 | Pandeism: Encyclopedia II - Pandeism - Use of the term by Godfrey Higgins
Pandeism - Use of the term by Godfrey Higgins
Pandeism (or a Pandæan religion) was originally used by Godfrey Higgins, a historian of religions, [1] to describe a religious society that he purported had existed from ancient times, and at one time had been known throughout the entire world. Higgins believed this practice continued in secret until the time of his writing, in the 1830s in an area stretching from Greece to India. The term was used in this context in the posthumous release of Higgens' 1833 treatise titled Anacalypsis: An Attempt to Draw Aside the Veil of the Saitic Isis: Or an Inquiry into the Origin of Languages, Nations and Religions. [2]
Pandeism - Higgins' choice of the term
Higgins' usage is related to pantheism, yet distinctly different. While pantheism normally refers to one universal god, pandeism, as described by Higgins, refers to the worship of a family, a union, or a pantheon of gods which are collectively universal.
Higgins was a follower of Irish writer John Toland who coined "pantheist" in his 1705 work, Socinianism Truly Stated, by a pantheist; although Toland lived in an era when "deism" and "theism" were interchangeable, Higgins wrote during the 1820s and 1830s, a period several generations later when Deism was popular and became distinct from theism. When coining "pandeism", Higgins was aware of the similarity between pandeism and pantheism, and of the similarity between pandeism and deism. While pandeism evokes both pantheism and deism and suggests their combination, Higgins' usage is removed from both.
Whereas Toland's construction of pantheism was based on the Greek root words pan, meaning all and Theos, meaning God, Higgins flips the construction around, stating:
When I consider all the circumstances detailed above respecting the Pans, I cannot help believing that, under the mythos, a doctrine or history of a sect is concealed. Cunti, the wife of Pandu (du or God, Pan), wife of the generative power, mother of the Pandavas or devas, daughter of Sura or Syra the Sun—Pandæa only daughter of Cristna or the Sun—Pandion,[3] who had by Medea a son called Medus, the king of the Medes, who had a cousin, the famous Perseus — surely all this is very mythological — an historical parable!
I think Pandeism was system; — We have seen that though Cristna was said to have left many sons, he left his immense empire, which extended from the sources of the Indus to Cape Comorin, (for we find a Regio Pandionis near this point,) to his daughter Pandæa; but, from finding the icon of Buddha so constantly shaded with the nine Cobras, &c., I am induced to think that this Pandeism was a doctrine, which had been received both by Buddhists and Brahmins.[4]
In contrast to Toland, Higgins uses the word "Pans" to collect variations of named gods - such as Pandu, Pandæa, Pandavas, and Pandion - into a single system of worship called Pandeism as a sort of family name for a goup of godlike individuals. Thus where Toland's term referred to pan- (all) and -theism (god), Higgins refers to Pande- (a root indicating this family of gods) and -ism (indicating allegiance to an ideology). The term as a whole, related by Higgins, appears to refer to a secret sect of worshipers of these "Pans", which was left in the wake of the collapse of an ancient empire that stretched from Greece (the home of Medea and Perseus) to India (where the Buddhists and the Brahmins coexist). Higgins concludes that his observations:
...confirm the very close connexion which there must have been in some former time, between Siam, Afghanistan, Western Syria, and Ireland. Indeed I cannot doubt that there has been really one grand empire, or one Universal, one Pandæan, or one Catholic religion, with one language, which has extended over the whole of the world; uniting or governing at the same time... [5]
Higgins leaves clues, however, that there may be additional layers of meaning in his word choice, stating in the preface to Vol. I of 'Anacalypsis':
[T]here are more passages than one in the book, which are of that nature, which will be perfectly understood by my Masonic friends, but which my engagements prevent me explaining to the world at large.
Pandeism - Later adoption of Higgins' use
John Newbrough, in his 1882 Oahspe Bible, apparently made an uncredited referrence to Higgins' use when he wrote:
I think Pandeism was system; — and that when I say the country or kingdom of Pandæa, I express myself in a manner similar to what I should do, if I said the Popish kingdom or the kingdoms of Popery.[6]
Newbrough used other language similar to that used by Higgins elsewhere, but nowhere in his work does Newbrough mention Higgins by name.
Newbrough goes on express his opinion of the distinction between pandeism and pantheism:
Many persons have thought that this Pan related to what has been called Pantheism, or the adoration of universal nature, and that Pantheism was the first system of man. For this opinion I cannot see a shadow of foundation. As I have formerly said, it seems to me contrary to common sense to believe that the ignorant half savage would first worship the ground he treads upon,--that he would raise his mind to so abstruse and so improbable a doctrine as, that the earth he treads upon created him and created itself: for Pantheism instantly comes to this.[7]
Other related archives1705, 1820s, 1830s, 1833, 1882, 1967, 1995, 1997, Aegeas, Afghanistan, Anacalypsis: An Attempt to Draw Aside the Veil of the Saitic Isis: Or an Inquiry into the Origin of Languages, Nations and Religions, Baruch Spinoza, Berryville, Virginia, Brahmins, Buddha, Buddhists, Cape Comorin, Creator God, Cunti, Deism, Dominican, God, Godfrey Higgins, Great Spirit, Greece, Greek, India, Indus, Ireland, Irish, John Newbrough, John Toland, Latin, Masonic, Medea, Medus, Milesians, Native American, Oahspe, Pandavas, Pandion II, Pandu, Panendeism, Panentheism, Pans, Pantheism, Pastor, Perseus, Polydeism, Polytheism, Popery, Popish, Pythagorean, Siam, Spanish, Spirituality, Syria, Theism, Theopanism, Trappist, Vietnam vet, creator God, cult, deism, etymologically, historian, lineage, monk, mythological, pan-en-deism, panendeism, panentheism, pantheism, pantheon, poet, portmanteau, pseudonym, psyche, religions, sect, theism, theologian, universe
 Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Use of the term by Godfrey Higgins", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki |
