Neoplatonism
Template:Template Neoplationism
Neoplatonists would have called themselves Platonists, following as they did the teachings of Plato. Helena Blavatsky would have called Neoplatonists Theosophists. From The Keys to Theosophy she states: “The name Theosophy dates from the third century of our era, and began with Ammonius Saccas and his disciples who started the Eclectic Theosophical system.” “They (Neoplatonists) were the Theosophists of early centuries."[1]
Neoplatonists felt themselves to be interpreting Plato, not altering his teachings. However during the 19th Century, historians and philosophers decided that the beliefs of this group differed sufficiently from Plato’s original ideas to require the prefix “neo,” meaning “new”, to the root word. This school of thought began in the third century AD in Alexandria by followers of Ammonius Saccas. Ammonius was born to devout Christian parents and he was officially educated at Christian schools but he rejected the exclusive narrowness of his parents Christianity, claiming that he was “god-taught.” He took a far more expanded view of religious philosophy than any one religion could offer.
Online resources
Articles
- The Eclectic Philosophy by Alexander Wilder
Audio
Video
- Turning-Points for the West: From Pythagoras and Plato through Gnosticism and Neoplatonism (3 Parts) by Stephan Hoeller and Tony Lysy
- ↑ Mills, Joy. The Key to Theosophy: H. P. Blavatsky : an Abridgement. , 2013. Internet resource. P. 1.