René Guénon (1886-1951) was a fallen-away Catholic and convert to Islam who is seen as father of the “Traditionalist” school – which in this context means that all existing religions are equally good and valid inheritors of a single primeval faith. This is more authentically reflected in some religions than in others – and for Guénon, at best in Islam.
Born in Blois to a Catholic family, Guénon went to Paris to study. There he fell in with members of the 19th and early 20th century Occult revival in that city, becoming (and falling out of favour with) successively a Martinist, Gnostic and Freemason.
