The Rose Cross and the Age of Reason: Eighteenth-Century Rosicrucianism in Central Europe and Its Relationship to the Enlightenment
by Christopher McIntosh
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The Rose Cross deals with the interaction between two movements of thought in eighteenth-century Germany: the philosophy of the Enlightenment, and the complex of ideas known as Rosicrucian. Dating from the early seventeenth century and drawing on Pietism, Freemasonry, Kabbalah and alchemy, the Rosicrucianism movement enjoyed a revival in Germany during the eighteenth century. Historians have often depicted this neo-Rosicrucianism as a Counter-Enlightenment force. Dr. McIntosh argues rather show more that it was part of a \'third force\', which allied itself sometimes with the Enlightenment, sometimes with the Counter-Enlightenment. This book is the first in-depth, comprehensive study of the German Rosicrucian revival and in particular of the order known as the Golden and Rosy Cross (Gold und Rosenkreuz). Drawing on hitherto unpublished material, Dr. McIntosh shows how the order exerted a significant influence on the cultural, political and religious life of its age. show lessTags
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paradoxosalpha McIntosh furnishes important background for Magee's study of Hegel, and Magee shows an important trajectory leading into the 19th century from the milieu that McIntosh examines.
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McIntosh's monograph on esoteric initiatory societies in Enlightenment Germany is an invaluable study that dissolves ideological caricatures on the basis of intriguing historical evidence. It is important reading for any latter-day illuminatus.
Besproken in Thoth 1996 no.5, p.173 door Br.Kwaadgras:
“Dit boek is momenteel de beste verhandeling over de opkomst van het verschijnsel Gold- und Rosenkreuzer.”
Besproken in AQC ?:
“Bro. McIntosh, however, is not concerned with the Rosicrucians of the seventeenth-century manifestos, but with the revival of Rosicrucianism that grew out of the alchemical enthusiasms of Samuel Richter, a Silezian Pietist, who was active during the early years of the eighteenth century. This neo-Rosicrucianism arose in tandem with the Enlightenment – the Aufklärung- and, while it was not exclusively masonic, it took tangible form in the 1750’s when it was grafted on to the more exotic offshoots of the Craft and came to its full flowering as the show more Order of the Golden and Rosy Cross…It is thus no easy task to untangle the complex web of relationships within and between the Golden and Rosy Cross, the Asiatic Brethren, the Illuminati, and the whole gamut of masonic chivalric Orders that flourished in Germany and Eastern Europe during the second half of the eighteenth century, but Bro. McIntosh has done it with skill and meticulous attention to detail…It deserves a place in every masonic library of repute.” show less
“Dit boek is momenteel de beste verhandeling over de opkomst van het verschijnsel Gold- und Rosenkreuzer.”
Besproken in AQC ?:
“Bro. McIntosh, however, is not concerned with the Rosicrucians of the seventeenth-century manifestos, but with the revival of Rosicrucianism that grew out of the alchemical enthusiasms of Samuel Richter, a Silezian Pietist, who was active during the early years of the eighteenth century. This neo-Rosicrucianism arose in tandem with the Enlightenment – the Aufklärung- and, while it was not exclusively masonic, it took tangible form in the 1750’s when it was grafted on to the more exotic offshoots of the Craft and came to its full flowering as the show more Order of the Golden and Rosy Cross…It is thus no easy task to untangle the complex web of relationships within and between the Golden and Rosy Cross, the Asiatic Brethren, the Illuminati, and the whole gamut of masonic chivalric Orders that flourished in Germany and Eastern Europe during the second half of the eighteenth century, but Bro. McIntosh has done it with skill and meticulous attention to detail…It deserves a place in every masonic library of repute.” show less
Jul 25, 2021Dutch
Besproken in Thoth 1996 no.5, p.173 door Br.Kwaadgras:
“Dit boek is momenteel de beste verhandeling over de opkomst van het verschijnsel Gold- und Rosenkreuzer.”
Besproken in AQC ?:
“Bro. McIntosh, however, is not concerned with the Rosicrucians of the seventeenth-century manifestos, but with the revival of Rosicrucianism that grew out of the alchemical enthusiasms of Samuel Richter, a Silezian Pietist, who was active during the early years of the eighteenth century. This neo-Rosicrucianism arose in tandem with the Enlightenment – the Aufklärung- and, while it was not exclusively masonic, it took tangible form in the 1750’s when it was grafted on to the more exotic offshoots of the Craft and came to its full flowering as the show more Order of the Golden and Rosy Cross…It is thus no easy task to untangle the complex web of relationships within and between the Golden and Rosy Cross, the Asiatic Brethren, the Illuminati, and the whole gamut of masonic chivalric Orders that flourished in Germany and Eastern Europe during the second half of the eighteenth century, but Bro. McIntosh has done it with skill and meticulous attention to detail…It deserves a place in every masonic library of repute.” show less
“Dit boek is momenteel de beste verhandeling over de opkomst van het verschijnsel Gold- und Rosenkreuzer.”
Besproken in AQC ?:
“Bro. McIntosh, however, is not concerned with the Rosicrucians of the seventeenth-century manifestos, but with the revival of Rosicrucianism that grew out of the alchemical enthusiasms of Samuel Richter, a Silezian Pietist, who was active during the early years of the eighteenth century. This neo-Rosicrucianism arose in tandem with the Enlightenment – the Aufklärung- and, while it was not exclusively masonic, it took tangible form in the 1750’s when it was grafted on to the more exotic offshoots of the Craft and came to its full flowering as the show more Order of the Golden and Rosy Cross…It is thus no easy task to untangle the complex web of relationships within and between the Golden and Rosy Cross, the Asiatic Brethren, the Illuminati, and the whole gamut of masonic chivalric Orders that flourished in Germany and Eastern Europe during the second half of the eighteenth century, but Bro. McIntosh has done it with skill and meticulous attention to detail…It deserves a place in every masonic library of repute.” show less
Jul 25, 2021Dutch
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Author Information
28+ Works 848 Members
Christopher McIntosh is the author of many book in various esoteric traditions. He holds a DPhil in history from Oxford, a degree in German from London University, and a diploma in Russian from the United National Language School. Christopher has a long-standing interest in nature-oriented belief systems and in particular the Nordic Heathen show more movement. He lives in Lower Saxony, North Germany. Visit him at www.ozgard.net. show less
Series
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- The Rose Cross and the Age of Reason: Eighteenth-Century Rosicrucianism in Central Europe and Its Relationship to the Enlightenment
- Original publication date
- 1992
- People/Characters
- Johann Christoph von Wöllner
Classifications
- Genres
- Nonfiction, History, Religion & Spirituality
- DDC/MDS
- 135.43094309033 — Philosophy and Psychology Parapsychology & occultism Dreams and mysteries Rosicrucianism, Hermetism, cabala Rosicrucianism
- LCC
- BF1623 .R7 .M34 — Philosophy, Psychology and Religion Psychology Occult sciences Magic. Hermetics. Necromancy
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 40
- Popularity
- 729,032
- Reviews
- 3
- Rating
- (3.33)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 6
