ROSICRUCIANISM

Rosicrucian, whose name means rose cross or rosy cross is a religion whose
members claim to possess esoteric wisdom handed down from ancient times. Their symbol is
usually a gold cross with a red rose in the center. Many of the sects claim that this symbol has no
ties to Christianity and instead predates Christ. The cross represents the human body with the
rose symbolizing the evolving human soul. Their teachings are a combination of occultism,
Hermeticism, Jewish mysticism, and Christian Gnosticism. Members of Rosicrucianism can be
broken down into three main categories:
Esoteric Christian Rosicrucian groups, which profess Christ and claim to provide esoteric
knowledge of Christian teachings; Masonic Rosicrucian groups, which help people prepare
through either direct study and/or through symbolic-initatic journey practice; and Initiatory
Rosicrucian groups, whose inner structure is based on grades, initiations, and titles.
In America, the most popular of these groups is the Initiatory Rosicrucian group. There
are several Rosicrucian groups that fit into this category, of which, the Ancient Mystical Order
Rosae Crucis (AMORC) is the largest.
AMROC claim to have a background that dates as far back as 1500 BCE in ancient
Egypt. There is no written record until the early 1600s when it was founded by Christian
Rosenkreuz, who was the protagonist in a series of three books that were anonymously published

between 1614 and 1619. While Christian Rosenkreuz is largely considered to be a fictional and
allegorical character, he is still widely recognized as the founder.
Rosicrucianism initially came to America in 1694 when a group of roughly 40
Rosicrucians crossed the Atlantic under the leadership of Johannes Kelpius. The group originally
settled in Philadelphia before moving farther west to Ephrata, Pennsylvania. The group remained
active purportedly healing the sick, making horoscopes, teaching children, and uniting churches
until the group disbanded following the death of Kelpius in 1708.
Rosicrucianism greatly declined in popularity beginning in the 18th century with many of
their ideas surviving in speculative Freemasonry until, in 1858, the Rosicrucian Fraternity was
established in San Francisco by Pascal Beverly Randolph. This group and most the groups that
followed it did not become very popular and quickly faded out of existence.
What became the largest Rosicrucian sect in America was founded in 1915 by H. Spencer
Lewis (1883-1939). He founded AMORC in New York City before moving the headquarters to
its current location in San Jose, California in 1927. Lewis claimed to have learned the teaching of
the order from European Rosicrucians and was given the responsibility of renewing the
Rosicrucian activity in America. Lewis began attracting new members around the world by
distributing his mail-order lessons.
The 250,000 members of AMORC all receive their lessons from the organizations
headquarters in San Jose. While most members receive their lessons via standard mail, they are
also free to pick the lessons up in person from the headquarter building. Members usually receive
a new lesson bi-weekly. These lessons are a prerequisite to increase your level within
Rosicrucianism.

AMORC has numerous levels, or degrees based on how many years you have been a
member and how many of their keys to universal freedom you read and learn about. They
allow you to perform your own initiation ceremonies to each degree in your own home. The
degrees are broken down into neophyte and temple. Neophyte consists of First Atrium
through Third Atrium. Temple degrees consist of First Temple Degree through Ninth Temple
Degree. By the time you have training is mental alchemy, telepathy, telekinesis, vibroturgy,
radiesthesia, cosmic projection, mystical regeneration, and attunement with the cosmic
consciousness.
AMORC provides a form a assistance to members as non-members alike, the only
requirement is to petition for help. Help comes from the Council of Solace where members
meditate daily to help people with health, domestic, economic, and other problems. This
meditation works by putting certain spiritual energies into motion and directing them in
accordance with mystical law and natural principles. This metaphysical aid is then directed at
the people in need. AMORC states that this aid isnt meant to be a replacement for professional
or health-care assistance, just a supplement that works on the metaphysical plane, not the
physical plane.
Many Rosicrucian sects, including AMORC, do not identify as a religious group and
instead offer teachings on how to find the answers (to lifes challenges) within yourself.
Specifically how to overcome obstacles that stand in the way of creating a better family life,
developing a successful career, maintaining your health, and overcoming death. They believe
that how to do this was taught to a small, select group of people in ancient Egypt who then kept
these teachings secret from most of the world until the early 17th century when these groups
formally grew their roots.

Because many of the sects of Rosicrucianism do not consider themselves to be a religious

organization, they do not feel as if they are receiving any form or religious persecution. They do
however teach many arts that are not either ignored by, or disproven by, mainstream science.
This has forced them to explain why they teach arts that have been disproven through science. In
fact, one of the main reasons why Rosicrucianism declined in the early 1800s was because they
were a victim of the skepticism and rationalism toward the end of the Age of Enlightenment. It
wasnt until the New Thought movement and their form of mysticism became appealing to
certain groups within the population.
Rosicrucians claim to be responsible for many of the advancements of the world. Famous
figures in science, math, and art are all claimed by Rosicrucians to be members of
Rosicrucianism. Some of the more well-known of these people are Leonardo Da Vinci, Francis
Bacon, Blaise Pascal, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Isaac Newton, Michael Faraday,
and Claude Debussy. Of course none of these can be verified students of this religion, especially
when they died before the religion appears to have come about. Francis Bacon is the only person
that has any sort of connection to Rosicrucianism, even that connection however, is subjective at
best.
The Freemasons support some of the Rosicrucian claims of influence. According to the a
Freemason book The Royal Masonic Cyclopedia, their silent influence terminated the crusades
with an honorable peace; at their behest the Old Man of the Mountain (Rashid ad-Din Sinan)
stopped his assassinations, and in all cases we find Rosicrucian exercise a silent and salient
influence.
When it comes to documented contributions they have made, the list falls far short of
they claim to have done. Perhaps the greatest documented contribution made by any Rosicrucian

group is by AMORC. Due to their claimed ancient Egyptian roots, they have set up a world-class
Egyptian museum on San Jose, California. The museum has no membership requirements to visit
and is open to public. The museum houses the largest collection of genuine Egyptian artifacts in
western North America
AMORC, because it does not consider itself a religious institution accepts people of all
religions to join, they will also accept people of no religion to join as well. They do have a
couple of requirements to join; pay the membership costs of $150 annually or $15 monthly, fill
out the application which includes a section on why you would like to join. After that you only
need to keep current with your payments to remain a member.

Works Cited
Lewis, H. Spencer. "Rosicrucian Writings Online." The First Rosicrucians In America. Web. 11
Apr. 2016. <http://rosicrucian.50webs.com/hsl/hsl-first-rosicrucians-in-america.htm>.
Mackenzie, Kenneth R.H. The Royal Masonic Cyclopedia. Wellingborough: Aquarian, 1987.
Print.
Melton, John Gordon. "Rosicrucians." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia
Britannica. Web. 11 Apr. 2016. <http://www.britannica.com/topic/Rosicrucians>.
"Rosicrucianism." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 11 Apr. 2016.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosicrucianism>.
"The Rosicrucian Order, AMORC." The Rosicrucian Order, AMORC. Web. 11 Apr. 2016.
<https://www.rosicrucian.org/>.

In what ways have you become more aware of your religious landscape?

I have learned, not only more about several of the minority religions in America, I have also
learned of the existence of many smaller religions like Rosicrucianism, of which was the topic of my
research assignment. I also learned that here in Utah, we have some minority religions that I thought
were only for places with rich idiots (Scientology in Hollywood rings a bell)

Refer back to how you answered the question Do you believe America is a Christian nation? Has
your response changed? Explain.

If I remember correctly, I said that America was not started as a Christian nation but seems to be
following the path of becoming one. Nothing that I have learned in this class has done anything to
begin to change my mind about that. I still believe that America was not founded as a Christian nation
nor was it founded on Christian ideals as stated in the treaty of Tripoli. Also, I still believe that
America seems to have moved toward becoming a Christian nation. Anyone who would run for a
public office would almost be required to be a Christian to win any sort on nomination. I believe that
move is beginning to wane however, as public officials are being accepted as religions other than of
the Christian variety, even the occasional atheist can now be elected to be a public servant.

As we face increasing diversity, how are our beliefs and identities (American) changing to
accommodate this diversity?
I think the diversity that is increasing in America is having a profound impact on the beliefs of
individuals. Chiefly among those would be the rise in Americas newest major religion, no religion.
Many people, especially those of the younger generations, now believe that you do not need to attend
a church or be a part of a particular religion to satisfy their religious needs. People are beginning to
think that it would be better to skip church, saving their time and money, and receive their spirituality
from different means, or no means at all. Another way that diversity is changing people is in their
being more accepting of various foreign ideas of religion. Minus the Muslim scare and
hatemongering that was caused, and is still ongoing, from the 9/11 attacks, people generally do not
believe that most religions are evil or bad, and that they pretty much all teach us to treat each other
with respect and kindness. Thats not to say that people follow these teaching, just that they believe in
the ideas.

Do you believe the risks associated with diversity are worth it? Why?
Not only do I believe the risks with diversity are worth it, I believe that anyone who thinks
otherwise is either a coward, a bigot, an idiot, or some combination of the three. Diversity teaches us
that our neighbors are not hell-bent on killing everyone who doesnt believe the same things you do
(most of them anyways) and the sooner the world figures that out, the sooner the idiocrasy displayed
by every nation on earth, manifested through military action or harsh political sanctions, can come to
an end (or at least slow down significantly.) The sooner that happens, the sooner we will be able to
concentrate on advancing the human race by ending hunger, needless loss of life, combating
disease, or anything else that prevents people from leading a life free of tyranny, fear, and suffering.

Brainstorm about what you can do to encourage a reflective pluralism in your community.

This wasnt a question, therefore I do not believe I am required to answer it.

Instead I will hypothesize about why it was presented as a command rather than a
question. Perhaps the professor forgot to put a follow on question to the command
asking what the student came up with. Perhaps the professor was playing a game of
Jeopardy and forgot to present the answer in the form of a question. (side note,
Tchaikovskys Swan Lake Op. 20 is playing right now, one of my all-time favorite
pieces of music and is surpassed by none in its ability to elicit an emotional
response (extra side note, no, Im not crying, I just got something in my eye.I
swear!)) Where was I? Oh yes, perhaps the professor was drinking and went to bed
before finishing the question she was going to ask. Maybe, the professor did not
intend to ask a question at all and instead figured she would laugh at all the people
who answered a question that wasnt ever asked by her. Maybe its extra credit if
you do answer it. Finally, maybe I wont get docked points for not answering this
question.