1. Definition, roots, and principles
The term Spiritualists (from Latin spiritus, “[Holy] Spirit”) encapsulates a diverse group that emerged during the Reformation period, whose members rejected or at least denigrated any mediation of the Spirit (see Trinity) by outward means (including ecclesiastical office and the sacraments as well as the words of the Bible), relying instead on a direct relationship with God through the Spirit. The Spiritu…