Can the abuse of the term "Evolution" be trace to the Theosophical society?

I just finished a book published by the Theosophical Society, and despite its objective discussion, I seemed to detect a hint of theosophical leanings. So I decided to research an overview of the society to know more about what they stand for.

From wikipedia:

Quote:

In addition to the stated objectives, as early as 1889 Blavatsky publicly declared that the purpose of establishing the Society was to prepare humanity for the reception of a World Teacher: according to the Theosophical doctrine described above, a manifested aspect of an advanced spiritual entity (the Maitreya) that periodically appears on Earth in order to direct the evolution of humankind. The mission of these reputedly regularly appearing emissaries is to practically translate, in a way and language understood by contemporary humanity, the knowledge required to propel it to a higher evolutionary stage

http://ift.tt/N9nz0U

"Evolution" has been abused endlessly by the new age, to say that humans are evolving into more spiritually aware beings, or what have you. Also, that there is a "goal" of evolution we will one day reach.

http://ift.tt/1EhIAiL

Quote:

The present-day New Age movement is said to be based to a considerable extent on original Theosophical tenets and ideas. "No single organization or movement has contributed so many components to the New Age Movement as the Theosophical Society. ... It has been the major force in the dissemination of occult literature in the West in the twentieth century."[54= Melton 1990, pp. 458–461. Note "Chronology of the New Age Movement" pp. xxxv–xxxviii in same work, starts with the formation of the Theosophical Society in 1875; see also Lewis & Melton 1992, xi.]

Since evolution was introduced in the 19th century, the same time as the Theosophical society was formed, can it be safe to assert that the term evolution was adopted by Theosophy to fit its beliefs/agenda?

via International Skeptics Forum http://ift.tt/1EhIAiN