Handbook of the Theosophical Current

Few religious currents have been as influential as the Theosophical. Yet few currents have been so under-researched, and the Brill Handbook of the Theosophical Current thus represents pioneering research. A first section surveys the main people and events involved in the Theosophical Society from its inception to today, and outlines the Theosophical worldview. A second, substantial section covers most significant religions to emerge in the wake of the Theosophical Society - Anthroposophy, the Point Loma community, the I AM religious activity, the Summit Lighthouse Movement, the New Age, theosophical UFO religions, and numerous others. Finally, the interaction of the Theosophical current with contemporary culture - including gender relations, art, popular fiction, historiography, and science - are discussed at length.

Olav Hammer, Ph.D. (2000), Lund University (Sweden), is Professor of the Study of Religions at the University of Southern Denmark. He has published monographs, edited volumes and numerous articles on religious innovation in the contemporary West, including the Theosophical current.Mikael Rothstein, Ph.D. (1993), University of Copenhagen (Denmark), is Associate Professor of History of Religions at he University of Copenhagen, and tenured Guest Professor at the Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas. He has published widely on new religions, including monographs and edited volumes in Danish and English.Contributors include: Michael Abravanel, W. Michael Ashcraft, Egil Asprem, Tessel M. Bauduin, Katharina R. Brandt, Joscelyn Godwin, Ingvild Salid Gilhus, Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke, Olav Hammer, Siv Ellen Kraft, Isaac Lubelsky, Lisbeth Mikaelsson, Sean O'Callaghan, Christopher Partridge, Mikael Rothstein, Tim Rudbog, Anita Stasulane, Garry Trompf , Shanon Trosper Schorey, and Catherine Wessinger.