ARTICLE
from the
Encyclopædia Britannica
theosophy, occult movement originating in the 19th century with roots that can be traced to ancient Gnosticism and Neoplatonism. The term theosophy, derived from the Greek theos (“god”) and sophia (“wisdom”), is generally understood to mean “divine wisdom.” Forms of this doctrine were held in antiquity by the Manichaeans, an Iranian dualist sect, and in the Middle Ages by two groups of dualist heretics, the Bogomils in Bulgaria and the Byzantine Empire and the Cathari in southern France and Italy. In modern times, theosophical views have been held by Rosicrucians and by speculative Freemasons. The international New Age movement of the 1970s and ’80s originated among independent theosophical groups in the United Kingdom.
Aspects of the topic theosophy are discussed in the following places at Britannica.
Articles from Britannica encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.
-
theosophy - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)
-
The word theosophy comes from the Greek theos, meaning "god," and sophia, meaning "wisdom." Loosely translated, it means "divine wisdom." Theosophy is a religious philosophy with strong overtones of mysticism. Mysticism is the belief that beyond the visible material world there is a spiritual reality-which may be called God-that people may experience through meditation, revelation, intuition, or some other state that takes the individual beyond a normal consciousness.
The topic theosophy is discussed at the following external Web sites.
Citations
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.