Astronism has undergone various name changes since its inception ten years ago with one major change taking place back in 2018 when Millettism, which had been the religion's name since its origin in 2013, was dropped from official use. However, on its official Astropedia page, Astronism used to be referred to as Western Cosmism, but why? And why was this phrase removed from Astronism's page today the 7th November 2023?
Western Cosmism was an alternative phrase used by the Astronist Institution to refer to the Astronism between 2020 and 2023. This means the Astronist Institution used to officially endorse using the phrase 'Western Cosmism' to refer to Astronism.
Cometan first coined the phrase Western Cosmism sometime during the Omnidoxical era (i.e. when he was writing the Omnidoxy from 2015 to 2019) and so the phrase has origins early in the history of Astronism. Cometan coined the phrase after being inspired by studying the history and beliefs of the Russian cosmists of the nineteenth century and early twentieth century.
Although Astronism has beliefs and practices distinct from cosmism, they also have a great deal in common as two cosmocentric philosophies. Both philosophies affirm the doctrine of transcension for example (despite cosmism doing so in an indirect way), and they place a supreme importance on the astronomical world as a source of knowledge, spiritual and theological insight and existential meaning for humanity.
These similarities make Astronism and cosmism brother movements despite having been founded two centuries apart. Cosmism has its origins in the early nineteenth century in Russia and emerged again at the turn of the twentieth century thanks to the efforts of Russian philosopher Nikolai Fyodorov while Astronism was founded in 2013 by British philosopher Cometan. Despite their similarities, some beliefs of cosmism were influenced by Russian Orthodox Christianity while Astronism eschews any outside influence from other religions.
Since the word cosmism is most associated with the Russian cosmists, Cometan coined the phrase Western Cosmism to denote Astronism's origins in the Western world. From September 2020 to November 2023, Western Cosmism was endorsed by the Astronist Institution as one of the official alternative phrases for Astronism, but why has this endorsement ended today on 7th November 2023?
Despite previously being endorsed by the Astronist Institution as an alternative phrase, it has been decided today that Western Cosmism as a term may isolate Astronists who do not originate from the Western world and since Astronism is a universal religion that can be practised by any human being anywhere, it was decided today that Western Cosmism is no longer a suitable official alternative phrase for Astronism.
Moreover, another reason for ending Institutional endorsement of the phrase Western Cosmism is because the phrase suggests that Astronism is a form of cosmism which it is not and so this is likely to be confusing for Astronists and non-Astronists. While Astronism has similarities with cosmism, it remains distinct from cosmism in some fundamental ways:
Astronism adheres to astrotheism while cosmism does not.
Astronism also gives a central to transcension and even hails it as a dogma while cosmism does not establish transcension so explicitly (though does so implicitly).
Astronism possesses a unique soteriology, eschatology, cosmology, theology, ontology and ethical tradition that cosmism does not share.
Overall, while there might remain some credibility to the notion that Astronism constitutes the Western version of cosmism due to Astronism's origins in the Western world, for the sake of clarity, continuing to use this phrase is confusing and so should no longer be endorsed in official pronouncements by the Astronist Institution.
However, Western Cosmism may still be used in colloquial discourses to refer to Astronism as well as in scholarly writings, especially in reference to the relationship between Astronism and cosmism. It will no longer be used by the Astronist Institution itself, however, in any official transcriptions of Astronist belief and practice. From now on, Astronism is the only official phrase for the religion and philosophy of the Astronists.
There is a list of unofficial alternative phrases for Astronism that are neither endorsed nor decried by the Astronist Institution. See page: List of appellations of Astronism.
I appreciate your continued support for the work of the Astronist Institution in its efforts to bring Astronism to the world.
Cometan,
Founder of Astronism
November 7, 2023