Hi Lothlorien -
Before commenting on this topic let me first draw a distinction between 'Esoteric Christianity' and 'Christian esoterism,' as the two are quite distinct.
'Esoteric Christianity' implies (and would require) a total separation between itself and its exoteric counterpart - it would require its own liturgical rite as a means of transmitting the grace (gnosis) of itself, that is different from the common or exoteric rite as practiced by Christians generally.
'Christian Esoterism,' on the other hand, is simply a deeper and more profound understanding of the Mysteries, the spirit that illuminates the letter. 'Esoteric' means simply 'more interior,' in its proper sense of a mode of understanding (rather than 'esoteric' being a piece of knowledge not commonly known).
To say 'Esoteric Christianity' is to miss the point - the 'scandal' of Christianity is that it is an esoterism in plain sight. Christ might well have taught his followers in private, but he lived and died in the public gaze, and worked his wonders for all to see. Whether they got the point was another matter, whether they had 'the eyes to see or the ears to hear' depends ultimately upon the disposition of the heart towards God, "This people honoureth me with their lips: but their heart is far from me," (Matthew 15:8).
The symbolism of the rending of the Veil of the Temple, at the moment of Christ's death upon the Cross, signifies nothing other than the abolishment of any formal distinction between esoteric and exoteric domain, and similarly ends the separation between God and the world:
"And he said to them: Go ye into the whole world and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved: but he that believeth not shall he condemned."
Mark 16:15-16
The conversion of the centurion Cornelius, as recorded in the Acts 10, points to this, and is worthy of lengthy consideration in itself.
To believe that there was a secret and inner transmission of yet a higher degree, vouched to a few, would require there to be an 'inner gnosis' and an 'outer gnosis' - yet there is no evidence of this in the writings of the Apostles, Doctors, Fathers, Mystics, Saints or Theologians - in fact quite the reverse.
In fact Dionysius talks of the 'legal' and 'celestial' character of Christian Initiation, (the exoteric and esoteric aspect) - of reception into the Church, and by 'celestial' and 'legal' he means the Church in her Sacramental and doctrinal aspects - 'in spirit and in truth'.
The important point here is that it is one and the same initiatic act, and one and the same church.
The pivotal act of Christian Initiation is Baptism:
"since one has put on the Son of God, one has been judged worthy to accede to the perfect initiation and Baptism is received 'in the name of the Father,' our Lord Jesus Christ himself giving the power to become children of God,"
said St Basil of Caesarea, and before him St Athenasius (The Father of Orthodoxy) and Origen (the Man of Steel) both regarded Baptism as such.
St Cyril of Jerusalem, a great instructor of the catechumenate, said:
"Prepare your own heart to receive instruction for communion in the Sacred Mysteries. Pray more earnestly that God will make you worthy of these heavenly and immmortal mysteries."
And again:
"Disciples of the New Testament and partakers of the Mysteries of Christ, as yet by calling only, but ere long by grace also, make you a new heart ... Come for the Mystical Seal, that ye may be easily recognised by the Master.'
'Mystical' here is an adjective of 'Mystery,' which was understood as the liturgical and sacramental rites of Baptism and the Eucharist.
+++
That different people have different depths of understanding is in the nature of things. There are wise and there are unwise Christians, but the only difference is the unwise have wasted the gift; they listened but did not hear, saw but did not see.
Christ often instructed Peter, James and John apart from the Twelve, but it is evident from Scripture that they were tasked to enlighten their brothers, 'and nothing shall be witheld' from the true seeker. Certainly they taught nothing contrary to the rest.
And once received in Baptism, education of the 'neophyte' (new plant) or the 'myst' (initiate) continued under the title of 'mystagogia' - spiritual growth never ceases.
St Basil of Caesarea talks of Baptism as communicating 'the divine gnosis' to those 'capable of the intelligible light', but those who by nature are less capable are in no sense second before God, they receive the same light in a different way: 'blessed are the poor in spirit,' or as the poet says, "They also serve who only stand and wait."
(On His Blindness,” Sonnet XIX of John Milton.)
We should also take care not to confuse 'divine gnosis' with 'obscure knowledge' the material product of the mental and intellective faculty - it is this that St Paul refers to in his First Letter to Timothy: "the profane novelties of words and oppositions of gnosis falsely so called," (6:20) and dare I say it, but this 'rede' reeks of it.
Now - if you want to talk of an authentic 'Christian esoterism,' the symbolical, analogical or anagogical sense of Scripture, Christian Metaphysics, Mystical Theology, then modesty forbids ...
... but you might take a peek at
www.theveil.net and 'ressourcement theology' in general.
That this 'interior' dimension is so derided in the world today is evident, and tragic, but that does not mean it is not there.
Thomas
