A doctrine codified by Allan Kardec

Spiritism is a philosophical doctrine with moral and religious consequences, codified by the French educator Hippolyte Léon Denizard Rivail — known by his pen name, Allan Kardec — beginning in 1857 with the publication of The Spirits’ Book.

Spiritism studies the nature, the origin and the destiny of spirits, as well as their relationship with the material world. It does not present itself as revealed dogma: it begins with the observation and study of spiritual phenomena, always in the light of reason.

Three fundamental points

  • God and creation: God is the Supreme Intelligence, the first cause of all things. Creation is the work of His will and love.
  • Immortality of the soul: the spirit is immortal; life does not end with the death of the body. The spirit survives, evolves, and is reborn as many times as its progress requires — this is reincarnation.
  • Communication between the two worlds: spirits can communicate with the incarnate, and these communications, when serious and uplifting, offer consolation and teaching.

The moral teaching

The morality taught by the higher spirits is summed up in the teaching of Jesus: “Love God above all things, and your neighbor as yourself.” For Spiritism, charity — understood as benevolence, indulgence and forgiveness — is the sure path of moral transformation. The motto of the doctrine is: “Outside of charity there is no salvation.”

The basic works of the codification

Kardec organized the doctrine in five fundamental works:

  1. The Spirits’ Book (1857) — the principles of the doctrine in 1,019 questions and answers;
  2. The Mediums’ Book (1861) — the study of mediumship and its safe practice;
  3. The Gospel According to Spiritism (1864) — the moral teaching of Jesus, explained and commented;
  4. Heaven and Hell (1865) — the justice of God and life beyond the grave;
  5. Genesis (1868) — miracles and predictions in the light of science and reason.

Spiritism and science

Spiritism respects science and does not fear its progress. Its principles were established in the nineteenth century from the methodical study of phenomena, and the doctrine renews itself constantly with the advance of human knowledge. That is why it is called a doctrine of reasoned faith: nothing is accepted without examination, and whatever reason and experience refute must be revised.

Spiritism is not Spiritualism

American readers often meet the word Spiritualism first. The two movements are cousins, not twins. Modern Spiritualism arose in the United States in 1848 and developed mainly as a religious movement centered on mediumship. Spiritism, codified by Kardec a decade later, shares the belief in spirit communication but adds a structured philosophy: reincarnation as the engine of moral progress, the study method of the codification, and an ethical program drawn from the Gospel. When this site says Spiritism, it always means the doctrine of Allan Kardec.

Spiritism in Brazil and in the United States

Spiritism flourished in Brazil from the end of the nineteenth century, and today Brazil is home to the largest Spiritist community in the world — millions of adherents, thousands of centers, and a long tradition of charity work. In the United States, the movement grows steadily, carried largely by Portuguese- and Spanish-speaking communities and, increasingly, by English-speaking readers who discover Kardec’s books and the story of Chico Xavier.