Synopses & Reviews
Throughout history there have been societies of closed membership and covert purpose. From the Knights Templars to the freemasons, an intimate look at the inner workings of secret societies.
Synopsis
Throughout history there have been societies of closed membership and covert purpose. In this comprehensive work, David Barrett explores these movements from their roots in the carliest civilizations to the present day. Marked by carefully graded and progressive teachings leading to hidden and unique truths, access only for selected individuals, and the practice of rituals of which nonmembers are not privy, these societies--from the Knights Templar and the Gnostics to the Cathars, Rosicrucians, and Freemasons--promise the initiated a realm of personal benefits beyond their reach, and even their comprehension. Barrett unlocks the ancient widsom of the Mediterranean civilizations, which formed the basis of many groups and whose tenets, principles, and esoteric religious beliefs surfaced in medieval times, and describes in detail how they survive in secret societies today.
About the Author
David V. Barrett is the author of The New Believers and Sects, 'Cults', and Alternative Religions, and his work has appeared in the TLS, Independent, Literary Review, Spectator, and New Scientist, among other publications. His books have been published in thirteen languages and seventeen countries. He lives in London, UK.