Spiritism and Religion

I’ve talked elsewhere about the universal nature of Spiritism, but I thought it might be
appropriate to look more closely at the topic of Spiritism’s relationship to religious traditions. In
this article I will be using quotes from the 1893 edition of The Spirits’ Book, as translated by
Anna Blackwell.

Early Spiritists came mostly from a Christian (specifically Catholic) background. Researchers
would say this is for the simple reason that Kardec and his associates just so happened to be
Catholic, and I would tend to agree with them, but for the fact that I believe what helped the
Spiritist cause early on was growing from religious traditions that more emphasized mysticism
than others. Many French Catholics, for instance, joined the Spiritist ranks under Kardec as a
way to expand their already profound experience with the divine. With their doctrine of the
Saints and angels who often intervene on human affairs, it was much easier for Catholics to
reconcile a much broader spirit world than what is normally taught by religion.

Quakers, or members of the Religious Society of Friends, were also among some of the first
participants in what we might label “Spiritualism,” although the practices are as varied as there
are practitioners. Since the beginning of the religious movement the Quakers have put an
importance upon a continuing revelation and avoidance of reliance upon outdated texts. I think
this could be one of the reasons why so many became quickly interested in Spiritualist and
Spiritist thought. It can be connected to this idea of receiving sacred information directly from a
divine source, rather than second or third hand. This belief is built into the religion itself, and
even today participants in Quaker worship services often act as mediums for sacred messages.

As Spiritism grew as a movement, it slowly enveloped many of the occult movements of the
time, including members of the Theosophical Society, Freemasons, Rosicrucians, etc. Without a
doubt, many of the same influences upon the forming of these societies also influenced the
codification of Spiritist beliefs, especially those of the Theosophical Society with their emphasis
upon reincarnation and karmic debt. Nineteenth century Europe had an abundance of new
occult societies, many already using the techniques of Spiritualism as a basis for their beliefs
and practices. What Kardec brought to the table, among other things, was a more rational
approach to the spirit world, based heavily upon an inward form of spirituality, less emphasis
on what might be considered “strange” or “fringe” practices, and a more conversation-based
practice of mediumship without the need for a spectacle.

Some of the more interesting varieties of Spiritism come when we look at how this philosophy
spread to the French colonies (or other areas influenced by French culture). These are areas of
the world that still to this day have high numbers of Spiritists. One of these is Brazil, which has
the highest concentration of Spiritists in the world. There are a few ways traditional Spiritism
manifests in Brazil today. First is by way of indigenous religious traditions like Umbanda. It’s
interesting to note that the areas of the world that still have a large Spiritist presence are areas
where Spiritism and indigenous spiritual traditions have mixed. In the case of Brazil, Umbanda is
the tradition most influenced by what we might call “traditional” Spiritism, as opposed to
traditions like Candomblé. I should note here that I’m by no means an Umbandista, or an expert
on most of these traditions I’m going to talk about, so if you have an interest I would seek more
academic research. Currently, the majority of Brazil’s Spiritists follow the teachings of Chico
Xavier, a prolific writer and medium who authored over a hundred books with his spirit guides.
Xavier was heavily influenced by the traditional Christian side of Spiritism, with an emphasis
upon a personal relationship with Jesus as messiah and divinity. As a non-Christian myself, I can
say that Xavier’s works, while interesting in the scope of modern Spiritism, are hard to read for
those not aligned with Christian faith. His works, however, are massively popular and have
greatly influenced many other modern mediums and writers.

Throughout Central/South America and the Caribbean, Spiritism is known by the name
Espiritismo, of which there are hundreds, if not more, varieties. In Brazil, as I’ve already
mentioned, Espiritismo is mostly seen in the indigenous-based religions of Umbanda (as well as
its cousins, Quimbanda and Macumba) as well as in a modern form of Christian Spiritism as
taught by Chico Xavier. In Cuba and Puerto Rico the tradition of Espiritismo has also merged
with indigenous beliefs to form the tradition of Espiritismo Cruzado, or “crossed” Spiritism,
referring to the mixture of European Spiritism with indigenous beliefs and traditions. This also
gave rise to Espiritismo de Cordon, another area of research for those interested in Espiritismo.
In Venezuela, Spiritism has taken on a fascinating form in the Maria Lionza religion, another
mixture of European Spiritism and indigenous traditions. Unlike other varieties of Espiritismo,
Maria Lionza mediums channel not only indigenous figures and folk heroes of South America,
but also Vikings, European Saints, and even East Asian philosophers.

Another religion that I couldn’t possibly avoid mentioning is Đạo Cao Đài or Cao Dai (often
called Caodaism), a Vietnamese religion founded in the early part of the twentieth century. As
with other traditions we’ve mentioned, Cao Dai is a highly syncretic religion that combines
indigenous Vietnamese beliefs with Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism, holding everything
together with the philosophy of European Spiritism. The religion itself was founded during an
automatic writing session held by three Vietnamese spirit mediums well versed in the works of
Kardec. Since the beginning, all of the major texts and revelations for the religion have been
provided by mediums, a tradition that continues even today. Cao Dai mediums have famously
channeled such spirits as the Jade Emperor, Joan of Arc, and Victor Hugo, which might seen like
an odd combination, but it fits perfectly within the Spiritist worldview.

What exactly is this worldview? While some critics have claimed that Kardec made Spiritualism
dry, stuffy, and unappealing to anyone outside of academic circles through his codification, this
is far from the truth. In his works, Kardec sought to address directly what he considered to be
the faults of Spiritualism, mainly mediums (or so called mediums) tricking people out of their
money to talk with dead loved ones, and needless rituals and prayers plucked from different
traditions without discernment or understanding. Spiritism as it is defined by Kardec isn’t a
religious tradition at all, it’s a philosophy. Some modern writers like to think of it as a “path” or
“way,” much like Sufism, which is traditionally thought of being beyond religion and at the
same time contained within all religions. This is why Spiritism has easily been translated and
merged with so many indigenous traditions. Spiritism provides a framework for viewing human
relationships with the spirit world, a notion lacking in many mainstream religious traditions. It
defines the form of the spirit, its function as we know it, and how the existence of our own
immortal spirits affects the way we see our purpose in the universe. This framework is universal
in nature, meaning it appeals to and can be translated into many different religious and
spiritual traditions. While Kardec often wrote from a very Christian-centered worldview, his
works are also filled with universalist ideals. His overall message is for the unity of humanity on
the forward progression through the Spiritual Hierarchy.

Kardec’s message (or I should say the message of the spirit entities as channeled by Kardec and
his associates) emphasizes the mystical experience of the individual. When he asks the question
whether worship (adoration in this edition of the text) is dependent upon external
manifestations he receives this answer:
“True adoration is in the heart. In all your actions remember that the Master’s eye is always
upon you.” The Spirits’ Book, entry 653
And elsewhere:
"Does God accord a preference to those who worship Him according to any particular mode?"
"God prefers those who worship Him from the heart, with sincerity, and by doing what is good
and avoiding what is evil, to those who fancy they honour Him by ceremonies which do not
render them any better than their neighbours." The Spirits’ Book, entry 654
And perhaps one of Kardec’s more direct answers of universalism:
“Do not ask, then, if any form of worship be more acceptable than another; for it is as though
you asked whether it is more pleasing to God to be worshipped in one tongue rather than in
another. Remember that the hymns addressed to Him can reach Him only through the door of
the heart.” The Spirits’ Book, entry 654
Kardec presents a very specific form of monotheism in his works. In this system God represents
a sort of formless, distant creator who doesn’t require any sort of worship. Prayer then is for
the benefit of the individual, not the deity. Underneath God are a host of spirits that fit into
various positions on the Spiritual Hierarchy. These spirits act as guides and intermediaries for
disembodied spirits and incarnated spirits, helping them to advance and elevate. Kardec
addresses this belief when talking about Polytheism:
“As phenomena attesting the action of spirits have occurred in all ages of the world, and have
thus been known from the earliest times, may they not have helped to induce a belief in the
plurality of gods? Undoubtedly; for, as men applied the term god to whatever surpassed
humanity, spirits were, for them, so many gods. For this reason, whenever a man distinguished
himself among all others by his actions, his genius, or an occult power incomprehensible by the
vulgar, he was made a god of, and was worshipped as such after his death.” The Spirits’ Book,
entry 668
That is to say, that in the past humans have confused what are called Higher Order spirits for
deities, when in fact these spirits are on the same hierarchy as incarnated humans. This idea is
similar to those found in Buddhism, where even deities, as powerful as they might be, are still
bound by the wheel of life, death, and rebirth. In traditional Spiritism, the ultimate goal is to
learn and advance to the point of absolute nearness to God. This idea is still held by many
Spiritist groups around the world, but has also been transformed by others. Personally, I choose
to think of the “ultimate goal” as a form of supreme altruism, a transformation of the individual
spirit into an entity of pure love, similar to the bodhisattva in Buddhism. For me, this belief
requires no supreme deity.

While traditional Spiritism has often been viewed in light of Christian values and ideals, it isn’t
inherently Christian at all. In fact, as I’ve said before, Kardec himself discouraged readers from
taking Spiritism as a religion in and of itself, or even as a representative form of any religion.
While Kardec himself might have been Catholic, as well as his early followers, Spiritism itself
teaches a universal philosophy that can be utilized alongside countless religious and spiritual
viewpoints. The deep connection with the spirit world, coupled with a commentary on
humankind’s purpose in the cosmos, has made Spiritism abundantly popular not only to
adherents of what we might call “traditional” religions, but also those seeking to deepen their
expression of indigenous spiritual beliefs. Some researchers have even described Spiritism as a
revival of European animistic beliefs in a modern age, a sort of modernistic European
shamanism. I wouldn’t go that far, personally, but it’s indeed interesting to look at the potential
of this system in creating and maintaining a sense of continual sacred revelation for a people so
often bound to static texts and unwavering religious dogma. In this way, Spiritism itself can be
used as a tool of religious or spiritual reform, not just for the individual, but perhaps for society
as a whole.