Spiritism is a religion, science and philosophy
Spiritism is an occult religion that originated in nineteenth-century France. It was founded by Hippolyte Léon Denizard Rivail, also known as Allan Kardec. Spiritism has now spread over the world, but it is especially popular in Brazil, where it is known as Espiritismo.
The term "spiritism" first appeared in Kardec's 1857 book The Spirits' Book (French: Le Livre des Esprits), which attempted to differentiate Spiritism from spiritualism. Spiritism has since spread worldwide but is prevalent in Brazil, known as Espiritismo.
Spiritism has self-described as a religion with beliefs that incorporate science and philosophy. It asserts that it is scientific because it seeks empirical knowledge about the world. It is philosophical in the sense that it wishes to comprehend that knowledge. It is religious because its philosophies are applied as a culture.
The science of Spiritism investigates the existence and nature of spirits, which are nothing more than the immortal souls of men created by God. All souls are made pure and ignorant, evolving through their various incarnations.
The philosophy of Spiritism, which was derived from communications with discarnate (not currently incarnated) spirits, deals with the details of spirit life and the journey of evolution through the process of reincarnation. Understanding the role humans play in their spiritual growth is a natural result of that philosophy, which is ultimately achieved through our efforts to grow morally and intellectually.
Spiritism should be carefully distinguished from spiritualism. As opposed to Spiritism, spiritualism is best described as a philosophical mindset that acknowledges forces that transcend material reality. Similarly, spirituality refers to a belief in the spiritual but is not a religion in and of itself.
Many religions contain elements of both spirituality and spiritualism, but spiritualism is not necessarily religious in and of itself. Spiritualism (when capitalized) can also refer to a belief in mediumistic phenomena or the ability to communicate with the dead. It claims that through passive or active mediumship, disembodied spirits can positively or negatively influence the physical world.
