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Christian Mysticism DRAFT

Christian Mysticism Re-Write (Draft Outline and Content)

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This article will focus on the general topic of Christian Mysticism, the theistic cataphatic and apophatic practice (as opposed to individual religious experiences) of spiritual encounter with the Christian Godhead.

Raw research:

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See : http://books.google.com/books?id=WlNfJC6RveAC&lpg=PA901&ots=TmvrpYABs1&dq=types of christian mysticism -"big book" -"three main"&pg=PA901#v=onepage&q=mysticism&f=false ... The HarperCollins Encyclopedia of Catholicism By Richard P. McBrien:

  • "mysticism, in Christian terms, and element of religion involving the explicit experience of the immediate presence of God."
  • "... within, not despite, a framework of Christian belief."
  • "... within the framework of the mystic's individual consciousness, temperament, life-style, and ideas about God, the world, and the self."
  • "rooted in the baptismal call of all Christians to enter int the divine mystery through exposure and response to Scripture, liturgy, and sacraments. This, rather than an interest in subjective experience, was the understanding of "mysticism" in the early Church. This approach underlines that mysticism, in its most general sense, is potentially a dimension of every Christian life. It also emphasizes that mysticism is a baptismal gift rather than something achieved through individual effort."
  • "essentially a process or way of life rather than isolated experiences."

(page 901 for all above)

  • Types of mysticism:
apophatic (imageless, stillness, and wordlessness)-- e.g., Cloud, Eckhart; and
kataphatic (imaging God, imagination or words)-- e.g., Dame Julian, Francis, (p. 902)

Article ascription to Philip Sheldrake.

Sheldrake offers short Bibliography (also page 902)

  • Dupre, Louis, The Deeper Self: An Introduction to CM, NY, Crossroad, 1981
  • Egan, Harvey, What are the Saying about Mysticism? NY, Paulist Press, 1982
  • Katt, STephen, ed. M and Religious Traditions NY, Oxford Univ. Press, 1983
  • McGinn, Bernard, The Foundations..."
  • Woods, Richard, ed. Understanding Mysticism NY Doubleday, 1980.

cregil 01:06, 9 January 2011 (UTC)

Definition

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Writing of Christian Mysticism, Evelyn Underhill defined it this way,

Mysticism is the art of union with Reality. The mystic is a person who has attained that union in greater or less degree; or who aims at and believes in such attainment.[1]

Mysticism is an art or a practice of the spiritual person, and for the Christian Mystic, it is the spiritual practice in relation to and of God. The attributes and means by which Christian Mysticism is studied and practiced are varied. Ranging from ecstatic visions of the soul's mystical union with God to simple prayerful contemplation of Holy Scripture (i.e., Lectio Divina), this article will seek to address the practice of the inner, spiritual activity which is broadly known within the Christian tradition.

Mysticism, in general terms for the purposes of this article, has to do with broadly defined inner or spiritual experiences in which an individual person transcends the ordinary, spatial-temporal reality (three dimensional space and time), and so encounters an awareness of a realty which is of a spiritual nature.

Mystical experiences include (but are not limited to): Visions, ecstasies, trances, wisdom, peace, love, Presence of God, and so on.[2] The instances are experienced inwardly; apart from, or at least not limited to, the physical senses. It should be noted that while such spiritual or religious experiences may be typical of Christians Mysticism, they do not define Christian Mysticism for the purpose of this article. Rather, the subject involves a studied practice as a spiritual activity. Mystical activity apart from a studied practice of that activity is commonly referred to as a Religious experience.

- Thus, the -ism

While mystical experiences are known throughout most, if not all, cultures in history, Christian Mysticism has the specific characteristics of theological agreement with Christian tenants. For example, a Christian Mystical experience will have a characteristic of relationship rather than an experience of absorption. That is to say, an encounter between the soul and the Creator rather than a participation in an unnamed cosmic transcendent other (as would be typical of Eastern mysticism).

Therefore, Christian Mysticism is about the study and practice of a spiritual awareness of the transcendent reality which may be identified within the revealed and accepted tenants of the Christian faith.

Types

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Terribly tricky subject heading-- some good insight found, here: http://members.optusnet.com.au/~gjmoses/relexp2.htm

  • Here a good point, for elsewhere, is made that there is the religious expereince and the interpretation of that experience through "R.C. ZAEHNER in Mysticism Sacred and Profane distinguishes three distinct categories:"
Nature mysticism: (approx. = Stace's 'extrovertive') :the experience of oneness with Nature, the pan-en-henic, all-in-one experience;
Monistic mysticism : (approx. = 'introvertive religious experience in its absorptive form, which Zaehner interprets as) :the experience of my own spirit as the Absolute, the identity of Atman and Brahman;
Theistic mysticism: as in the main, non-absorbtive Christian tradition or Judaism or Islam or the Gita: loving union or communion with a personal Lord or Creator, the gift of union with Another, as distinct from the recognition of identity.

See R.C. Zaehner, Mysticism Sacred and Profane, Oxford, 1961; more easily accessible, see article by Katz in Katz collection.

Also gleaned from the same article concerning "types":

[Nelson Pike for Christian Contemplative Mysticism:
Prayer of Quiet
Full Union
Rapture/Ecstasy

and here: http://sandra.stahlman.com/mystindex.html

A very good resource, stumbled upon, is here: http://pegasus.cc.ucf.edu/~janzb/mysticism/

Typical Attributes

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  • Passive encounters - with God, angels, spiritual truths, wisdom, virtue, etc.
  • Transcendence - perception of self and of reality as more (or becoming more) than the common
  • Selflessness - non-egoic perspective
  • Emptiness of temporal - as experienced apart from or outside of time
  • Desire and Intent - While desire and intent are not required for mystical experience, these, obviously, are a necessary component of the practice and study of such experiences.
  • With but not in Divine - the practice is of relationship and so includes the retention of one's identity as opposed to being consumed into a cosmic otherness
  • Not possession (the will of the person remains and it does so by an imperfect submission to the perfect benevolence of God.)
  • Not absorption (the identity of even the non-egoic self remains distinct from the Divine, particularly when possessing an awareness of the presence of God, the relationship is preserved by this distinction while any intimacy of unity may described as ecstasy)
  • Intimate - (comm-)union (together as one)
  • Whatever - Ha! Something about the difference between knocking down the door by will and being ushered in by grace-- the even the most practiced Christian Mystic attains the mysterious union by grace and not personal desire or even effort.

Note that the awareness of the Divine does not specifically require an awareness of the presence of God. For example, wisdom, understanding, peace, charity, love and self-sacrifice are at least as likely to be encountered in Christian Mysticism as is the Godhead or a person of the Godhead.

Expression
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  • Awareness – the mystery of an intangible reality.
  • Imagery – if any varies from culture to culture but share mystical meaning, implicitly or explicitly to the one experiencing them.
  • Knowledge – unobtainable through temporal means; intimately understood or internally aprehended-- yet in keeping with universally received revelation.
  • Emotion – Fear without loathing, peaceful anticipation or expectancy and others which are entirely both benevolent and virtuous (e.g., charity, meaning, purpose, humility, truth, beauty, etc.)

Typical Benefits

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  • Self-sacrifice
  • Charity
  • Peace
  • Wisdom
  • Grace
  • Virtue

Historical Development

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  • Of the Term “Christian Mysticism” (see McGinn)
  • Of the practice and study of Christian Mysticism (see McGinn, King, et. al.)

Influential Christian Mystics/Influential Texts (Chronologically)

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Common Teachings facilitating the practice of Christian Mystics

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No ritualistic activity is prescribed, but rather suggestions commonly attributed to be conducive to

  • Emptying of Self (humility, godly desire, submission to God and godly attributes)
  • Proceeded by acts of self-denial (fasting, watchfulness)
  • Dismissing worldly concerns, desires and distraction (as these promote activity in the mind, rather than the soul)
  • Stillness (physical selflessness as a means of limiting distracting stimuli)
  • Meditation (as a means of directing the mind to godly things, such as virtues, altruisms and the nature of God as revealed in Scripture)
  • Contemplation (lessoning the activity of the mind and allow the soul to seek, to speak and to hear).

Modern Issues

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  • Psychology
Transcendent
Jungian
Mystical Experience Verses Psychosis
1. Benevolent as opposed to benign or malevolent
2. Retention of Will as opposed to impulsive or possessing
3. Incites virtuous thoughts and acts as opposed to troubling behaviors
  • Theology
1. Movements (non-sectarian)
2. Esotericism
3. Theophany
4. Cataphatism

See also

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Bibliography

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  • McGinn, Bernard (1991). The Foundations of Mysticism. New York: Crossroad. ISBN 0824511212. (494 pages)
  • McGinn, Bernard (1994). The Growth of Mysticism. New York: Crossroad. ISBN 0824514505. (630 pages)
  • McGinn, Bernard (1998). The Flowering of Mysticism: Men and Women in the New Mysticism (1200-1350). New York: Crossroad. ISBN 0824517423. ISBN 0824517431 (paperback) (526 pages)
  • McGinn, Bernard (2005). The Harvest of Mysticism in Medieval Germany (1300-1500). New York: Crossroad. ISBN 0824523458. (738 pages)
  • King, Ursula (2001). Christian Mystics. Their Lives and Legacies throughout the Ages. London: Routledge. ISBN 0415326524.
  • King, Ursula (1998). Christian Mystics: The Spiritual Heart of the Christian Tradition. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 068482423X.
  • Washburn, Michael (1994). Transpersonal Psychology in Psychoanalytic Perspective. Albany: State University of New York Press. ISBN 0791419541.
  • Thomas Merton
  • William Ralph Inge
  • Evelyn Underhill: Mysticism: A Study in Nature and Development of Spiritual Consciousness, 1911, reprint 1999, ISBN 1-85168-196-5 online edition
  • Tito Colliander: Way of the Ascetics, 1981, ISBN 0-06-061526-5
  • Thomas E. Powers: Invitation to a Great Experiment: Exploring the Possibility that God can be Known, 1979, ISBN 0-385-14187-4
  • Richard Foster: Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth, 1978, ISBN 0-06-062831-6


Classics

Footnotes

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  1. ^ Underhill, Evelyn, Practical Mysticism, E.P. Dutton & Company, New York, 1915, page 3.
  2. ^ Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (and others)


related user Discussion

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Christianity and mysticism

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Thank you for your kind message,

First of all my brother, I need to apologize to you. My own frustrations with the deceptive streams within Christian mysticism has lead me at one stage to label the entire word Christian mysticism as Christian occultism and to grasp for another word to try and express the kind of mysticm which I consider biblically sound.

I have grown since. I would rather want to see the word Christian mysticism sanctified and redeemed.

Paul was a mystic, so was John (just consider all the visions he saw to write the book of Revelations) and so was Peter (consider the prophecies he gave and the visions he saw, like the blanket from heaven with food). And so was all the first believers who experienced tongues such as fire and speaking in mysterious languages they didn't know. (This is now just considering biblically documented supernatural experience, and I know mysticism encorporates much more than encountering such experiences alone)

But there are two types of illuminism. Jesus and Lucifer both bears the name of morning star - light bringers. But Lucifarian illuminism and Godly illuminism are not of the same kind.

Lucifarian illuminism feeds us with the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil.(See Left-Hand_Path_and_Right-Hand_Path). Mysteries of the universe. Jesus's illuminism however feeds us with the fruit of the tree of Life, where we partake of His Life and His nature, for what Adam&Eve lost He redeemed via His precious blood on the cross.

I am not against the word illuminism, for it means enlightenment. And the Word of God, our daily bread, is supposed to enlighten us with the light of God.

Both streams of illuminism, connect with their own type of mysticism.

Have you read the book The Practice of the Presence of God - Brother Lawrence was a catholic. (The book is free for download online).The way that you speak, I know you will relate to him much. He sounded much like you. He was a true believer, humble, lowly, and beautiful.

You said it right - there are mystics that are occult, and some are not. Some are gnostic, some are not. Some are believers, some are not. Some have true relationship with God, some have not.

And I commend you for chosing against Freemasonary. Do you know how intensely evil they are? It is only at around the 18th grade, after so many satanic rituals before, that they are told that they have been busy with lucifarianism, satanism, all the way, before then the snake gets them gradually so strong in his grip, that at that point, they can not get out anymore, except for to loose absolutely everything and being cursed from every angle. They masquarade as a "Christian" organization, but they are evil to the bone. And their elite are the Illuminati, and the Illuminati has at goal a one world lucifarian religion. Their influences are everywhere, and over centuries they have worked their way into the church, spilling seeds of deception everywhere, and they are determined to prevail.

All it takes for evil to prevail, is for true believers to do nothing.

Paul was passionate to protect the precious lambs against wolves. So was John. This is love. Thank you for seeing my heart for what it is. I am thankful if your heart beats for the same cause.

Jesus asks Peter: do you love Me? Then tend My lambs....feed My lambs...feed My sheep.

(Yessy543 (talk) 05:33, 3 April 2011 (UTC))

I cannot imagine a better start to my day!
You have information concerning the Freemasons which I do not. However it seems to fit: For as large an organization as it is, I see no effective activity for the benefit of the Church and furtherance of the faith; so whatever their agenda may be, it is not that. I look for fruits of the few persons I know well-enough who are with them and do not see anything being born out of it other than shallow rhetoric-- and shallow rhetoric was not typical from such persons before they joined.
Brother Lawrence has been read aloud (such as during meals) at more than one silent retreat I have attended, but I have not studied that work. I'll put it on my Kindle.
Watching Christians do nothing as the evil preys upon the innocent has been a horrifying and recurring theme in my life. Many of the best souls are so very timid, and probably so because they have fought alone so often-- that they know they must face the evil alone when they chose to fight.
I accuse myself. In my prayer life, I have "heard" the words, "Rest and heal" and "Like a polished arrow I have hid you away" but I do not heal and cannot imagine how I might ever be drawn from His quiver again. But as I said, I am watchful and I do try to be ready with both spiritual shield... and sword.
God's peace to you,
Crews--cregil 14:04, 3 April 2011 (UTC)

There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, those who live lead by the Spirit - Romans 8. God's timing is perfect. We are to move in pace with Him, busy with what He is, not running ahead, not lagging behind.Perhaps it is a time of equipping for you. Learn what you can, so when the time is right, that knowledge can be used for His glory. There are many articles on the internet about the evils of Freemasonary. Theosophy was started by occultist Helena Blavatsky. She was an associate Freemason 32 degrees, but as she was not a man she wasn't granted full membership. She started the New Age movement. She took the teachings of Jakob Boehme and she had a gift for teaching, she spread it to everyday people. Together with C.W. Leadbeater (33degree freemason) she travelled to India to spread the teachings in the 18th Century. Today Theosophy is infiltrated widely. You are welcome to read the article on Pauline mysticism as well, and see the differentiations made. Edit as you seem fit. Keep in touch, you are precious. Shalom. (Yessy543 (talk) 19:20, 3 April 2011 (UTC))

A MP3 download to share with you

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Just press the download button. (Yessy543 (talk) 10:21, 25 April 2011 (UTC))


http://www.podbean.com/podcast-download?b=43584&f=http://ewenhuffman.podbean.com/mf/web/43n8s/Living_unoffended_filled_with_hope_BJM_newsletter_Feb_2011.mp3

Hey Yessy, good to hear from you!
What can we do on the Pauline Mysticism article-- got any ideas to make it stick?

(listening to the mp3 as I type, wouldn't download but is playing. thanks.) --cregil (talk) 17:28, 25 April 2011 (UTC)

And how did you know I needed to/was supposed to hear that? (Rhetorical!) Wow!--cregil (talk) 19:28, 25 April 2011 (UTC)
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