Léon Denis (January 1, 1846 – March 12, 1927) was a notable French
spiritist philosopher, and, with
Gabriel Delanne
François Marie Gabriel Delanne (23 March 1857 – 15 February 1926) was a notable French spiritist, psychical researcher, writer, and electrical engineer. He is best known for his book, "''Le Phénomène spirite''" (The Spiritist phenomenon).
...
and
Camille Flammarion
Nicolas Camille Flammarion FRAS (; 26 February 1842 – 3 June 1925) was a French astronomer and author. He was a prolific author of more than fifty titles, including popular science works about astronomy, several notable early science fic ...
, one of the principal exponents of spiritism after the death of
Allan Kardec
Allan Kardec () is the pen name of the French educator, translator, and author Hippolyte Léon Denizard Rivail (; 3 October 1804 – 31 March 1869). He is the author of the five books known as the Spiritist Codification, and the founder of ...
. Denis lectured throughout Europe at international conferences of spiritism and
spiritualism
Spiritualism is the metaphysical school of thought opposing physicalism and also is the category of all spiritual beliefs/views (in monism and Mind-body dualism, dualism) from ancient to modern. In the long nineteenth century, Spiritualism (w ...
, promoting the idea of survival of the
soul
In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being".
Etymology
The Modern English noun '' soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest atte ...
after death and the implications of this for human relations. He is known as the
apostle
An apostle (), in its literal sense, is an emissary, from Ancient Greek ἀπόστολος (''apóstolos''), literally "one who is sent off", from the verb ἀποστέλλειν (''apostéllein''), "to send off". The purpose of such sending ...
of French spiritism.
Biography
Léon Denis was born in
Foug,
Meurthe-et-Moselle
Meurthe-et-Moselle () is a department in the Grand Est region of France, named after the rivers Meurthe and Moselle. It had a population of 733,760 in 2019.[France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...]
, on January 1, 1846, of a humble family. Very early in life, out of necessity, he did manual work and had to bear heavy responsibilities for his family. From his first steps in the world, he sensed that invisible friends assisted him. Instead of participating in play appropriate to his youth, he tried to instruct himself as intensely as possible. He read serious works, thus striving through his own efforts, to develop his intelligence. He became a serious and competent
self-didact.
At the age of 18, he commenced work as a sales representative, and so had to make frequent trips. This situation continued up to the time of his reformation and beyond. He adored music and, whenever he had a chance, attended operas or concerts. He played well-known arias at the piano and also some compositions of his own.
He did not smoke, and was almost exclusively a vegetarian, nor did he indulge in fermented drinks. He found water to be his ideal drink.
It was his habit to review books with interest, of those displayed in the bookstores, at the age of 18, by “chance” his eyes glanced at a work with an unusual title: The Spirits’ Book by Allan Kardec. Having with him the amount needed to purchase the book, he bought it and rushed to his home immediately surrendering eagerly to the reading.
Denis commented after reading it: “I found in this book the clear solution, complete and logical, to a universal problem. My conviction became strong and sound. The Spiritist Theory dissipated my indifference and my doubts.”
Denis was not just a successor to
Allan Kardec
Allan Kardec () is the pen name of the French educator, translator, and author Hippolyte Léon Denizard Rivail (; 3 October 1804 – 31 March 1869). He is the author of the five books known as the Spiritist Codification, and the founder of ...
, as is generally supposed, but was an important figure in consolidating the spiritist movement. He undertook doctrinal studies, research into mediums, and propelled the Spiritist Movement in France, and all over the world. He deepened the moral aspects of the Doctrine and, above all, consolidated the Movement in the early decades of the 20th century.
In Spiritism, the role of Kardec is that of the sage; the role of Denis is that of the philosopher. Léon Denis was nominated the Apostle of Spiritism, due to his sustained work, and his words, written and spoken, on behalf of the new doctrine. Possessing great moral sensibility, he dedicated his entire existence to the defense of the postulates that Kardec had transmitted in the books of the spiritist
Pentateuch
The Torah (; hbo, ''Tōrā'', "Instruction", "Teaching" or "Law") is the compilation of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, namely the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. In that sense, Torah means the ...
.
Denis himself, summarized his mission as follows: “I have consecrated this existence to the service of a Great cause, Spiritism or Modern Spiritualism that will certainly be the universal faith, and the religion of the future.”
''Le Génie Celtique. Les derniers jours de la vie du Maître''
/ref>
See also
* Spiritism
Spiritism (French: ''spiritisme''; Portuguese: ''espiritismo'') is a spiritualist, religious, and philosophical doctrine established in France in the 1850s by the French teacher, educational writer, and translator Hippolyte Léon Denizard Riv ...
* The Spirits Book
''The Spirits' Book'' (''Le Livre des Esprits'' in French) is part of the Spiritist Codification, and is regarded as one of the five fundamental works on Spiritism. It was published by the French educator Hippolyte Léon Denizard Rivail, under ...
* The Book on Mediums
''The Book on Mediums'' or ''Mediums and Evokers' Handbook'' (a.k.a. ''The Mediums' Book'' —''Le Livre des Médiums'', in French), is a book by Allan Kardec published in 1861, second of the five Fundamental Works of Spiritism — the philosoph ...
* The Gospel According to Spiritism
''The Gospel According to Spiritism'' (''L'Évangile Selon le Spiritisme'' in French), by Allan Kardec, is a book published in 1864 that relates the teachings of Jesus to Kardecist Spiritism, the moral and religious philosophy that Kardec had bee ...
* The Genesis According to Spiritism
''The Genesis, Miracles and Premonition According to Spiritism'' (''La Genèse, les Miracles et les Preditions selon le Spiritisme'' in the original French) was the last book published (1868) by Allan Kardec, just before his death. It tries to r ...
* Heaven and Hell
References
Bibliography
By Denis:
* ''Le Pourquoi de la Vie'' (1885 & Librairie des Sciences Psychologiques, 1892).
*
Christianisme et spiritisme
' (Leymarie, 1898).
*
' (Librairie des sciences psychiques, 1905).
*
'
*
' (Librairie des Sciences Psychiques, 1911).
* ''Le Monde invisible et la guerre'' (Librairie des sciences psychiques, 1919).
*
'.
* ''L'au-dela et la survivance de l'etre.''
*
' (Librairie des sciences psychiques, 1921).
*
' (1921)
* '' ttp://spirite.free.fr/ouvrages/genie/genie.htm Le génie celtique et le monde invisible'
Some of his works are also available in English translations.
Biography:
*Luce, Gaston. ''Léon Denis, l'apotre du spiritisme, sa vie, son oeuvre''.
*Baumard, Claire.
Léon Denis intime
' (J. Meyer, 1929). Preface by Arthur Conan Doyle.
External links
Biography
(French)
(French)
(explorespiritism.com)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Denis, Leon
1846 births
1927 deaths
People from Meurthe-et-Moselle
Spiritism
French spiritual writers
French writers on paranormal topics
French male writers