Traditionalism (perennialism)

Traditionalism, also called the Traditionalist School, is a school of thought within perennial philosophy. It began with René Guénon in the 20th century and teaches that there is a single original, metaphysical truth that is the source of all major world religions. Unlike universalist perennialism, which focuses on similarities in religious experiences across cultures, Traditionalism argues that all major religions originate from a metaphysical source called Tradition and are fully expressed in their "orthodox" forms.

Tradition has both exoteric and esoteric aspects. The exoteric aspect includes ceremonies, rituals, and rules, while the esoteric aspect is concerned with the spiritual and intellectual side of the tradition. Traditionalists often contrast "tradition" with "modernity". Tradition comes from a transcendent origin, whereas modernity generally ignores this dimension. Traditionalists defend this transcendent aspect of reality in traditional religions and worldviews, while viewing modern or liberal interpretations as rationalistic, materialistic, and individualistic.

The distinction between "Traditionalism" and "Perennialism" is not always clear. Some Traditionalists equate their philosophy with perennialism, but not all perennialists consider themselves Traditionalists. Although Guénon is considered the founder of Traditionalism, he called himself only a perennialist. Aldous Huxley, who popularized the term "perennial philosophy" in his 1945 book, had a mystical universalist view that differs from the Traditionalist School.

Historian Mark Sedgwick identifies René Guénon, Ananda Coomaraswamy, Frithjof Schuon, Seyyed Hossein Nasr, Julius Evola, Mircea Eliade, and Alexandr Dugin as the seven most prominent Traditionalists. Sedgwick notes that some strands of Traditionalism, especially Guénon’s, are politically quietist, but Traditionalism has influenced various social and political areas, including environmentalism (as in Nasr’s work),interfaith dialogue initiatives in Jordan (Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad and the Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought), support for traditional arts and philosophy by King Charles III, and far-right politics (Evola, Eliade, Dugin). Scholars debate whether far-right uses of Traditionalism truly align with its thought.

Background
Etymology
The word "tradition" comes from the Latin traditio, meaning "to hand over." It refers to passing down knowledge, practices, skills, laws, and other cultural elements. Seyyed Hossein Nasr sees tradition as a "living presence" that leaves an imprint but cannot be reduced to that imprint. Tradition has two levels: passing knowledge to the next generation, and being a living force that transcends its mark, similar to a Platonic form.

Perennialism

Traditionalists believe all major religions are based on the same primordial and universal metaphysical truths. This is called philosophia perennis or perennial philosophy, which includes both absolute Truth and infinite Presence. Absolute Truth is the "perennial wisdom" that underlies all orthodox religions, while infinite Presence is the "perennial religion" living in their hearts.

Frithjof Schuon explained that philosophia perennis represents the total primordial and universal truths not belonging to any single system. Religio perennis represents the essence of all forms of worship, prayer, and morality. Traditionalists rely on metaphysical intuition rather than mystical experiences to perceive this wisdom.

Schuon described the process of understanding the eternal wisdom as discernment, separating the real from the illusory and concentrating on the Real to achieve awareness of the absolute and infinite.

Concept of Tradition
Beverly J. Lanzetta describes tradition as the backbone of perennial philosophy. For Nasr and other Traditionalists, tradition is sacred, divine, and carries the sacred message through time. It includes revelation, philosophy, art, and culture, reminding humans of the "Divine Center."

Nasr defines tradition as truths revealed to humanity by divine messengers, shaping law, society, arts, sciences, and knowledge. Tradition aligns with God’s will and allows humans to connect with the divine through prophetic revelations.

Tradition and modernity
Nasr sees tradition as as old as humanity itself, while modernity is detached from divine origins. Modernism is focused on human and material concerns, in contrast to the transcendent principles of tradition. Schuon identified modern characteristics such as rationalism, materialism, relativism, individualism, scientism, atheism, and progressivism as opposed to tradition.

Exoteric and esoteric dimensions
Tradition has exoteric and esoteric dimensions. Exoteric aspects include rites, laws, and doctrines. Esoteric aspects involve spiritual and intellectual essence, accessible only to those who understand the inner dimension. All esoteric paths require affiliation to a major religion.

Traditionalists also believe in a Primordial Tradition, uniting all truths of all religions. For Guénon, it represents unity beyond culture, guiding humans to awareness of supreme Unity. For Nasr, it flows from an Absolute Truth expressed in diverse ways across time.

People
Traditionalism began with René Guénon. Other representatives include Ananda Coomaraswamy, Frithjof Schuon, Titus Burckhardt, Martin Lings, Hossein Nasr, William Stoddart, Jean-Louis Michon, Marco Pallis, Lord Northbourne, Huston Smith, Awadh Kishore Saran, Harry Oldmeadow, Reza Shah-Kazemi and Patrick Laude. Some scholars also include Julius Evola and Mircea Eliade, though their inclusion is debated.Rose, Matthew. A World After Liberalism: Philosophers of the Radical Right. Yale University Press, 2021. pp.50-52.Spineto, Natale. "Mircea Eliade and traditionalism." Aries, v. 1, n. 1, p. 62-87, 2001.

René Guénon
Guénon (1886–1951) focused on the contrast between traditional worldviews and modernism, which he saw as a historical anomaly. He believed the world reflects metaphysical principles preserved in religious teachings, lost in modern times. He criticized modern denial of the metaphysical realm.

Guénon was attracted to Sufism and joined the Shadhili order in 1912. After his doctoral thesis was rejected, he left academia in 1923. He promoted a return to traditional worldviews and opposed Theosophy and Spiritism. He moved to Egypt in 1930 and lived there until his death.

Ananda Coomaraswamy
Coomaraswamy’s idea of Tradition is similar to Guénon’s Primordial Tradition. He used philosophia perennis to describe universal metaphysical principles and Tradition for specific cultures.

Frithjof Schuon
Schuon described tradition as a semi-divine reality guiding humanity to awareness of the Absolute. Religions differ because cultures differ, but all emanate from the same divine source, which he called the "transcendent unity of religions."

Seyyed Hossein Nasr
Nasr developed a comprehensive framework of Tradition, drawing from Guénon. Tradition comes from the divine source, influencing all aspects of life and providing access to "Supreme Knowledge" (philosophia perennis).

Influence
Sedgwick notes that Traditionalism has inspired environmental respect, music, interfaith dialogue, and various political movements, from Donald Trump to fascist and racist ideologies. Some Traditionalists focus on politics, others on religion and self-realization.

In the Muslim world
Through Sufism, Guénon’s Traditionalism influenced Asia and the Islamic world.

Iran
In Iran, Hossein Nasr and Ali Shariati introduced Traditionalism. Although it did not gain mass popularity, it influenced the elite. Three members of the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution were familiar with Traditionalist ideas.

Pakistan
Pakistani writer Hasan Askari was influenced by Guénon, affecting the teachings of Darul Uloom Karachi. Other influenced figures include A. K. Brohi and Muhammad Ajmal.

Morocco
The Budshishiyya Sufi order in Morocco has strands influenced by Traditionalism.

Far-right and right-wing populist movements
Sedgwick notes that 21st-century thinkers like Aleksandr Dugin use the traditional/modern contrast to support far-right politics. Some Traditionalists, like Julius Evola and Mircea Eliade, were involved in European fascist movements. Influences extend to figures such as Savitri Devi, Steve Bannon, Dugin, and Olavo de Carvalho.

Environmentalism
Seyyed Hossein Nasr applied Traditionalist ideas to environmentalism starting in 1966. He argued that ecological crises result from a loss of harmony between humans and God and that modern science and technology, focused on material progress, contribute to environmental destruction. Traditional knowledge and the sacred are necessary to restore balance.

Interfaith dialogue
Nasr applied Traditionalist ideas to interfaith dialogue, following Schuon's concept of the "transcendent unity of religions." This recognizes a shared metaphysical source in all religions, especially their esoteric traditions. Examples include dialogue in Bosnia (Rusmir Mahmutćehajić) and Jordan (Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad and the Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought). The Jordanian initiative included the 2007 letter "A Common Word Between Us and You" and received support from global Christian, Jewish, and Muslim leaders. A dialogue with Buddhism led to the book Common Ground Between Islam & Buddhism.<

King Charles III
Mark Sedgwick notes that King Charles III, then Prince of Wales, was influenced by Traditionalism, particularly on environmentalism, organic farming, sacred art, and architecture. He contributed articles and speeches to Traditionalist publications like Sacred Web.

Notes

References

Sources

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Writings on the subject
Traditionalism

 Mark Sedgwick, Against the Modern World: Traditionalism and the Secret Intellectual History of the Twentieth Century 
 Harry Oldmeadow, Traditionalism: Religion in the Light of the Perennial Philosophy (2000) 
 Carl W. Ernst, "Traditionalism, the Perennial Philosophy and Islamic Studies" in the MESA Bulletin (1994).

René Guénon
 Xavier Accart, René Guénon ou Le renversement des clartés Paris, Milano: Arché, 2005 ().
 Marie-France James, Esoterisme et Christianisme: autour de René Guénon (1981).
 Jean-Pierre Laurant, "Le problème de René Guénon", Revue de l'histoire des religions (1971).
 Jean-Pierre Laurant, René Guénon: Les enjeux d'une lecture (2006) 
 Jean-Pierre Laurant and Paul Barbanegra, eds, René Guénon [Cahier de l'Herne] (1985).
 Pierre-Marie Sigaud, ed., Rene Guenon [Dossiers H] (1984).

Julius Evola
 Franco Ferraresi, "Julius Evola: Tradition, Reaction and the Radical Right" in Archives Européennes de Sociologie (1987).
 Roger Griffin, "Revolts Against the Modern World: The Blend of Literary and Historical Fantasy in the Italian New Right" in Literature and History (1985).

Writings by Traditionalists






 Andrew Rawlinson, The Book of Enlightened Masters: Western Teachers in Eastern Traditions 
 Huston Smith, Forgotten Truth: The Common Vision of the World's Religions (1976), reprint ed. 1992, Harper San Francisco, 
 Alice Lucy Trent, The Feminine Universe: An Exposition of the Ancient Wisdom from the Primordial Feminine Perspective (2010) Golden Order Press, 
 William W. Quinn, Jr., The Only Tradition (1996) 


Perennialism
 Antoine Faivre, ed, Dossier on "Perennialisme" in Aries 11 (1990).

Other websites

Sacred Web – a Traditionalist journal
Religio Perennis
World Wisdom Books
Fons Vitae Books
Revista de Estudios Tradicionales
La Tradición – Textos Tradicionales (Spanish)
Traditionalists.org - a website for the study of Traditionalism and the Traditionalists
A review of some Traditionalist books by Carl W. Ernst "Traditionalism, the Perennial Philosophy, and Islamic Studies", Middle East Studies Association Bulletin, vol. 28, no. 2 (December 1994), pp. 176–81


Category:20th century in philosophy
Category:21st century in philosophy
Category:Neo-Vedanta
Category:Philosophical schools and traditions
Category:History of religion studies
Category:Western esotericism
Category:Eastern esotericism
Category:Perennial philosophy
Category:Philosophy of religion
Category:New religious movements in France
Category:New religious movements established in the 1920s
Category:Seyyed Hossein Nasr