Perspectiva istorica asupra fenomenului spiritist

This book analyses spiritism as a social movement, discussing its main implications for 19th century society and culture, with an emphasis on Romanian religious mindset and culture. A number of social, political and anthropological arguments are presented in order to establish the factors that contributed to the massive spread of the spiritist phenomenon in the Romanian space. The specific conditions in individual countries, where spiritism had many supporters and was a movement of great relevance in terms of religious authority, are then explored. The main Romanian spiritual publications are presented and discussed, taking into consideration their social impact. Many scholars who study spiritism as a social movement describe its roots in the “crisis of faith” triggered by developments in science and medicine in this period. The author presents alternative perspectives to supplement this orthodox view, discussing the implications of challenging traditional authority and the main ways in which spiritism answered people’s questions. The works of the most important historians addressing the spiritist phenomenon and its historical and social meaning in the 19th century are discussed, comparing and contrasting their insights into the movement’s causes and consequences.