Difference Without Flattening
Valentinian, Sethian, Hermetic, Neoplatonic, Christian mystical, Jewish, and Islamic esoteric currents are not interchangeable. Their differences matter: historically, doctrinally, and practically. Yet they can be studied as neighboring efforts to name descent, awakening, purification, participation, and return. Comparative study becomes fruitful when it honors each tradition’s integrity while discerning recurring initiatory questions.