Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Spiritists refer to Kardec as the codifier. What is Spiritism? It is not a religion or pseudo-religious sect. Spiritism defines itself as a christian religion and, as Jesus, it recognizes the omnipotence of God, creator of the visible and of the invisible and immaterial world. The impact may be positive or negative, informative or deceptive. Allan Kardec refers to Spiritism in What is Spiritism? Spiritism is a progressive body of knowledge which deals with the nature, origin and destiny of Spirits, as well as their relationship to the corporeal world. Those who placed their hopes in physical phenomena, however, were destined for disappointment. The science of Spiritism studies the existence and nature of spirits, which are nothing more than the immortal souls of men, created by God. Science, because it studies the so called “supernatural” phenomena by the light of reason and assigns a natural cause to them; showing that everything has a scientific explanation. The religious experience within spiritism is, therefore, largely informal. Modern Spiritualism dates from the 1840s. In Spiritism, there are no dogmas of faith, churches, cults, rites, priests or pastors, sacred books, or infallible teachers. What is Spiritism? As such, it sheds light on what we are, where we come from, where we go after we die, and why we often face different challenges in our lives. All souls are created pure and ignorant, and … Spiritism is a progressive body of knowledge that bridges science, philosophy, and spirituality. In general, the idea of Spiritism is a belief in the existence of spirits, and has been influenced by other fundamental world religions. The spirit incarnates and reincarnates many times as necessary to progress and to acquire more knowledge, to get closer and closer to God. Both Protestant and Catholic bodies released a steady stream of anti-spiritualist literature. Spiritualism, in religion, a movement based on the belief that departed souls can interact with the living. Modern spiritualism traces its beginnings to a series of apparently supernatural events at a farmhouse in Hydesville, N.Y., in 1848. The exposure of widespread fraud within the spiritualist movement severely damaged its reputation and pushed it to the fringes of society in the United States. Who read my articles about the stuff know that I affirm that Spiritism is not a religion and I show where I caught the information. Spiritism in Brazil - a religion with a large social impact Initially a belief for conventions of intellectuals, spiritism has developed so much in this country that it has become a religion in Brazil that is not only well established, but is recognized as being of public utility. Communicability of the Spirits – The discarnated spirits retain the same characteristics as when alive: they are good or bad, serious or playful, educated or rude. In this article I will be using quotes from the 1893 edition of The Spirits’ Book, as translated by Anna Blackwell. Spiritism is a Christian Religion. However, at the moment, it is transitioning into the world of regeneration, when the bad will equal the good; and the men will be more fraternal and generous. Spiritism is, at once, a science, a philosophy, and a religion. Many who participated in psychic research hoped for positive results and occasionally concluded that they had proved the existence of clairvoyance or established the reality of spirit contact. It rapidly became fashionable with both men and women and across all social classes and acquired the name Spiritualism in the 1850s. What Is Spiritism? The quality of communication depends on the moral conduct of the medium. Kardec’s logic and common sense are obvious in this book as he confounds Spiritism’s detractors while answering the questions of those who believe in and aspire to a superior life. The science of Spiritism studies the existence and nature of spirits, which are nothing more than the immortal souls of men, created by God. It answers common questions about the meaning of life, such as “Where have I come from?”, “Where will I go after death?” and “What am I doing in this world?” Spiritism explains the purpose of life and the reasons for life’s many inequalities, apparent unfairness and suffering. Professional magicians such as Harry Houdini joined efforts to expose the fraudulent practices of mediums, and in the 20th century the magicians Milbourne Christopher and James Randi became known as much for their efforts to debunk fake mediumship as for their stage work. Various forms of communicating with discarnate spirits of the recently deceased have been observed in communities around the world, but the purpose of such communication and the understanding of the nature of spirit existence varies considerably. Spiritism is studied, analyzed, and practiced in all the fundamental aspects of life, such as scientific, philosophycal, religious, ethical, moral, educational, and social. Spiritism is not a religion but rather a philosophy and “way of life,” according to spiritists. Spiritism combines science, philosophy, and religion. While the New Age movement disappeared in the 1990s, channeling continued to enjoy a large appeal. God is eternal, immutable, immaterial, unique, omnipotent, supremely just and good. It also tells us that we are evolving spirits and to achieve happiness only depends on our own efforts. It doesn’t have religious leaders, ceremonies, rituals or symbols. Spiritism will survive religion because it is not based on blind faith. The science of Spiritism studies the existence and nature of spirits, which are the immortal souls of men, created by God.. Spiritism, known as Espiritismo in Spanish, is the religious belief in the power and ability of spirits to affect human life. Spiritism explains the purpose of life and the reasons for life’s many inequalities, apparent unfairness and suffering. Spiritism is not a religion and is not interested on proselitising. Spiritism teaches about spirits existing by our side, which is why mediums can communicate with the spiritual world. Reincarnation also allows us to reconnect with loved ones or to those who we had problems in other lives, in order to re-start relationships and pay off our debts with them. One by one, the mediums were discovered to be engaged in fraud, sometimes employing the techniques of stage magicians in their attempts to convince people of their clairvoyant powers. Spiritism. Some churches regarded the practices of the spiritualists as part of the forbidden activity of necromancy (communication with the dead in order to learn the future). The exception to this is The National Spiritist Church of Alberta. – Brasilia, DF (Brazil): International Spiritist Council, 2011. What is spiritism? This Church (which is fully recognized by the government as a religious denomination) has a Holy Communion Worship Service and a Marriage Ceremony in addition to the more standard Kardecist study groups. 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. Author of. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Taking in consideration the nature’s wonders and the harmonious functioning of our own body, which follow perfect rhythm independent of our will, leads us to believe in God as its necessary cause. Religion, because it aims the moral transformation of mankind, advocating the teachings of Jesus Christ in its true expression of love and charity. A work that is still up-to-date, What is Spiritism? In the other hand, many spiritists don't see any problem about calling it a religion as well. It had its greatest success in France and Brazil, where it was known as spiritism and incorporated the idea of reincarnation. is useful for adherents of the Spiritist Doctrine as well as for those who want to understand the nature of Spiritism and its fundamental points. Spiritism is not for everyone, only for those who are ready to accept it. Spiritism is, at once, a science, a philosophy, and a religion. Updates? Both Spiritism and Spiritualism agree that we continue to live on after physical death in “Spirit World”. Many spiritists see themselves as not adhering to a religion, but to a philosophy with scientific inspirations and moral consequences. The philosophy, which was derived from a serious study of information received in communications with discarnate spirits, deals with the details of spirit life and the journey of evolution through reincarnation. God wanted the new revelation get the men. 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