SPIRITIST PHILOSOPHY COURSE ON LINE – SPIRITIST PHILOSOPHICAL STUDIES PROJECT

PRESENTATION
1.Allan Kardec says (according to The Spiritists’ Book - Conclusion VI) :
“To suppose that Spiritism derives its strength from the physical manifestations (spirit manifestations), and that it might therefore be put an end to by hindering those manifestations, is to form to one’s self a very false idea of it. Its strength is in its philosophy, in the appeal it makes to reason, to common sense.” In Conclusion VII, Allan Kardec completes: “Spiritism presents three different aspects: the aspect of spirit manifestation, the philosophic and moral principles deducible from those facts, and the practical applications of which those principles are susceptible.” (Excerpts based on English translation of The Spiritist’s Book,Allan Kardec, by Blackwell, A.,1920, Lake).

2. This on-line Course of Spiritist Philosophy intends to go deep into the Spiritist Philosophy conception as a CONCEPTUAL SYNTHESIS OF KNOWLEDGE AND THOUGHT (José Herculano Pires, according to Léon Denis words in The Evolution of Thought, in The problem of Being, the Fate and Pain).The excerpt “Spiritism, third Conceptual Synthesis” explains this process, emphasizing the efforts of human thought to reach the purpose of the existence and its apex with Spiritism, bringing to a rational analyses both dimensions of life using an investigative methodology applied to the Platonic world of ideas and its ultimate goal for which it is intended to be, i.e., the moral and ethics implemented by Jesus in both existential dimensions always aiming for the evolution of the Spirit. The first module deals with this Synthesis, analyzing the most important philosophers during the History of Universal Philosophy whose conclusions bring the convergent points with the Spiritist Philosophy in its conceptual and historic development.

3. This Project also intends to develop the Spiritist Philosophy of Existence, demystifying Jesus, therefore with no intention of bringing him to the “humanity of tests and atonements” (The Gospel according to Spiritism, Allan Kardec, chap.3) as he was part of it, but as a real archetypal model to be followed, the Being par excellence, who conquered himself, overcoming the appeals of the matter at all levels of evolution considered.
The study of each philosopher in this educational program aims to highlight the core of their thought, the moment it was intuited and worked on and its real meaning in the process of knowledge construction; truths of reason built throughout time and culminating on the structuring of Spiritist Philosophy, under the direction and guidance of the High Spirits. The Spiritist Philosophy has its key characteristics based on a total lack of academic or religious dogmatism which led and leads to the strengthening of the materialist-nihilist theories with all the negative consequences to the human spirit. (Sonia Theodoro da Silva)

SPIRITIST PHILOSOPHY ON LINE

THE SPIRITIST PHILOSOPHY, AS CONCEPTUAL SYNTHESIS OF HUMAN KNOWLEDGE TAKES PART OF THE PHILOSOPHICAL TRADITION. ITS CONCEPTIONS OF GOD, SPIRIT AND MATTER, DOES NOT ENCOURAGE PRACTICES OF TRADITIONAL RELIGIONS AND CONTRADICTORY PHILOSOPHIES, OR EVEN “CREATES” NEW SCIENTIFIC CONTENTS LACKING OF INVESTIGATION. ON THE CONTRARY, IT HAS EXPANDED THE CONCEPTUAL HORIZONS OF KNOWLEDGEMENT. IT HAS EMANCIPATED HUMAN THOUGHT FROM MEANINGLESS SYSTEMS AND THEORIES, IT RENEWS HUMAN BEHAVIOUR AND WORLD VIEW. THE SPIRITIST PHILOSOPHY HAVE GUIDED US TO THE REAL SENSE OF RELIGIOSITY AND SELF RESPECT. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE PHILOSOPHICAL QUESTS HAS EMERGED AND FOUND ITS ANWERS WITH THE SPIRITIST CONTRIBUTION, BASED ON FUNDAMENTAL AND RELIABLE PREMISES.

WITH THE SPIRITISM DOCTRINE, THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS WERE BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE, CONSCIOUSNESS AND STRENGTH – IN OTHER WORDS, THE REAL CHRISTIANITY CAME TO LIFE. TO KNOW HIM - THE MASTER OF LIGHT, HIS DOCTRINE WITHOUT MYTHICAL ASPECTS AND, AT THE SAME TIME, BRINGING HIM BACK NEARBY US IN ORDER TO LEARN HOW TO FOLLOW HIS STEPS IS THE ESSENTIAL AND MOST IMPORTANT GOAL WHEREVER WE ARE. THE MAIN GOAL OF THE SPIRITIST PHILOSOPHY IS TO DECONSTRUCT OLD CONCEPTIONS AND PARADIGMS TO BUILD NEW ONES ON NOBLE BASIS. THEREFORE, TO FOLLOW IT AS OUR GUIDE DIRECTING THE COURSE OF OUR LIVES IS THE SAME AS FINDING A SOLID PATH AS JESUS’ SOLID ROCK PARABLES.

I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO THOSE WHO GRANTED ME THE OPPORTUNITY OF IMPLEMENTING THIS PROJECT WITH ITS PHASES AND STAGES, AS THIS ONLINE STRUCTURAL COURSE. I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO THANK MY DEAR STUDENTS WITH WHOM WE COULD TALK, DISCUSS, INCREASE, ADD AND EXCHANGE EXPERIENCES, CREATING SOLID FRIENDSHIP AND MUTUAL RESPECT AMONG ALL.

DEAR FRIENDS, WE WISH THAT THE SPIRITIST PHILOSOPHY COULD OPEN YOUR NEW HORIZONS, THOSE FROM A NEW CIVILIZATION, THE CIVILIZATION OF THE SPIRIT, THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN RISING AS BEAUTIFUL AND LIGHT DAWN; IT IS PART OF OUR HOPES, EXPECTATIONS AND EXPERIENCES – IT IS IN YOUR CONSCIENCE: SO, LIVE IT FULL OF JOY – THIS IS OUR BEST WISHES.

SONIA THEODORO DA SILVA (www.feal.com.br/colunista.php?col_id=22&n=Sonia-Theodoro-da-Silva)AUTHOR OF THE ONLINE SPIRITIST PHILOSOPHY COURSE – SPIRITIST PHILOSOPHICAL STUDIES PROJECT

INTRODUCTION

SPIRITIST PHILOSOPHICAL STUDIES PROJECT
"EACH PERIOD OF HUMAN EVOLUTION HAVE ENDED WITH A CONCEPTUAL SYNTHESIS OF ALL ITS ACHIEVEMENTS" (José Herculano Pires, spiritist philosopher, based on Léon Denis' words)

This online course takes part of the“SPIRISTIST PHILOSOPHICAL STUDIES PROJECT” here posted as a summary of the whole Project, of its intellectual property according to the Brazilian laws of authorship, which contents and dynamics have been introduced in Spiritists centers in São Paulo, São Paulo City, Brazil, where it has attended hundreds of people interested on Spiritist Philosophy. This Project observes a new interdisciplinary approach by means of Spiritist researches and studies based on the abundant and serious spiritist literature and also laic literature which aspects converge toward Spiritist Doctrine. Also an Interactive Place where students can participate and interact which each other, in a place free of controversies.(SONIA THEODORO DA SILVA)

Gospel Therapy

The 19th and 20th centuries were characterized by the intensification of human conflicts that engendered an extremely confusing and distressing scene when compared to the scientific, philosophical, so-cial and artistic achievements over the same period. Human beings showing clearly and without embellishments their er-rors and misdeeds, seem to seek with the same commitment, solutions to the tragedies that stun them. Heirs of their own fears, they have been trying to find answers to existential dramas that advanced technology, with all its glamour and efficiency, has failed to resolve; on the contrary, it seems to enhance the escape mechanisms from a reality that displays clearly and without em-bellishments that: we bring serious moral fis-sures that become more evident every day, and they do not follow the same pace as the scientific progress. The first decade of the 21st century, soon to end, al-though chosen by the UN to be the Decade of the Culture of Peace, has proven to be one of the most violent, as it has inherited from earlier centuries the same psychosphere restrictive of high moral values and the lack of respect for Life, as manifested in all forms.
We are really living the transition so strikingly proclaimed by Jesus and the High Spirits of all time. Recurring issues, such as those proposed by Existentialism, today converge not to the fierce nihilism but to the Philosophy of Light, the Spiritist: who we are, why we exist, where we came from, where we are heading to and many other issues can be answered in simple and clear ways. The anomalies of any sort, the intimate misrule, the fragmentation of our feelings is just a painful scene of that bias that tends to send us to one direction: the need to find ourselves. Jesus of Nazareth’s Gospel, illuminated by the lights of His Doctrine, can play the role of: illuminating consciences that now lie in misunderstanding, ignorance, afflictions, renewing our hope.
Let’s therefore pursue Jesus' invitation, outlined in one of the most beautiful passages of The Gospel According to Spiritism, "Law of Love": “when humans adopt it as rule of con-duct and basis for their institutions, they will understand the true brotherhood and will reign among them peace and justice. There will be no more hatred or dissent, but only togetherness, harmony and mutual goodwill.”

Published at The Spiritist Psychological Society - The Journal of Psychological Studies -Year IV l Issue N°14 l January - February 2011

Sonia Theodoro da Silva is the author of the Spiritist Philosophical Studies Project, collaborates in Centro Espírita Nosso Lar Casas André Luiz,Fundação Espírita André Luiz, resident in São Paulo, Brazil.