The Rosicrucians

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I was wondering what Catholics think of the Christian mystical group known as the Rosicrucians. Could some of you share your thoughts?

Thanks in advance!

Peace…
 
Which ones?

The Rosicrucian Order, AMORC

The Rosicrucian Fellowship

the masonic MSRIF perhaps?

I think the Catholic Encyclopedia has an entry on the movement in general; and the catholic book, Catholic Q&A by Deitzen has an entry regarding AMORC.

According to the author on page 401(concluding paragraph):

“The Church has not taken an official position on the Rosicrucians, just as it has not on numerous other quasi-religious groups. It would seem impossible, however, to accept and believe at one and the same time the truths of the Catholic faith and the teachings of the Ancient Mystical Order.”

Though not yet an “in communion” Catholic, I was a rosicrucian of the AMORC type many years ago, and it was the attitudes adopted during that phase of my life that eventually led me into the lds faith, despite the fact that the lds institution would find the Order contrary to its own teachings.

While it is stressed by the Order that none of its teachings are dogmatic, and therefore are open to rejection from individual members, eventually you either have to believe in Reincarnation and Ascended Masters of the Atlantean sort, or the sources of the Order’s “Archives” become sheer fantasy (the archives being the Akashic Records). Ironically (for me), it was my time in the lds faith that led me to shed my rosicrucian skin (as if I were to believe both traditions, then the Atlantean masters were the descendants of Cain, and therefore a cursed, veritably deamonic, race; and that whenever questioned about what they taught, I always had to preface with “Not that I personally believe this…”) In the end, it became too much a struggle to reconcile two separate belif systems. I also, personally, was disappointed in the absence of historical references (the Christian symbolical references used in the 16th centuries) for a veneer of egyptian symbology common amongst the new age mystical orders.

Given the language used to deny Masonry to Catholics, I would be pretty confident in saying that they would object even more to the more religious Rosicrucian Order that I was a member of, and would assert “incompatibility”. The R+C’s, however, would and do certainly insist that you can be both (just like some Buddhists insist you can be a Christian Buddhist, though not a Buddhist Christian) without conflict.
 
Which group of Rosicrucians has the museum in San Jose?

It is really cool (literally has a/c) and has Egyptian mummies, and beautiful gardens.
 
That would be the Rosicrucian Order, AMORC.

San Jose is (well, last I heard several years ago…) the HQ for AMORC.
 
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BJRumph:
Which ones?

The Rosicrucian Order, AMORC

The Rosicrucian Fellowship

the masonic MSRIF perhaps?

I think the Catholic Encyclopedia has an entry on the movement in general; and the catholic book, Catholic Q&A by Deitzen has an entry regarding AMORC.

According to the author on page 401(concluding paragraph):

“The Church has not taken an official position on the Rosicrucians, just as it has not on numerous other quasi-religious groups. It would seem impossible, however, to accept and believe at one and the same time the truths of the Catholic faith and the teachings of the Ancient Mystical Order.”

Though not yet an “in communion” Catholic, I was a rosicrucian of the AMORC type many years ago, and it was the attitudes adopted during that phase of my life that eventually led me into the lds faith, despite the fact that the lds institution would find the Order contrary to its own teachings.

While it is stressed by the Order that none of its teachings are dogmatic, and therefore are open to rejection from individual members, eventually you either have to believe in Reincarnation and Ascended Masters of the Atlantean sort, or the sources of the Order’s “Archives” become sheer fantasy (the archives being the Akashic Records). Ironically (for me), it was my time in the lds faith that led me to shed my rosicrucian skin (as if I were to believe both traditions, then the Atlantean masters were the descendants of Cain, and therefore a cursed, veritably deamonic, race; and that whenever questioned about what they taught, I always had to preface with “Not that I personally believe this…”) In the end, it became too much a struggle to reconcile two separate belif systems. I also, personally, was disappointed in the absence of historical references (the Christian symbolical references used in the 16th centuries) for a veneer of egyptian symbology common amongst the new age mystical orders.

Given the language used to deny Masonry to Catholics, I would be pretty confident in saying that they would object even more to the more religious Rosicrucian Order that I was a member of, and would assert “incompatibility”. The R+C’s, however, would and do certainly insist that you can be both (just like some Buddhists insist you can be a Christian Buddhist, though not a Buddhist Christian) without conflict.
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Oh, I didn’t realize there were so many.

I was referring to the Rosicrucian Fellowship specifically. They seem a little over the top, so I wasn’t for sure if their teachings had been denounced by the Church.

I definitely find some of their ideas in line with my own as opposed to my fundamentlist Christian upbringing.

Thanks for your in-depth post!

Peace…
 
I read a book from the Fellowship before joining the AMORC; but I didn’t feel too keenly drawn to it. Though it did come across as being more “traditional” in that it did not shed the Christian element of its background, it also asserted the truthfulness of certain things, like astrology, that AMORC does not.

The organizations I listed are just the most well known; there are many many more. Note that there is some contention between the AMORC and the Fellowship, and certain things they teach are very different, Astrology being one of them (IIRC, the Fellowship teaches it as part of their curriculum, whereas the AMORC says that the art is too uncertain for inclusion as a “science” of their school.), the Christian requirement being another.

Chaz: The Rose Cross is a common theme, and even Luther saw fit to use its symbology. The big difference is in how the symbol is being interpreted. So, unless you have the Hermetic Rose Cross on your wall (very doubtful, it has all sorts of alchemical symbols and hebraic lettering plastered all over it), I don’t think you have much to worry about 🙂 As a symbol, it is about what you would interpret its meaning to be.
 
I really need to understand the offician Roman Catholic Church position on the Rosicrucians, specifically:

Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis (AMORC)
rosicrucian.org/about/mastery/mastery02unique.html
Headquarters in Rosicrucian Park, San Jose, CA, with an Eqyptian Museum and Planetarium.

My mother, a devout Lutheran, is fascinated by ancient Egypt, and is considering starting AMORC’s course of study. I am alarmed that AMORC contains heresy. Mom wants to be sure that nothing is incompatible with her Protestant Christian beliefs.

I would like a reference to an actual Vatican or US Conference of Catholic Bishops document, or reference to the writings of an authority, not a personal opinion.

Can anyone help us?

Thank you!
 
I had a book published by the Rosicrucians (AMORC), called
THE MYSTICAL LIFE OF JESUS.
As I read that book, I became more and more horrified.
They teach that Jesus was not Jewish, but an Aryan Gentile.
The book teaches that Jesus was an “avatar” and that Jews cannot be avatars because they have impure blood.
The book was also full of swastikas.
Sound familiar?

Jaypeeto3 (aka Jaypeeto4)
 
Listen to Catholic Answers radio program CAL 060907.

About 40 minutes into the show, Jimmy Akin addresses your question from a caller with similar concerns.
 
Rosicrucians are just Freemasons without the sense to pretend to be a humanitarian organization and drinking club.

I.e. they’re Masons who take themselves far too seriously.
 
Personally, I make it a practice to never join mystical secret organizationa that advertise in Popular Mechanics.
 
That’s where I heard of them! I knew I had heard of them but couldn’t remember where. I haven’t read a Popular Mechanics in 40 years!
 
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