In this episode, I explore a growing trend I’ve noticed in contemporary critiques of Western esotericism—namely, the tendency to collapse Christianity into the very Gnostic or Hermetic tradition it has historically stood against. My main focus is on Alexander McGee’s Hegel and the Hermetic Tradition, a dense but thought-provoking work that seems to underlie or influence other thinkers like James Lindsay and TiK (This is Kyle).

While I share these authors’ concerns about the dangers of Gnosticism and esoteric philosophy, I question whether their framing sometimes goes too far—ultimately sweeping up historic Christianity in their critiques of hidden knowledge and spiritual elitism. This episode asks: is there an anti-Christian bias embedded in the modern esoteric research trend?

We’ll cover:

• Why I’m interested in Western esotericism at all—and why I think it matters for philosophy and faith

• How McGee sets up the relationship between Hegel and Hermeticism

• Where I agree with critiques of the esoteric tradition, and where I think they go off track

• Why collapsing Christianity into Gnosticism is not only inaccurate, but intellectually damaging

• A call for a more charitable and accurate understanding of both Christianity and the esoteric tradition

This episode is part of my broader project of exploring Western thought through a Christian lens. My hope is to open a thoughtful dialogue—not just with ideas I agree with, but also with ones I find troubling, yet worth engaging seriously.

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