03/07/2026 15:00 - 17:10

HALL: Pola - A103

Contact: Dalla Grana G.

Chair: Siniscalco L.

The "long nineteenth century" was marked by the flourishing, (re-)discovery, and invention of religious knowledge. The acceleration of global connections facilitated the diffusion of exotic doctrines and extra-European religions. Also, the new inequality between the emergent rational-positivistic mindset and traditional Christian theologies led to the latter's response through either integration with or resistance to the former. Furthermore, analogous to the massive fascination with the "East", the interest in the "occult", and instances of attraction to Paganism, Christianity saw the development of heterodox currents imbued with esoteric features.
Concerning institutional Christianity, the long nineteenth century exhibited two paradoxical aspects. On the one hand, Christianity faced emergent secularisation and anti-clerical sentiments. On the other hand, the same century led to the empowerment of ecclesiastical institutions due to their nature as competitors or allies of nation-states. In turn, the inequality of these developments played a fundamental role in spreading popular devotion and sparking interest in mystical religious manifestations.
Whereas past scholarship investigated several of these traditions, the question of establishment, transfer, and circulation remains understudied. By contextualizing this subject within political institutions or across state borders, this panel aims to investigate the social, intellectual, and political challenges faced by Christian esotericism between the eighteenth and twentieth centuries.


The panel focuses on three themes:
1. Authority: Technical development and scientific research involved in the affirmation or condemnation of Christian esoteric aspects.
2. Routinisation: The circulation of heterodox doctrines and religious experiences and the attempts to halt them.
3. Coexistence: Conflicts and interactions between positivistic science, institutional confessions, social groups, and Christian esotericism.