Esoteric Christianity - What Does It Mean?

By Jan Skogstrom, 1999  

One of our guiding principles that I didn't comment on in the previous newsletter states, "We restore the mysteries and honor Mystical (Esoteric) Christianity - the God within." Advent seemed like the appropriate time to explain this further.

Growing up Lutheran
As a child, I grew up as a Lutheran (ya, you betcha!) and enjoyed my church life very much. I was active in youth activities, sang in the choir, and felt nurtured by my church. However, even as a child, I can recall being interested in other churches and what their beliefs were. When anyone told me their way was right and my way was wrong, I "knew" that wasn't true. I inherently knew that God didn't pick sides. As I grew older, and paid greater attention to the language and the prayers that were used in church, I noticed that I often disagreed with what was said. As I grew, this became more frequent for me, so I would tune out the messages and the language more often, and tune into the music, which always brought a sense of connection.

Although my heritage was Christian, I began to feel more like a stranger in a strange land. What did it mean to say, "Jesus died for my sins?"  I didn't understand that. Why was I not responsible for my "sins" myself? I questioned the idea of sins as we were taught them. Why did someone have to die for my sins? Also, ideas of heaven and hell as places of perpetual stasis didn't make sense to me. If everything else is in a state of dynamic change and flow, why wouldn't "heaven" and "hell" be subject to the same universal laws? The notion of "being saved" didn't make sense either.  Saved from what?  From whom? And on it went with almost every prayer, every sermon, every teaching. Each time I attended, the amount of personal translating I had to do for the service to make sense to me, took its toll. I was no longer being fed by the dominant Christian beliefs (of any denomination) and I gradually dropped out. I felt a certain rebelliousness and sadness about turning away from the religion of my childhood, but I could no longer live there. I began exploring eastern religions and other philosophies and spiritual thought (I bet this is familiar to many of you...) and resonated with much of what I learned, but never embraced one mode of thought entirely. I couldn't find my place. As I searched, my state of asking and seeking, gradually turned to finding. I came to understand that spirituality was what I was looking for, not necessarily religion, although religion was the container where I had previously held my spirituality. I was bursting the seams of my container.

One of my spiritual teachers introduced me to Esoteric Christianity (sometimes called mystical Christianity). I approached the teachings cautiously, wondering at what point I might have to turn away. Thus far, I have not found a turn-away point. What these teachings have done is to bring me full circle, back to Christianity, but in a way that I can accept; and that makes sense to me. I can incorporate much of the wisdom of the east with esoteric Christianity. New interpretations of the old questions allow me to understand in a new light. Let me give you a surface explanation of Esoteric Christianity referred to in one of our guiding principles that states, "We restore the mysteries and honor Mystical (Esoteric) Christianity - the God within."

The Initiatory Path
Esoteric is commonly understood as "hidden."  Esoteric Christianity was part of the hidden teachings included in Ageless Wisdom, which until recently, had not been as available to the general public. One of the most important ideas in the this tradition is that we are on an evolutionary or initiatory path. All of humanity, and each individual, is growing and evolving through a series of initiations, or expansions of consciousness which are steps in the process of attaining spiritual enlightenment - eventually God-hood ("Ye shall be as Gods.") Further, Master Jesus, who embodied the Christ energy, is seen as a way-shower on this evolutionary path; one who, as a high initiate, helped to model and set the pattern for all of us. Events in Jesus' life are interpreted as part of the path of initiation.

Reincarnation?
Because the path toward God-hood is such an awesome process, taking considerable time and learning, the idea of reincarnation is accepted as part of this process. (not required, but accepted).  Over many lifetimes, the soul incarnates, perfecting itself toward God-hood, just as Jesus perfected himself enough through many lifetimes to be able to hold the Christ energy and become Jesus the Christ.

Understanding the Christ
Basic to Esoteric Christianity is the concept of four qualities assigned to the Christ.  The Cosmic Christ is the divine, creative Being that disseminates the love / wisdom we perceive as God (not just belonging to Christians - a new neutral word would perhaps be better). The Planetary Christ, known in the East as the Maitreya, is the Christ energy that entered and blended with Jesus at the time of his baptism just before beginning his three-year ministry, when he became Jesus, the Christ. This anchored the principle of divine love on  our planet.  "The word became flesh and dwelt among us. . ." John 1:14.  The Historical Christ (Jesus embodied with the Christ energy) refers to the life of Master Jesus as told in The Holy Bible and The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ. The latter includes an account of Jesus' participation in mystery schools where he received spiritual instruction between the ages of 13 - 30. This was a part of his preparation to be able to receive the Christ energy just prior to his ministry. The Christ-within, also known as the mystical or inner Christ, is the divine nature within us.

The Christ Within
The Christ within in is a personal awareness of the in-dwelling spirit of God within ourselves - an actual experiential, first-hand connection with God; the divine nature realized within ourselves. Through personal transformational practices, (meditation, etc.) we work to bring that Christ-within (also known as the mystical or inner Christ) into greater realization in our life. We also understand The cyclic work of the Christ - the pattern of Christ energy that moves seasonally in, out and around our planet.  The influence of the energy changes at each solstice and equinox, and helps us to evolve in a different and particular way.

The Role of Meditation
In this tradition, the primary way to develop the Christ-within and fathom the mysteries is through meditation - being in the silence - although prayer, dreams, impressions, intuition, and other ways assist the process. We practice silence to seek wisdom and experience the light and love of God in a personal way.

The Mysteries
As we unfold in this process, we encounter the mysteries. Mysteries are holy, sacred messages that reveal themselves to us in deeper and deeper layers as we grow in higher consciousness. As we understand, see the light, the mystery is revealed, and a new one awaits. Although teachers can guide us into the mysteries, we must fathom their depths in a personal way.  Striving to penetrate the mysteries is part of meditation and the esoteric tradition.

Spiritual Maturity and Honoring Many Paths
As higher consciousness unfolds and we begin to penetrate mysteries, we develop the spiritual maturity to decide for ourselves, in our hearts, what to believe.  Dogma is released and we listen with our hearts and minds - thinketh in the heart - for our own truth.  We become the final authority of our own truth and come to see the fundamental unity running through the great world religions and the unity in the diversity all around us. We honor other traditions as well as the esoteric path that leads us to Oneness.

If you haven't encountered these ideas before, it gives you lots to chew on and may raise more questions than answers. At Spirit United we honor and incorporate teachings from all spiritual paths that teach love.

Join us for advent, the Christmas season and our Winter Solstice activities as we prepare for the birth of  the divine within. A friend gave me this prayer, which I pass on to you.

It is I who asks for your blessing, Father-Mother, no longer in whimpered tones.
I have grown throughout the seasons and stand now, tall and sure.
I am sensing who I truly am, and I stand to meet that test.
I am your word within this life - this lifetime.
Know I this.

Author Unknown