Baphomet is the name of the figurine said to have been worshiped by the Knights Templar (1119-1312) in secret rituals. Centuries later, one of the "fathers" of French Esotericism, Eliphas Levi (1810-1875) will bring the Baphometic figure back to the fore as a mystical hieroglyph, a visual symbol that symbolizes fundamental hermetic principles such as the union of opposites, the universal balance, and the spiritual evolution of the soul.
Very quickly, however, his texts will be misinterpreted to such an extent that the result is an ever-increasing paraphilology that wants Baphomet to be an emblem of Devil worship to this day. In this book, the professor of religion at the University of Heidelberg Julian Strube, wanting to ascertain the true meaning of the Baphomet symbol, goes back to Levi's own texts, examines thoroughly his religious and political beliefs and more specifically how his ideas were influenced by the Spiritualism, Catholicism and radical Socialism.
This research proves that Baphomet signifies much more than a cryptic visualization of the French author's magical theory. It is the personification of a broader tradition that Levi supported, that of "real religion" with a political underpinning, which would uniquely unite religion, science and politics.
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