Spiritism

Spiritism
Name	Spiritism
Founder	Allan Kardec
Founded date	1857
Founded place	Paris, France
Scripture	The Spirits' Book, The Mediums' Book
Headquarters	International Spiritist Council
Area	Worldwide

Spiritism. Also known as Kardecism, it is a philosophical doctrine with religious and scientific implications established in the 19th century. Its core tenets are based on the belief in communication with incorporeal intelligences through mediumship, the plurality of existences, and the moral and intellectual evolution of the spirit through reincarnation. The movement seeks to understand the relationship between the material and spiritual worlds, promoting a universalist ethic centered on charity and personal improvement.

History and origins

The modern doctrine was systematized by the French educator Allan Kardec, following his investigation of widespread table-turning phenomena reported across Europe and the United States in the 1850s. Kardec compiled and analyzed communications from various mediums, synthesizing them into a coherent body of work. His foundational book, The Spirits' Book, was published in 1857, marking the formal beginning of the movement. The ideas quickly spread from France to other countries, finding particularly fertile ground in Brazil, where it syncretized with local religious sentiments. Early influences included the theories of Franz Mesmer and the writings of Emanuel Swedenborg, while the movement also engaged with contemporary debates involving figures like Michael Faraday and Alfred Russel Wallace.

Core principles and beliefs

Central to the doctrine is the belief in an eternal, immutable God as the primary cause of all things. It posits the existence of spirits as the intelligent principle of the universe, created simple and ignorant, destined for perpetual evolution through multiple corporeal lives. The concept of reincarnation is fundamental, viewed as a mechanism for moral atonement and intellectual advancement. The law of cause and effect governs this process, where every action has a corresponding spiritual consequence. Other key principles include the plurality of inhabited worlds, the inherent perfectibility of all spirits, and the ultimate goal of achieving moral purity. The Gospel is often interpreted as a moral guide within this evolutionary framework.

Practices and phenomena

The primary practice is the holding of meetings for study, prayer, and fraternal assistance. Mediumship is considered a natural faculty, with mediums serving as instruments for communication with discarnate entities. Common phenomena include psychography, psychophony, and clairvoyance. Healing practices, known as spiritual healing or passe, involve the alleged transference of beneficial spiritual fluids. Séances are conducted in a serious, liturgical manner, distinct from more theatrical Spiritualist practices. The movement strongly emphasizes moral and intellectual education, charity work, and the disavowal of any form of payment for mediumistic services, contrasting with the practices of some Umbanda and Candomblé centers.

Spiritist literature and codification

The canonical works, known as the Spiritist Codification, were authored by Allan Kardec and include The Spirits' Book (philosophical principles), The Mediums' Book (experimental and practical guidelines), The Gospel According to Spiritism (moral teachings), Heaven and Hell, and Genesis. These texts form the doctrinal basis. A vast secondary literature has since developed, with significant contributions from mediums like Chico Xavier in Brazil, whose works include Nosso Lar. The publishing house Federação Espírita Brasileira is a major disseminator of this literature globally.

Influence and organization

The movement has had its most profound cultural impact in Brazil, where it has influenced politics, healthcare, and social work, with institutions like the Hospital Espírita de Porto Alegre. It is organized through autonomous local centers federated into national bodies, such as the Federação Espírita Brasileira and the Conselho Espírita Internacional. While distinct, it has influenced the development of syncretic religions like Umbanda and certain New Age philosophies. Prominent adherents have included scientists like Camille Flammarion, writers like Arthur Conan Doyle, and Brazilian figures like Cândido Torquato Portinari.

Criticism and controversy

The doctrine has faced criticism from both religious and scientific quarters. Major Christian churches, including the Catholic Church and many Protestant denominations, condemn it as incompatible with orthodox theology, particularly its views on reincarnation and mediumship. Scientific skeptics, such as those associated with the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, dismiss its claimed phenomena as products of fraud, self-deception, or the ideomotor effect. Historically, it faced opposition from materialist philosophers and was banned under regimes like the Estado Novo. Internal controversies have arisen over doctrinal purity, the interpretation of Kardec's works, and its relationship with Afro-Brazilian religions.

Category:New religious movements Category:Spiritualism Category:Esotericism