Theosophical Society Founded - Timeline Event
Founder
Henry S. Olcott, Helena P. Blavatsky and William Q. Judge
Time Period
11-17-1875
Description
The Theosophical Society is an American-born religious movement credited with popularizing interest in Hinduism, Buddhism and other Asian religions.
The movement is a blending of Eastern tenets with Western occultism and Spiritualism, along with an ancient mysticism known as Theosophy ("divine wisdom"). The society was started in 1875 in New York by Helena P. Blavatsky (1831-91), a well-known Russian-born medium, and Henry S. Olcott (1832-1907) and William Q. Judge (1851-96), who were likewise fascinated with occultism.
Theosophy embraces the oneness of everything, and promotes the study of world religions, philosophy, science and the arts to help people attain their own spiritual self-transformation. Thomas Edison was one of the society’s early members.
While the Theosophical Society has spread to some 70 countries, membership remains relatively small. A count conducted in 2008 found about 29,000 adherents.
The movement is a blending of Eastern tenets with Western occultism and Spiritualism, along with an ancient mysticism known as Theosophy ("divine wisdom"). The society was started in 1875 in New York by Helena P. Blavatsky (1831-91), a well-known Russian-born medium, and Henry S. Olcott (1832-1907) and William Q. Judge (1851-96), who were likewise fascinated with occultism.
Theosophy embraces the oneness of everything, and promotes the study of world religions, philosophy, science and the arts to help people attain their own spiritual self-transformation. Thomas Edison was one of the society’s early members.
While the Theosophical Society has spread to some 70 countries, membership remains relatively small. A count conducted in 2008 found about 29,000 adherents.
Interactive Timeline(s)
Browse Related Timeline Entries
Religious Groups
Timeline Entries for the same religious group: Spiritualist FamilySpiritualist Family: Other ARDA Links
Movements
SpiritualismPhotographs
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Theosophical Society seal- Hathi Trust- from The Theosophist, vol 30 (1908)
Helena Blavatsky and Henry Olcott- Hathi Trust- from Revue Theosophique
William Q Judge portrait- Wikimedia Commons
Theosophical Society, Adyar, India- Wikimedia Commons
Helena Blavatsky portrait- Internet Archive- from H. P. Blavatsky, an Outline of her Life by Herbert Whyte
Book/Journal Source(s)
Tweed, Thomas A. and Stephen Prothero (Eds.), 1999. Asian Religions in America New York: Oxford University Press.Smith, Jonathan Z., and William Scott Green (Eds.), 1995. The HarperCollins Dictionary of Religion San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco.
Web Source(s)
https://www.theosophical.orgThe Theosophical Society in America
Web Page Contributor
Sandi DolbeeAffliated with: Former Religion and Ethics Editor, The San Diego Union-Tribune
