View source for Philosophy:Emanationism

{{short description|Mode by which all things are derived from the first reality, or principle}}
{{other|Emanation (disambiguation)}}
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'''Emanationism''' is an idea in the [[Unsolved:Religious cosmology|cosmology]] or [[Astronomy:Cosmogony|cosmogony]] of certain [[Religion:Religion|religious]] or [[Philosophy:Philosophy|philosophical]] systems. Emanation, from the Latin ''emanare'' meaning "to flow from" or "to pour forth or out of", is the mode by which all things are derived from the first reality, or [[Physics:First principle|principle]]. All things are derived from the first reality or perfect God by steps of degradation to lesser degrees of the first reality or God, and at every step the emanating beings are less pure, less perfect, less divine. Emanationism is a transcendent principle from which everything is derived, and is opposed to both [[Philosophy:Creationism|creationism]] (wherein the universe is created by a sentient God who is separate from creation) and [[Philosophy:Materialism|materialism]] (which posits no underlying subjective and/or [[Philosophy:Ontology|ontological]] nature behind phenomena being immanent).

==Origins==
Emanationism is a cosmological theory which asserts that all things "flow" from an underlying principle or reality, usually called the [[Philosophy:Absolute|Absolute]] or [[Religion:Deity|Godhead]]. Any teachings which involve emanation are usually in opposition to creation ex nihilo as emanation advocates that everything has always existed and has not been "created" from nothing.

Kleinham (2007) writes:

<blockquote>Underlying the worldview of traditional cosmology is the idea that the universe is an emanation of a unitary divine principle. Although this idea has been blended with the revealed creationist doctrines of the major monotheistic religions, orthodox theologians have generally regarded it with suspicion. They have relegated it to the shadowy spheres of [[Philosophy:Mysticism|mysticism]], [[Philosophy:Pantheism|pantheism]], and the occult, which have always been at odds with orthodoxy. The traditional view is summed in the doctrine of emanation formulated by Plotinus.<ref>Robert Kleinman, ''Four Faces of the Universe: An Integrated View of the Cosmos'', 2007, p. 186</ref></blockquote>

The primary classical exponent of emanationism was the [[Philosophy:Neoplatonism|neoplatonic]] philosopher [[Biography:Plotinus|Plotinus]], who in his ''[[Philosophy:Enneads|Enneads]]'' described all things phenomenal and otherwise as an emanation ({{lang-el|ἀπορροή}} ''aporrhoe'' (Ennead ΙΙ.3.2) or ἀπόρροια ''aporrhoia'' (II.3.11)) from [[Philosophy:Henology|the One]] (ἕν, ''hen''). In 5.1.6, emanationism is compared to a diffusion from the One, of which there are three primary [[Religion:Hypostasis (philosophy and religion)|hypostases]], the One, the [[Philosophy:Nous|Intellect]] (νοῦς, ''nous''), and the [[Philosophy:Soul|Soul]] (ψυχή, ''psyche''). 

Another advocate of emanationism was [[Biography:Michael Servetus|Michael Servetus]], who was burned at the stake for his nontrinitarian cosmology.<ref>Jerome Friedman, ''Michael Servetus: a case study in total heresy'', 1978, p. 134</ref>

==Occultism==
Emanationism is a common teaching found in [[Philosophy:Occult|occult]]{{vague|date=November 2022}} and esoteric{{vague|date=November 2022}} writings. According to Owen (2005):

<blockquote>Theosophy draws on Neoplatonic emanationism, in particular the concept of separation from and return to the Absolute, and reworks the Eastern concepts of karma and reincarnation to provide an evolutionary theory of both humankind and the universe.<ref>Owen, A., ''The place of enchantment: British occultism and the culture of the modern'' 2005, p. 26</ref></blockquote>

[[Philosophy:Theosophy (Blavatskian)|Theosophy]] contends that all organisms—including animals and human beings—and all matter "flow" from a pure spiritual formation in the Absolute to a material one over time to become materialised and that they will later return to the Absolute after the cosmic cycle of life.

As Morgan summarises: "''The Secret Doctrine'' laid out an emanationist view of the development of the physical universe, a process of ebb and flow in which spirit gradually unfolded itself in matter, attaining consciousness, and returning to spirit in a higher and more realised form."<ref>Morgan, S., ''Women, gender and religious cultures in Britain, 1800–1940'', 2010 p. 218</ref> According to the emanationist cosmology of Madame Blavatsky all [[Philosophy:Monad|monads]] emerge from divine unity at the beginning of a cosmic cycle and return to this source at its close.<ref>John R. Shook, Richard T. Hull, The dictionary of modern American philosophers: A–C, Volume 1, 2005, p. 252</ref>

Blavatsky in her book ''The Key to Theosophy'' (1889) wrote that: "We believe in a universal divine principle, the root of all, from which all proceeds, and within which all shall be at the end of the great cycle of being."<ref>Joy Dixon, ''Divine feminine: theosophy and feminism in England'', 2001, p. 47</ref>

Occultist [[Biography:Samael Aun Weor|Samael Aun Weor]] taught emanationism from his studies with the [[Unsolved:Kabbalah|Kabbalah]] and [[Philosophy:Gnosticism|Gnosticism]]. He mapped out a complex esoteric cosmology with matter flowing from different planes of existence all existing in the [[Philosophy:Absolute|absolute]]. As Dawson (2007) comments: 

<blockquote>As with esoteric thought in general, Weor holds that the universe originated in the ordering activity of the absolute upon chaotic primordial matter, giving rise to (emanating) the subsequent planes of the created order (Pleroma).<ref>Andrew Dawson, ''New era, new religions: religious transformation in contemporary Brazil'', 2007, p. 100</ref></blockquote>

==See also==
* [[Religion:Aeon (Gnosticism)|Aeon (Gnosticism)]]
* ''Anathem''
* [[Religion:Emanation in the Eastern Orthodox Church|Emanation in the Eastern Orthodox Church]]
* ''Jerusalem: The Emanation of the Giant Albion''
* [[Religion:Panentheism|Panentheism]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20011202135502/http://attan.com/ Neoplatonism and Emanationism] Many articles on Emanationism
* [http://www.digital-brilliance.com/kab/essays/Emanation%20Ascent.pdf Emanation and Ascent in Hermetic Kabbalah] Colin Low 2004. Presentation and notes on emanation and the roots of Hermetic Kabbalah
* [http://www.kheper.net/topics/worldviews/emanationism.htm Emanationism]
* [http://classics.mit.edu/Plotinus/enneads.html Enneads] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081222143330/http://classics.mit.edu/Plotinus/enneads.html |date=2008-12-22 }}

{{Theology}}

[[Category:Esoteric cosmology]]
[[Category:Neoplatonism]]
[[Category:Spiritual evolution]]
[[Category:Religious cosmologies]]
[[Category:Kabbalah]]

{{Sourceattribution|Emanationism}}