Gerald Massey (1828–1907) was an English poet, spiritualist, and self-taught Egyptologist best known for his radical views and esoteric writings that sought to connect ancient Egyptian mythology with Christianity. Born into poverty in Hertfordshire, Massey worked in textile mills as a child and later became active in social reform movements, including Chartism. His early poetry reflected working-class struggles, but he gained wider recognition for his controversial works on comparative religion, including The Book of the Beginnings, The Natural Genesis, and Ancient Egypt: The Light of the World. In these volumes, he argued that many biblical and Christian beliefs were derived from Egyptian sources, particularly the myths surrounding the god Horus. Though largely dismissed by academic scholars of his time, Massey's work found a lasting audience among occultists, theosophists, and alternative historians.