"Setianism" redirects here. For the branch of Gnosticism, see Sethianism. For worship of Satan, see Satanism.
Temple of Set
Abbreviation
TOS
Type
Occult
Classification
Religious organization, magical order
Orientation
Western esotericism
Scripture
The Book of Coming Forth by Night
Theology
Setianism
Governance
Priesthood
Structure
Initiatory order
Founder
Michael A. Aquino
Origin
1975 San Francisco, California
Separated from
Church of Satan (1975)
Members
200–500 (estimate)[dubious – discuss]
Tax status
Exempt
Official website
xeper.info
The Temple of Set is an occult initiatory order founded in 1975. A new religious movement and form of Western esotericism, the Temple espouses a religion known as Setianism, whose practitioners are called Setians. This is sometimes identified as a form of Satanism, although this term is not often embraced by Setians and is contested by some academics.
The Temple was established in the United States in 1975 by Michael Aquino, an American political scientist, military officer, and a high-ranking member of Anton LaVey's Church of Satan. Dissatisfied with the direction in which LaVey was taking the Church, Aquino resigned and – according to his own claim – embarked on a ritual to invoke Satan, who revealed to him a sacred text called The Book of Coming Forth by Night. According to Aquino, in this work Satan revealed his true name to be that of Set, which had been the name used by his followers in ancient Egypt. Aquino was joined in establishing the Temple by a number of other dissatisfied members of LaVey's Church, and soon various Setian groups were established across the United States.
Setians believe that Set is the one real god and that he has aided humanity by giving them a questioning intellect, the "Black Flame", which distinguishes them from other animal species. Set is held in high esteem as a teacher whose example is to be emulated but he is not worshipped as a deity. Highly individualistic in basis, the Temple promotes the idea that practitioners should seek self-deification and thus attain an immortality of consciousness.
Setians believe in the existence of magic as a force which can be manipulated through ritual, however the nature of these rituals is not prescribed by the Temple. Specifically, Aquino described Setian practices as "black magic", a term which he defines idiosyncratically.
Following initiation into the Temple, a Setian can proceed along a series of six degrees, each of which requires greater responsibilities to the group; as a result, most members remain in the first two degrees. Governed by a high priest or high priestess and a wider Council of Nine, the Temple is also divided into groups known as pylons, through which Setians can meet or correspond in order to advance their magical work in a particular area. Pylons of the Temple are now present in the United States, Australia, and Europe, with estimates placing the Temple's membership between 200 and 500.
The TempleofSet is an occult initiatory order founded in 1975. A new religious movement and form of Western esotericism, the Temple espouses a religion...
example the TempleofSet is the Templeof the deity "Set" and not of "Satan", but it is a splinter group of the Church of Satan, and considers "Set" to be...
Satanism. She later became a devotee of the ancient Egyptian deity Set, becoming high priestess of the TempleofSet in 2002, and forming the Sethian Liberation...
Set by the TempleofSet to theistic Satanism. However, other scholars do not consider them as theistic Satanists, and the affiliates to the Temple of...
Esoteric Satanism. The TempleofSet LaVey, “Eleven Satanic Rules of the Earth.” Laycock, Satanism, 2023: section 4. The Church of Satan. LaVey’s Satanism...
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Nephthys temple was a self-sustaining temple complex within the Set enclosure. There can be little doubt that a cult of Nephthys existed in the temple and...
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antics of the Church of Satan, the TempleofSet and other satanic groups. He believes that traditional satanism goes far beyond the gratification of the...
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ideas, others do not. The TempleofSet embraces "Theist" supernatural Satanism, while the large and active Satanic Temple, though atheist, rejects LaVey...
wearing the double crown. Mortuary Templeof Hatshepsut Statue of Horus in the Templeof Edfu Falcon Horus, deity of Hierakonpolis, on a Naqada IIC jar...
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but this has been proven to be untrue. The temple complex is a large one and one of few in Korea to be set on the seaside. As such, combined with its...
smaller a temple dedicated to his consort, Nephthys, and called the "House of Nephthys of Ramesses-Meriamun." It is not known how long the templeof Seth had...
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