What is Spiritualism Religion?

Spiritualism refers to a movement conceptualized based on the belief that the spirits of the dead exist in this world. These spirits have the capacity and the means to communicate with living beings through one medium or the other. As seen by spiritualists, The ‘spirit world,’ or the afterlife, is not a stable or static place but a place that continues to allow the spirits to evolve.

There are three primary beliefs in this context. Firstly, the belief that contact with spirits is possible, and secondly, the belief that spirits are more advanced than human beings. These two beliefs lead us to a third belief by spiritualists, according to which spirits are capable of providing necessary knowledge about ethical and moral issues. Along with this, they also have knowledge about God’s nature.

Some spiritualists refer to the concept of ‘spirit guides.’ In this particular concept, specific spirits are relied upon for spiritual guidance. People often contact these spirits in an attempt to seek support. Emanuel Swedenborg, Christian theologian, scientist, philosopher, and mystic, is known as the father of Spiritualism.

Spiritism, developed by Allan Kardec, is a branch of Spiritualism. Today, this branch of learning is practiced mainly in Continental Europe, Brazil, and Latin America. This concept emphasizes the notion of reincarnation.

Growth And Development Of Spiritualism

Spiritualism developed multi-folds and reached the peak of its growth in the period between the 1840s to the 1920s. This development was mainly seen in English-speaking countries. By 1897, the concept of Spiritualism was speculated to have more than eight million followers. These followers were primarily in the United States and Europe and mostly from the upper and middle class.

Even in the absence of a canonical text or formal organization, Spiritualism flourished for a half-century. The concept attained cohesion of thought through periodicals, camp meetings, tours by trance lecturers, and missionary activities of experienced and accomplished connectors.

Many prominent spiritualists of this time were women. Like most other spiritualists, they supported fundamental social causes like women’s suffrage and the abolition of slavery. By the late 1880s, there was no credibility left in the informal movement. Their position had weakened because of the continuous accusations of fraud perpetrated by mediums.

Many formal spiritualist organizations began to surface during this time. Currently, Spiritualism is practiced mainly through various traditional denominational spiritualist churches. These churches reside primarily in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

Origin Of Spiritualism

The concept of Spiritualism first appeared in the 1840s. It was seen in the ‘Burned-over District’ of upstate New York, in a time when religious movements such as Millerism and Mormonism were emerging as a consequence of the Second Great Awakening. The movements of Millerism and Mormonism were not associated with Spiritualism.

This region of New York State was an environment where many people found means to communicate directly with God or angels. They found that this communication was possible and that God would not behave harshly if this communication were established. For example, God would never condemn unbaptized infants to an eternal time in Hell.

Spiritualism And Evolution

Spiritualists disagreed with the theories of evolution in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The concept of evolution fits in the spiritualist thought by facilitating the growth and development of humanity. However, if this concept were to be believed and the animal origins of humankind were understood, then it would threaten the foundation of the spirit’s immortality.

The concept postulates that if God created all humans, it wouldn’t be possible that human beings are specially endowed with souls or spirits. This led to Spiritualists agreeing to the concept of spiritual evolution. Spiritualists believed that the concept of evolution did not end at death. Spiritualism as a concept taught that spirits transcend to spiritual states in brand new dimensions of existence even after death.

Spiritualists who studied evolution believed that this evolution occurred in the world of the spirits “at a rate that was more rapid and under conditions which were more favorable to growth” than the ones encountered on earth. In opposition to the spiritualist interpretation, Theosophy views of evolution taught a metaphysical theory. According to this theory, evolution always existed in connection with human devolution. Spiritualists did not accept this theory of devolution.

In theosophical studies, humanity started at a perfect state known as the Golden age. Humanity then fell into a phenomenon of progressive materialization, known as devolution. This developed the mind into losing spiritual consciousness. It was stipulated that human beings will regain their original spiritual state after gathering experience, skills, and growth through repeated reincarnations. This state of recovering spiritual perfection was known as self-conscious perfection. Theosophy and Spiritualism were constantly clashing in their different beliefs.

Mediumship And Spirits

Spiritualists believed in the potentiality of establishing communication with the spirits of dead people. They thought this communication was a gift carried by spirit mediums through practice and study. They believed that spirits grow towards higher spheres and planes. Even though the afterlife was not a static state, it was where the spirits evolved.

There were three major beliefs in this context. The first two beliefs were that connecting with spirits is possible and that spirits may dwell on a higher plane. These two beliefs lead to a third belief that hinted at how spirits can provide knowledge about ethical and moral issues. They can also give us information about God and the afterlife.

Many believers talk about spirit guides which give information about specific spirits. They are often contacted and relied upon for worldly and spiritual guidance. According to Spiritualists, even though anyone may receive spirit messages, formal communication can only be held by mediums, who claim to receive legitimate information about the afterlife.

Important Organizations

Spiritualism is not associated with a defined set of rules, but many Spiritualist organizations in the USA have variations of the ‘Declaration of Principles.’ These declarations were developed between 1899 and 1944. The main six ‘Declaration of Principles’ were adopted by National Spiritualist Association (NSA) in October 1899. This declaration was adopted at a convention in Chicago, Illinois.

In October 1909, an additional two principles were added by the NSA. Later in October 1944, the National Spiritualist Association of Churches adopted a ninth principle. The leading organization representing Spiritualism in the UK is the Spiritualists' National Union (SNU). The teachings of this organization are based on the Seven primary Principles. Spiritualism is a new religion that is based on the idea that the spirits of the dead exist and that they can and want to communicate with the living. A place called the “spirit world” isn’t just a place where spirits stay the same. Spiritualists see it as a place where spirits keep growing. People who believe in spiritualism believe that spirits can be communicated with, and that spirits are more advanced than humans. They also believe that spirits can give useful information about moral and ethical issues, and about how God works. Some spiritualists talk about what they call “spirit guides.” These are specific spirits, who are often contacted, who give spiritual advice. He is said to be the father of Spiritualism. Spiritism is a branch of spiritualism that was created by Allan Kardec and is mostly practised in Europe and Latin America, especially in Brazil. It emphasises reincarnation, and it is mostly practised there. A lot of people became spiritualists from the 1840s to the 1920s, mostly in English-speaking countries. More than eight million people were said to be followers of spiritualism in the United States and Europe by 1897. Most of them were from the middle and upper class. Spiritualism thrived for half a century without any canonical texts or formal organisation. It came together through periodicals, trance lectures, camp meetings, and the missionary work of skilled mediums. Many famous spiritualists were women, and like most spiritualists, they were in favour of things like ending slavery and giving women the right to vote. It was in the late 1880s that the informal movement’s credibility began to decline because of accusations of fraud by mediums, so formal spiritualist groups began to form. Spiritualism is mostly done through spiritualist churches in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

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Eleleth Angel