Wouter Hanegraaff on Western Esotericism

In this episode of the Secret History of Western Esotericism Podcast (SHWEP), Earl Fontainelle interviews Professor Wouter J. Hanegraaff about the field of Western Esotericism. Hanegraaff discusses his book, "Esotericism and the Academy, Rejected Knowledge in Western Culture," detailing his journey into the field, the concept of "rejected knowledge," and the historical development of Western Esotericism from late antiquity through the Renaissance and the Reformation. He introduces "Platonic Orientalism," its assimilation into Christianity, and the roles of figures like Marsilio Ficino and Giovanni Pico della Mirandola in synthesizing ancient wisdom traditions. The conversation traces how anti-apologetic sentiments and Enlightenment thinkers shaped the academic rejection of esotericism, advocating for an anti-eclectic historiography to re-evaluate Western culture's narrative by integrating previously marginalized esoteric currents.