About Recta Fides
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
Orthodoxy (n.): Soundness of faith; a belief in the doctrines taught in the Scriptures, or in some established standard of faith; — opposed to heterodoxy or to heresy.
— Webster's Dictionary, 1913
Our Mission
Recta Fides exists to preserve, defend, and transmit the orthodox doctrine of Thelema as revealed through the Prophet of the Lovely Star—Saint Sir Aleister Crowley, the Beast 666—and as maintained by the legitimate Orders He established.
We hold that the Law of Θελημα is not a matter of private interpretation run wild, but a sacred trust requiring fidelity to the Master's writings, the Class A documents, and the holy living traditions of the A∴A∴ and Ordo Templi Orientis.
As the Master Himself declared:
"'Do what thou wilt' does not mean 'Do what you like.' It is the apotheosis of Freedom; but it is also the strictest possible bond." — Liber II
In an age when heterodox voices multiply and the Prophet's teachings are diluted, distorted, dismissed, and demonized, Recta Fides stands as a guardian of the authentic transmission.
The Name
Recta Fides is Latin for "Right Faith."
The phrase is the precise equivalent of the Greek ὀρθοδοξία—from ὀρθός (orthos), meaning "right" or "correct," and δόξα (doxa), meaning "belief" or "opinion." To speak of Recta Fides is to speak of Orthodoxy itself.
The Latin word Fides carries a dual significance:
- Faith — belief, doctrine, the content of what is believed
- Fidelity — loyalty, faithfulness, the keeping of trust
Thus Recta Fides declares both correct doctrine and faithful loyalty to the Prophet and His teaching.
The Qabalistic Revelation
By the New Aeon English Qabalah—the ALW cipher discovered by James Lees in 1976, which directly answers the riddles of Liber AL vel Legis—the name Recta Fides reveals its hidden significance:
| Word | Value | Equals |
|---|---|---|
| RECTA | 75 | BEAST |
| FIDES | 77 | CROWLEY |
| RECTA FIDES | 152 | BEAST CROWLEY |
The Latin phrase meaning "Right Faith" numerically encodes fidelity to the Master Himself.
This name was not chosen. It was revealed.
Our Position
We affirm the following:
The Authority of the Prophet. The Beast 666 is the Prophet of the New Aeon, through whom the Law of Thelema was delivered to mankind. His writings constitute the primary source for all doctrinal questions.
"All questions of the Law are to be decided only by appeal to my writings, each for himself." — The Comment
The Sanctity of the Class A Documents. The Holy Books of Thelema, particularly Liber AL vel Legis, are received texts not to be altered or "corrected" according to private judgment.
"Change not as much as the style of a letter; for behold! thou, o prophet, shalt not behold all these mysteries hidden therein." — Liber AL vel Legis I:54
The Legitimacy of the Orders. The A∴A∴ and Ordo Templi Orientis, as established and transmitted through legitimate lineage, are the proper vehicles for the promulgation of the Law.
"They must accept the Book of the Law as the Word and the Letter of Truth, and the sole Rule of Life. They must acknowledge the Authority of the Beast 666 and of the Scarlet Woman as in the book it is defined, and accept Their Will as concentrating the Will of our Whole Order." — One Star in Sight
The Strictness of True Will. The Law of Thelema is not license but liberation through alignment with one's True Will. Antinomian misreadings that reduce "Do what thou wilt" to "Do as you please" are heterodox corruptions.
"Do what thou wilt—then do nothing else. Let nothing deflect thee from that austere and holy task." — Liber II
What We Publish
- Essays exploring Thelemic doctrine, history, and practice
- Commentaries on the Holy Books and the Master's corpus
- Defenses of orthodox interpretation against heterodox drift
- Scholarly research grounded in primary sources
- Practical guidance for aspirants walking the Path
We welcome community submissions from all who share our commitment to the faithful transmission of the Law.
Independence
Recta Fides is an independent publication. We are not officially affiliated with Ordo Templi Orientis, A∴A∴, or Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica—though we support and uphold their legitimate authority.
The views expressed herein are those of the individual authors, offered in service to the Great Work.
"The Masters are vigilant to note in every nation those who are able to receive light, and such persons are employed as agents to spread the light according to man's capacity and to revivify the dead letter." — Liber XXXIII
Love is the law, love under will.