Eliphas Levi
Eliphas Levi is most likely popular with followers of Theistic Satanism due to his interest in, and writings on the subject of, Baphomet and Occultism, both of which he did much to popularize in the public consciousness of his time. His works had much to do with Spiritualism, then a hugely popular discipline both in Europe and in North America, and gave people some indication that he was privy to the key to some of the biggest mysteries then being explored.
People have always had a healthy interest in the spirit world, and his books and other writings helped satisfy their cravings for more information on the subject. Baphomet in particular is a shadowy figure with mystical overtones – perhaps derived from a corruption of the French name for Mohammed, the Prophet of Islam – which he introduced to the public at large through his work. The thought that perhaps the creature’s name is derived from Islam is interesting, given the tenuous history European Christians have always had with followers of the religion. A further point to consider: where does this Baphomet figure fall within the understanding of contemporary Satanists? Has he, perhaps, become a sort of Satan figure simply because of his prior association with another, more “barbaric” (as was popularly held) religion from another corner of the world?
Is he, then, little more than a holdover from the more primitive past of European religion, transformed again into some kind of savior figure for another group? Points such as these are interesting to consider, and would warrant further study; it seems likely, though, that in introducing this figure to the public at large Levi helped to fan further interest in discovering who he was and what he stood for. I don’t know that the requisite research has yet been done, but the field would seem to be ripe for exploration.
