hermeticism

The belief that there is a secret, ancient body of wisdom, surviving in written texts of the 2nd-3rd centuries AD, which accurately describes the workings of the natural and supernatural worlds, and that mastery of these texts would provide an enhanced understanding and control of nature. The belief was common in Renaissance times and persisted into the 17th century.

The secret body of wisdom was variously identified with the writings of Hermes Trismegistus, Christian Rosencreutz, the Kabbalah, the neo-Platonists, texts of ritual magic, Egyptian hieroglyphics, or any combination of these. Devotees included Giordano Bruno, John Dee, and Robert Fludd.

The texts drew on Jewish, Egyptian, and Roman myths and beliefs to present a mystical way of life. They had a big impact on Renaissance Europe, where they were believed to have been written by an Egyptian philosopher contemporary with Moses. The Jewish elements led to people believing that the texts had foretold the coming of Jesus, and this enabled much of the mysticism and magic within the texts to be used by Christian writers. This strongly influenced the growth of Christian mysticism and fuelled a fascination with Egypt as a land of esoteric knowledge.