of Clairvaux, Saint Theresa or Saint Catherine of Siena. It's centre is always Christ. True unity with God is collective, and will happen only at the final consummation of all things, when the Body of Christ is glorified.

If this book had been written today, it would probably have to be a direct comparison of traditional Christianity to that of the Liberal Catholic Church, the Summit Lighthouse and other imitations of the Catholic Faith. I'm not sure how to rate it, but eventually I give it three stars.