Rosicrucianism

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The Rosicrucians are a legendary and secretive order dating from the 15th or 17th century, generally associated with the symbol of the Rose Cross, which is also used in certain rituals of the Freemasons. Several modern societies have been formed for the study of Rosicrucianism and allied subjects, but in no sense are they directly derived from the "Brethren of the Rosy Cross" of the 17th century, though they are keen followers thereof.

History & Origins
According to the legend, the Rosicrucian order was founded in 1407 by a German named Christian Rosenkreuz (1378 - 1484), who studied in the Holy Land under various occult masters. During his lifetime, the order was alleged to be small, consisting of no more than eight members. When Rosencreuz died in 1484, the order died out, only to be "reborn" in the early 17th century. This legend is accepted to varying degrees by modern Rosicrucians, with some accepting it as literal truth, others seeing it as a parable, and yet others believing Rosenkreuz to be a pseudonym for some more famous historical figure (Francis Bacon is often suggested.)

According to a lesser known legend found in Masonic literature, the Rosicrucian order was created in 46 C.E. when an Alexandrian Gnostic sage named Ormus and his six followers were converted by Mark, one of Jesus' disciples. From this conversion, Rosicrucianism was born by fusing primitive Christianity with Egyptian mysteries. Rosencreuz would therefore only have been initiated into and become the Grand Master of an already existing order instead of being its founder.

In point of fact, what was known in the early 17th century as the "Society of Rosicrucians" (Rosenkreuzer) was most likely a number of isolated individuals who held certain views in common (which apparently was their only bond of union). There is no trace of a society holding meetings, or having officers. So far as the numerous works are concerned, it is evident that the writers who posed as Rosicrucians were moral and religious reformers, and utilized the technicalities of chemistry (alchemy), and the sciences generally, as media through which to make known their opinions. Their writings included a flavour of mysticism or occultism promotive of inquiry and suggestive of hidden meanings discernible or discoverable only by adepts.

The publication of The Fama Fraternitas of the Meritorious Order of the Rosy Cross (1614), The Confession of the Rosicrucian Fraternity (1615), and The Chemical Marriage of Christian Rosenkreuz (1616) caused immense excitement throughout Europe, and they not only led to many re-issues, but were followed by numerous pamphlets, favourable and otherwise, whose authors generally knew little of the real aims of the original author (and doubtless in not a few cases amused themselves at the expense of the public). It is probable that the first work was circulated in manuscript for about 1610, according to historical records, but if so, there was no mention of the cult before that decade. In fact, research indicates that all three documents, including the concept of the Rosicrucian Order, were probably the creation of theologian Johann Valentin Andrea (1586-1654). He subsequently described rosicrucianism as a Ludibrium.

The authors of the Rosicrucian works generally favoured Lutheranism as opposed to Roman Catholicism. Others, like John Heydon, admitted they were not Rosicrucians, but under attractive and suggestive titles to their works sought to make Hermeticism and other curious studies more useful and popular, and succeeded, for a time at least.

The curious legend, in which the fabulous origin of the so-call ed society was enshrined (Christian Rosenkreuz had discovered the secret wisdom of the East on a pilgrimage in the 15th century), was so improbable, though ingenious, that the genesis of the Rosicrucians was generally overlooked or ignored in the writings of the time.

Influence on Freemasonry
The influence that Rosicrucianism had in the modernizing of ancient Freemasonry early in the 18th century must have been slight, if any, though it is likely that as the century advanced, and additional ceremonies were grafted on to the first three degrees, Rosicrucian tenets were occasionally introduced into the later rituals. So far, however, as the real foundation ceremonies of Craft Masonry are concerned, whether before or after the premier Grand Lodge was formed, it is most unlikely that such a society as the Freemasons would adopt anything of a really distinctive character from any other organization.

The term
Rosicrucian is a term that is also used to describe an idea, icon, person or group that is either Gnostic Christian or simultaneously Christian and trans-Christian. For example, a cult that centers around the Virgin Mary yet openly or secretly identifies her to the Virgo constellation of the Zodiac.

In The Muses' Threnodie by H. Adamson (Perth, 1638) are the lines: "For what we do presage is riot in grosse, for we are brethren of the Rosie Crosse; We have the Mason Word and second sight, Things for to come we can fortell aright."

The manifestos

 * 1614: Fama Fraternitatis
 * 1615: Confessio Fraternitatis
 * 1616: Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz

In 1622 the Rose-Croix of Paris placed mysterious posters on walls. The posters included the text: "We, the Deputies of the Higher College of the Rose-Croix, do make our stay, visibly and invisibly, in this city (...)" and "The thoughts attached to the real desire of the seeker will lead us to him and him to us".

Between 1614 and 1620 about 400 manuscripts and books published which discussed the Rose-Croix documents.

Modern groups
During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, various groups styled themselves Rosicrucian. Almost all claimed to be authentic heirs to a historical Rosicrucian tradition.


 * AMORC
 * Confraternity of the Rose Cross
 * Fraternitas Rosae Crucis
 * Societas Rosicruciana
 * Rosicrucian Order Crotona Fellowship
 * Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia
 * Rosicrucian Fellowship (The)
 * Order of the Temple of the Rosy Cross
 * Lectorium Rosicrucianum
 * Ancient Rosae Crucis
 * and others.

There are two streams of current-day groups, presented below, and there has never been any connection between these two following streams:

Personalities (related to para-Masonic groups)

 * Christian Bernard (1951 - ): current (2004) Imperator of AMORC; presented the Positio Fraternitatis Rosae Crucis in 2001 (AMORC Rosicrucian Year 3354).
 * Gary L. Stewart: Imperator of AMORC from 1987 to 1990; founded the CR+C in 1996.
 * George Alexander Sullivan (1890-1942), founder of the Rosicrucian Order Crotona Fellowship
 * Harvey Spencer Lewis (1883 - 1939): founder and the first Imperator of AMORC from 1915 until 1939; also founded the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum (1929).
 * Julie Scott (1958 - ): current (2004) Grand Master of the English Grand Lodge for the AMORC.
 * Paschal Beverly Randolph (1825 - 1875): founder of the Fraternitas Rosae Crucis (1858).
 * Ralph Maxwell Lewis (1904 - 1987): the son of Harvey Spencer Lewis; was the Imperator of AMORC from 1939 to 1987.
 * Reuben Swinburne Clymer (1878 - 1966): succeeded Edward H. Brown as Supreme Grand Master of Fraternitas Rosae Crucis in 1922.
 * William Wynn Westcott (1848 - 1925): became Magus of the Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia in 1890; author of the Rosicrucian Thoughts on the Ever-Burning Lamps of the Ancients (1903) and other extensive writings in the fields of medicine and the occult literature.

Personalities (related to Esoteric Christianity groups)

 * Max Heindel (1865 - 1919): founder of The Rosicrucian Fellowship (1909); author of The Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception (1909) and many other esoteric Christian and spiritual astrology writings.
 * Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925), founder of the Anthroposophical Society, lecturer of the Esoteric Christianity and the Mission of Christian Rosenkreutz and author of many Rosicrucian Christianity lectures.
 * The Heindel-Steiner Connection (2005) & Rosicrucianism and Religion (1995) by Charles Weber
 * The Mystic Gallery "Rosecrucians" & The Mystic World Gallery by Reinhard Ponty (Art Gallery; 2002-2005)