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| Spiritism (Kardecism) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Spiritism (Kardecism) |
| Founder | Allan Kardec |
| Founded date | 1857 |
| Founded place | Paris |
| Scriptures | The Spirits' Book, The Gospel According to Spiritism |
| Followers | Estimates vary |
Spiritism (Kardecism) Spiritism (Kardecism) is a 19th-century religious and philosophical system codified by Allan Kardec in Paris that proposes communication between the living and the spirits of the deceased through mediums. Drawing on influences from Emanuel Swedenborg, Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi, Victor Hugo, and contemporary mesmerism experiments, the movement rapidly spread through Brazil, France, Portugal, and parts of Spain and Latin America. It intersects with institutions such as the Brazilian Spiritist Federation and has attracted attention from scientists, clergymen, and public figures including Alexandre Dumas, Félix Faure, Rui Barbosa, and Allan Kardec's contemporaries in Second French Empire society.
Allan Kardec organized Spiritism's principles in mid-19th century Paris after investigating mediumistic phenomena linked to Hydesville events, table-turning, and séances popular in Victorian era salons. Influences include Franz Mesmer's theories, the writings of Emanuel Swedenborg, philosophical currents from Auguste Comte, and experimental interests shared by members of the Académie des Sciences and observers such as Pierre Janet and Gustave Le Bon. Early societies formed in France and rapidly established branches in Brazil where figures like Bezerra de Menezes and organizations such as the Brazilian Spiritist Federation institutionalized practice.
Spiritism teaches the immortality of the soul, reincarnation, moral progression, and communication with spirits via mediums—doctrines set out by Kardec in dialogue with purported spirit communications. It posits a plurality of worlds akin to hypotheses discussed by Immanuel Kant and speculations in Louis Pasteur's era, while engaging ethical concerns resonant with writings by Victor Hugo and Alexandre Dumas. The system critiques materialism debated by Karl Marx and engages with theology contested by figures such as Pope Pius IX and Pope Leo XIII, attracting both endorsement from lay intellectuals and censure from established denominations like Roman Catholic Church authorities.
Kardec's core corpus includes The Spirits' Book, The Book on Mediums, The Gospel According to Spiritism, Heaven and Hell, and The Genesis According to Spiritism. These works were published in Paris and circulated widely through translations and editions distributed in Brazil, Portugal, and Spain; translators and editors included contacts in Belgium, Switzerland, and Argentina. Scholarly responses came from commentators such as Charles Richet, Pierre Janet, and critics in periodicals like Le Figaro and Revue des Deux Mondes.
Spiritist practice centers on study groups, mediumistic circles, healing sessions, and charity work modeled after institutions in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. Methods include trance communication, psychography, and controlled séances similar to procedures described in accounts by Florence Cook and investigations by Richard Hodgson. Spiritist centers often coordinate social assistance programs echoing initiatives from Red Cross-adjacent philanthropy and engage in publishing, education, and hospital work influenced by reformers such as Rui Barbosa and thinkers linked to Positivism in Latin America.
The movement is organized through associations, federations, and centers such as the Brazilian Spiritist Federation, regional societies in Lisbon, and cultural clubs in Buenos Aires and Montevideo. Leadership has included lay intellectuals, physicians, and public officials like Bezerra de Menezes; legal standing varies according to laws in Brazil, France, and Portugal, with periodic debates in national legislatures and courts. International links have been fostered through conferences, periodicals, and networks involving members from United States, Italy, Spain, and Argentina.
Spiritism influenced literature, medicine, and social reform, with cultural echoes in works by Victor Hugo and references in debates featuring Louis Pasteur, Charles Richet, and Pierre Janet. It drew criticism and controversy from clergy in the Roman Catholic Church, skeptics in scientific forums such as the Académie des Sciences, and investigators including Harry Price and Richard Hodgson. Legal disputes, fraud accusations linked to mediums like Eusapia Palladino and controversies over psychography involving public figures prompted inquiries and polarized public opinion in media outlets like Le Monde and O Estado de S. Paulo.
Spiritism maintains significant presence in Brazil, with millions of adherents and institutions across Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, while active communities exist in France, Portugal, Spain, Argentina, Uruguay, and diasporas in the United States and Canada. Academic studies by scholars associated with universities in São Paulo, Paris, and Lisbon have mapped its growth, while surveys by national institutes and census data in countries such as Brazil and Portugal provide demographic insights. Contemporary international forums connect centers from Latin America, Europe, and Africa to coordinate publishing, education, and humanitarian programs.
Category:Spiritism