Tobias Churton (born 1960) is a British scholar of Rosicrucianism, Freemasonry, Gnosticism,[1] and other esoteric movements. He has a Master's degree in Theology from Brasenose College, Oxford. He is the author of Gnostic Philosophy, The Magus of Freemasonry, and Freemasonry and other works on esotericism.[2]
Churton has made several television programmes, including Gnostics, a four-part drama-documentary series made for Channel 4 (UK) by Border TV (together with an accompanying book) which was broadcast in 1987 and repeated in 1990.[3][4] Churton's studies include critique of heresiologists' perceptions on the role of women in these "unorthodox" Christian movements.[5]
He has also written about Elias Ashmole, and Rosicrucianism.[6][7]
Churton's biography of Aleister Crowley was released in 2011. Subsequently, he has published four more biographical volumes on Crowley - The Beast in Berlin, Aleister Crowley in America, Aleister Crowley in India, and Aleister Crowley in England: The Return of the Great Beast, the last biography being due for release on 7 December 2021.