Baphomet is the idol that the Knights Templar (1119-1312) were said to worship in secret ceremonies. Centuries later, one of the "fathers" of French Esotericism, Eliphas Levi (1810-1875), would bring the figure of Baphomet back into the spotlight as a mystical hieroglyph, an optical symbol that embodies fundamental hermeneutical principles such as the union of opposites, universal balance, and the spiritual evolution of the soul.

However, his texts would soon be misinterpreted to such an extent that the result is an increasingly growing mythology that still sees Baphomet as a symbol of Devil worship. In this book, Julian Strube, professor of religious studies at the University of Heidelberg, seeks to ascertain the true meaning of the Baphomet symbol by referring to Levi's own texts, thoroughly examining his religious and political beliefs, and specifically how they influenced his ideas on Spiritism, Catholicism, and radical Socialism.

This research demonstrates that Baphomet signifies much more than a cryptic visualization of the French author's magical theory. It is the personification of a broader tradition that Levi advocated, that of the "true religion" with a political undertone, which would uniquely unite religion, science, and politics.