A Course in Christian Mysticism is a book edited by Thomas Merton, Jon M. Sweeney, and Michael N. McGregor, which provides a comprehensive survey of Christian mysticism, covering sixteen centuries from St. John’s gospel to St. John of the Cross. The book, published in 2017, includes thirteen lectures covering the first sixteen centuries of Christian history, introduced by Merton in a preface written on the Vigil of the Assumption, 1961.
The book is intended as a short primer on the Christian contemplative tradition, providing an overview of major figures whose experience and teaching outline something of how to attain union with God. The book also includes study materials at the back of the book, including additional primary source readings and thoughtful questions for reflection and discussion.
Christian mystical theology is based upon the Gospel according to John and the sacraments of baptismal rebirth, eucharistic communion, charity, and service. A general introduction sets the scene for when and how the talks were prepared and for the perennial themes one finds in them.
As Merton journeys back to the first mystics, his writing can become a bit heady if one does not have a basic understanding of Christian history. A Course in Christian Mysticism is intended as a short primer on the Christian contemplative tradition, offering a comprehensive view of the major figures whose experience and teaching outline something of how to attain union with God.
📹 Getting Started in Christian Mysticism, Part 1: The Reading List
… Thomas Merton’s Seven Storey Mountain, Contemplative Prayer, and A Course in Christian Mysticism: …
What are the three types of mysticism?
R. C. Zaehner categorizes mysticism into three main types: theistic, monistic, and panenhenic. Theistic mysticism includes Jewish, Christian, Islamic, and Hindu mysticism, while monistic mysticism is based on the unity of one’s soul and includes Buddhism and Hindu schools like Samkhya and Advaita vedanta. Nature mysticism refers to non-categorised examples.
Walter Terence Stace distinguished two types of mystical experiences: extrovertive and introvertive mysticism. Extrovertive mysticism involves the unity of the external world, while introvertive mysticism is an experience of unity devoid of perceptual objects. Unity in extrovertive mysticism is with the totality of objects of perception, while in introvertive mysticism, unity is with a pure consciousness. These experiences are nonsensical and nonintellectual, suppressing the whole empirical content.
Stace argues that doctrinal differences between religious traditions are inappropriate criteria for cross-cultural comparisons of mystical experiences. Mysticism is part of the process of perception, not interpretation, and the unity of mystical experiences is perceived and only interpreted according to the perceiver’s background. This may result in different accounts of the same phenomenon, such as an atheist describing unity as “freed from empirical filling” and a religious person describing it as “God” or “the Divine”.
What are the three types of mystics?
R. C. Zaehner categorizes mysticism into three main types: theistic, monistic, and panenhenic. Theistic mysticism includes Jewish, Christian, Islamic, and Hindu mysticism, while monistic mysticism is based on the unity of one’s soul and includes Buddhism and Hindu schools like Samkhya and Advaita vedanta. Nature mysticism refers to non-categorised examples.
Walter Terence Stace distinguished two types of mystical experiences: extrovertive and introvertive mysticism. Extrovertive mysticism involves the unity of the external world, while introvertive mysticism is an experience of unity devoid of perceptual objects. Unity in extrovertive mysticism is with the totality of objects of perception, while in introvertive mysticism, unity is with a pure consciousness. These experiences are nonsensical and nonintellectual, suppressing the whole empirical content.
Stace argues that doctrinal differences between religious traditions are inappropriate criteria for cross-cultural comparisons of mystical experiences. Mysticism is part of the process of perception, not interpretation, and the unity of mystical experiences is perceived and only interpreted according to the perceiver’s background. This may result in different accounts of the same phenomenon, such as an atheist describing unity as “freed from empirical filling” and a religious person describing it as “God” or “the Divine”.
What is the overview of Christian mysticism?
Despite their personal experiences of God, Christian mystics view Him as a compassionate and caring deity who has historically worked to help others. This view of God is consistent with the notion that God embodies the same divine love that is inherent in God.
Did Jesus practice mysticism?
Jesus was a teacher of teachers and a mystic of mystics, entering the mysteries of the Holy Life and ways of living. He invited others to join him in his journey. The term “mystic” can be associated with various mystics, such as Krisha, Buddha, yogi, Gandhi, Saint Teresa of Avila, and St. John of the Cross. Matthew Fox, a progressive theologian and Dominican priest, devotes an entire book, “The Coming of the Cosmic Christ”, to the mysticism of Jesus. Jesus’ teachings and teachings were deeply rooted in the teachings of his disciples, who were inspired by his teachings and the teachings of his disciples.
Do Christian mystics believe in Jesus?
Christian mystics have traditionally viewed Christ, particularly the crucified Christ, as the model for the process of returning the soul to God. According to Theologia Germanica, Christ’s human nature was utterly bereft of self and separate from all creatures, making him nothing more than a “house and habitation of God”. Christian mysticism involves three stages: the gradual integration of the ego through prayer and asceticism, a transcendent revelation of God to the soul, often involving ecstatic contact or union, and a readjustment of the soul’s faculties, where it regains contact with creatures under the influence of God.
The mystics agree on the necessity of dying to the false self dominated by forgetfulness of God, which involves purifying the soul of all feelings, desires, and attitudes that separate it from God. This dying to the self implies the “dark night of the soul”, where God gradually and sometimes painfully purifies the soul to prepare it for divine manifestation.
Following Christ involves a dying to self, giving up oneself wholly to God, so that one may be possessed by divine Love. Some believe that purifying the self is more a matter of internal attitude than flight from the world and external penance. William Law emphasizes that the true way of dying to self is patience, humility, and resignation to God, rather than cells, monasteries, or pilgrimages.
Who are the most famous mystics?
Christian mysticism, a term used to describe the development of mystical practices and theories within Christianity, has been closely linked to mystical theology, particularly in Roman Catholic and Orthodox traditions. It involves various practices, such as ecstatic visions of the soul’s mystical union with God and prayerful contemplation of Holy Scripture. Mystics’ experiences are often framed within theological approaches to God, such as Quietism and Pietism. This list includes philosophers, theologians, anonymous theological books, religious groups, and movements who have influenced Christian mystics and the Christian mystical experience.
How do Christian mystics pray?
Mystics engage in prayer by assuming a posture of receptivity, allowing themselves to be guided by the divine presence and to participate in the cosmic dance.
What are the three stages of Christian mysticism?
Two authors, contemporary mystics and scholars, delineate the three principal stages of mystical life: the purgative, the illuminative, and the unitive. For further information, please refer to Fr. Spitzer’s article on Christian mysticism, accessible via the following link.
What is the summary of mysticism?
Mysticism is the theory and practice of religious ecstasies, primarily focusing on the spiritual quest for union with the Absolute or God and the perception of its essential oneness. It encompasses various forms of ecstatic experience, including nothingness or the disappearance of the soul. Major religions include St. Augustine, St. Bernard of Clairvaux, St. Teresa of Ávila, and Meister Eckhart. Hinduism, Sufism, Buddhism, and Kabbala are all aimed at unity with or absorption by the divine, with Buddhism emphasizing meditation as a means of enlightenment.
Other mystical traditions include Daoism and shamanism. Mircea Eliade, a 20th-century influential scholar of religion, was a historian, phenomenologist, and author of novels, novellas, and short stories. Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, a Syrian monk, wrote a series of Greek treatises and letters to unite Neoplatonic philosophy with Christian theology and mystical experience, establishing a definite Neoplatonic trend.
What does the Bible say about Christian mysticism?
In Romans 8:26-27, the role of the Spirit in Christian mysticism is elucidated. It is posited that those who engage in introspection can comprehend the Spirit’s perspective, as it facilitates prayer in accordance with God’s will for the faithful.
What are the four marks of mysticism?
Mysticism and religious experience are closely related but not identical. Mysticism is distinguished from numinous experiences, such as Rudolf Otto’s description, and ordinary experiences of God, illustrated by John Baillie. William James characterized mystical experience by four marks: transiency, passivity, noetic quality, and ineffability. It often involves an altered state of consciousness, such as trance, visions, suppression of cognitive contact with the ordinary world, loss of the usual distinction between subject and object, and weakening or loss of the sense of the self.
Much of this mystical experience is considered religiously significant by the subject, but there is a difficult question about whether all mysticism is inherently religious. Some mystical experiences are overtly theistic, having an ostensible reference to God and being dualistic, retaining the distinction between the mystic and the God who is ostensibly experienced. St Teresa of Avila, a Spanish Catholic of the sixteenth century, is an example of such a mystic. Other mystics, even within the Catholic tradition, tend towards monism, emphasizing the unity of all things and the lack of real distinctions between the mystic and divine reality.
Mysticism of the theistic, dualistic sort generates no particular difficulty for Christian metaphysics and often includes specifically Christian elements, such as visions of Christ. Strongly monistic mysticism is harder to square with a Christian view and is likely to find a more comfortable religious home in the great non-theistic religions.
In these experiences, the subject is strongly convinced that they are acquiring a piece of knowledge or revelation, which can be powerful convictions in their intellectual life. However, this way of assessing the significance of mysticism is not readily accessible to non-mystics, as these powerful convictions are typically generated by the experience itself.
📹 Introduction to Christian Mysticism by Harvey D. Egan · Audiobook preview
Introduction to Christian Mysticism Authored by Harvey D. Egan Narrated by Harvey D. Egan 0:00 Intro 0:03 26:12 29:36 Outro …
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“Forget not that the motivation for this course is the attainment and the keeping of the state of peace.” ~ A Course in Miracles T-24.in.1. The state of peace IS the mystical experience. Although not the only way to have the experience, “A Course in Miracles” WILL lead your there. I know because I followed it and had the experience. Just wanted to share for the right person.
I was unsure of Richard Rohr and found an overview on line ” primer on Richard roher ” the short answer is that he appears to hold numerous contradictory believes to the Catholic Faith, something along the lines of Teilhard de Chardin who was censored by the Church and his Cosmic Christ, just my opinion as a simple Catholic trying to follow his Church, the foundation of truth, 1 Timothy 3 15
I’ve read most of these. A friend introduced me to Daskalos (Dr. Stylianos Atteshlis) a few decades ago and I haven’t looked back. I’m quite surprised he’s not that well known in the U.S. Start w/ “The Magus of Strovolos” by Markides. If it resonates, I’d recommend Markides’ two follow-up books (out of print). Even better, however, are Atteshlis’ own works which are revivifying. In my mind, Daskalos is one of the greatest contemporary Christian mystic of our time and left a wonderful legacy of meditations and exercises that were given by Christ directly to the His disciples. I don’t want to spoil any surprises, but I wish you good luck in your journey.
I have been in a state of union. I had nothing to do with it. I am not sure a state of union can be reached through practice. Seems to me that the Grace of God is the only cause. I really do not think holiness can be attained through practice, like virtue can. We can be Jesus the man, through practice. Here, we can elevate the bar of virtue as high as Jesus. But I am not sure a state of union can be practiced the same way. It comes as a blessing from on high. But it does not matter. Being good and virtuous is enough, since this is conducive to the unitive state after death. Just a matter of patience.
Such a good conversation, I concur! And I’m glad you enjoy ‘The Divine Dance.’ It was such a privilege getting to write it with Fr. Richard. One of my contemplative faves: John of Ruusbroec. Another, from the 20th century: Evelyn Underhill. Contemporary, Carl McColman and Cole Arthur Riley rock. And Cynthia Bourgeault, if you’re willing to have a heaping side of Gurdjieff with your Benedictine spirituality!
I would be careful with saying that mysticism is somehow separate from institutional christanity. Monasticism is still part of the institution of the Church Universal, and a very integral part of all the strains of Christanity and development of Theology. This kind of thinking damages the tradition as a whole. Other than that great article. God bless.
I am reading “The Universal Christ” now. It is awesome. I also read “What the Mystics Know: Seven Pathways to Your Deeper Self” both by Rev. Rohr. Excellent books. Next on my list is “Breathing Underwater”; as a recovering compulsive gambler, I look forward to gaining some insight on Rev. Rohr’s interpretation of the 12 Steps. Peace everyone!
Thanks for your inform reading list. I would suggest the beginner not to miss Evelyn Underhill, start with her book on the spiritual life, then practical mysticism, still another writer, Howard Thurman, a person of color, his book the inward journey, lastly, Brother Lawrence book, practicing the present. In today’s world an open at the top for all people is true universal (Catholicism).
Wow this is all kind of overwheling even here there’s so many choices, I do think I need to learn some history to understand better but I also want to jump into it. I guess this learning process will take a long time. Im excited to learn more since I really want to jump into it I may try The Roots of Christain Mysticism or The Seven Story Mountain.
A few short years ago I came across a article with Bill Donahue that actually blew my mind and sounded nearly blasphemous as I was just coming out of The fundamentalist view of the church. And listening to him was mind-blowing of which he referenced Joel S Goldsmith, then that led to Neville Goddard, Joseph Murphy and so many more. They do go in detail on how to pray but is this the same type mysticism as none of these names were referenced in your article.
A mystic is someone chosen; A non mystic can certainly study the subject over a lifetime but arriving at any real conclusion, comprehension on it’s substance will be impossible, simply because a mystic becomes one through a spiritual initiation, a profoundly spiritual, emotional, physical visual event from a whole other level of consciousness which instantly rewires the human brain to comprehend the unspoken, unseen realm from which it appears from another dimension/ realm, it manifests itself based off the vibrations of the mystic and becomes one with the chosens spirit/sou. ln that moment there will be no mistaking what is happening because its overpowering total and complete bliss will be so intense you will literally leave your own body and float above it for a second for your own protection, the spirit in the flesh doesn’t mix with the pure spirit, but if one is not open and prepared for this mind blowing love, it can be horribly terrifying..it’s like standing 2 feet from the sun, it’s power will literally consume you. come close to understanding the complexity of the matter, it might help those not initiated to study physics, energies, vibrations, ECT. the chosen ones aren’t able to scratch the surface or fully comprehend what mysticism is, even with solid mystical experiences, then there’s the false experiences which one should be very aware and careful to not bring to themselves, the imitator lives to open that spiritual door and good luck trying to close it without first experiencing some personal losses, Only choose this if you’ve experience mystical initiation, From what I know, it chooses you, you don’t get to chose it.
The only book anyone needs is the Bible. If a person studies the bible and lets go of everything they think they know and learn to see the scriptures with new eyes praying to God for guidance and repenting of their sins focusing their mind on God everyday with all their heart and they will experience union if they have sincerity of heart. The more books you read by people the more confusing it gets. Bypass all the dead ends and rely only on the bible and especially the New Testament. It can’t be something you dabble in or do on the side. You have to want God more than anything else. You literally have to be willing to die for it.
I was raised int he Pentecostal tradition, trained in the United Methodist Church seminary, served as an ordained elder and now I am a progressive Christian layperson in the part of the Jesus Movement known as The Episcopal Church. I am an anglo-Catholic and have pursued mysticism pretty much all of my life. I lean more toward the Catholic end of the spectrum in many things but extremely liberal in theological, social and political issues. I want to thank you for this series. It will help me even further down the path.
2:30 No need to discard reformational theology in order to study Christian mysticism. Martin Luther is the one who popularized the Theologia Germanica and promoted John Tauler’s writings. Bernard of Clairveux is also beloved by historic Protestants. Many people say the Friends of God society was a precursor to the reformation. And you cannot tell me that John Gerhard, John Ardnt, and Jakob Phillip Spener weren’t Christian mystics! There need not be a distinction between orthodox reformational thought and Christian mysticism! God bless!