This work is written mainly for a class of readers and students who find themselves altogether out of touch with "Christianity" in any of its current doctrinal or sacerdotal forms, but who, notwithstanding this, have some more or less clear apprehension that behind those forms, and in the Christian Scriptures themselves, there lies a deep spiritual truth, a real Gnosis (Gr. knowledge) of Man’s origin, nature, and destiny which has simply been materialized by the Church in the traditional interpretation of those Scriptures based upon their literal acceptation. --from the Introduction