Christian theosophy

Christian theosophy, also known as Boehmian theosophy and theosophy, refers to a range of positions within Christianity that focus on the attainment of direct, unmediated knowledge of the nature of divinity and the origin and purpose of the universe. They have been characterized as mystical philosophies.^[1] Theosophy is considered part of Western esotericism, which believes that hidden knowledge or wisdom from the ancient past offers a path to illumination and salvation.^{[citation needed]}

While general theosophy concerns the universal aspects of diverse esoteric traditions, including Hinduism and Buddhism, Christian theosophy is limited to Jewish and Christian elements.^[2] The founding of Christian theosophy is usually attributed to the German philosopher Jakob Böhme. Jewish Kabbalah was also formative for Christian theosophy from Böhme on.^[3]

In 1875, the term theosophy was adopted and revived by the Theosophical Society, an esoteric organization that spawned a spiritual movement also called Theosophy.^[4] In the 20th century, theosophy became the object of study for various scholars of Western esotericism.