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Christian mysticismFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mystic marriage of Christ and the Church.

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Christian mysticism

Main articles[hide]

Mysticism

Christian mysticism

Catholic spirituality

Theology & philosophy[hide]

Ascetical theology

Mystical theology

Hellenistic philosophy and Christianity

Neoplatonism and Christianity

Apophatic theology

Cataphatic theology

Practices[hide]

Christian monasticism

Theosis

Christian meditation

Christian contemplation

Lectio Divina

Asceticism

Hesychasm

Early Christianity [hide]

Origen

Gregory of Nyssa

Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite

Desert Fathers [hide]

Paul of Thebes

Anthony the Great

Abba Arsenius

Abba Poemen

Abba Macarius of Egypt

Abba Moses the Black

Amma Syncletica of Alexandria

Athanasius of Alexandria

John Chrysostom

Hilarion

John Cassian

11th and 12th century[hide]

Bernard of Clairvaux

Guigo II

Hildegard of Bingen

Hadewijch

13th and 14th centuries[hide]

Dominican mysticism

Dominic de Guzmán

German mysticism

Meister Eckhart

Johannes Tauler

Henry Suso

Flemish mysticism

Beatrice of Nazareth

John of Ruysbroeck

Franciscan mysticism

Francis of Assisi

Anthony of Padua

Bonaventure

Jacopone da Todi

Angela of Foligno

English mysticism

Richard Rolle

Walter Hilton

Julian of Norwich

Female mysticism

Bridget of Sweden

Catherine of Siena

15th and 16th centuries[hide]

Catherine of Genoa

Spanish mysticism

Ignatius of Loyola

Francisco de Osuna

John of Ávila

Teresa of Ávila

John of the Cross

17th and 18th centuries[hide]

Francis de Sales

María de Ágreda

French school of spirituality

Pierre de Bérulle

Jean-Jacques Olier

Louis de Montfort

Other

Veronica Giuliani

Anne Catherine Emmerich

19th century[hide]

Catherine Labouré

Mélanie Calvat

Maximin Giraud

Bernadette Soubirous

Conchita de Armida

Luisa Piccarreta

Thérèse of Lisieux

Gemma Galgani

20th century[hide]

Pio of Pietrelcina

Maria Valtorta

Therese Neumann

Marthe Robin

Adrienne von Speyr

Faustina Kowalska

Lúcia Santos

Thomas Merton

Contemporary Papal views[hide]

Aspects of meditation

Reflection on the New Age

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Christian mysticism refers to the development of mystical practices and theory within Christianity. It has

often been connected to mystical theology, especially in the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions.

The attributes and means by which Christian mysticism is studied and practiced are varied and range

from ecstatic visions of the soul's mystical union with God to simple prayerful contemplation of Holy

Scripture (i.e., Lectio Divina).

Contents

  [hide] 

1 Etymology

2 Definition

o 2.1 Presence

o 2.2 Presence versus experience

o 2.3 Personal transformation

o 2.4 Social constructionism

3 Development

o 3.1 Jewish antecedents

o 3.2 Gospels

o 3.3 Early church

o 3.4 Hellenism

o 3.5 Desert Fathers

o 3.6 Monasticism

o 3.7 Middle ages

o 3.8 Reformation

o 3.9 Counter-reformation

3.9.1 Spanish mysticsim

3.9.2 Italy

3.9.3 France

3.9.4 England

3.9.5 Germany

3.9.6 Pietism

4 Mystic traditions

o 4.1 Eastern Christianity

o 4.2 Catholicism

o 4.3 Protestantism

5 Practice

o 5.1 Threefold path

o 5.2 Underhill's five-stage path

o 5.3 Community

o 5.4 Types of meditation

o 5.5 Ascetic practices

o 5.6 Sensory experiences

o 5.7 Ecstasies

o 5.8 Physical transformations

o 5.9 Miracles

6 Influential Christian mystics and texts

o 6.1 Biblical influences

o 6.2 Greek influences

o 6.3 Early Christians

o 6.4 Middle Ages and Renaissance

o 6.5 Renaissance, Reformation and Counter-Reformation

o 6.6 Modern era

7 See also

8 References

9 Sources

o 9.1 Published sources

o 9.2 Web-sources

10 Further reading

11 External links

Etymology

"Mysticism" is derived from the Greek μυω, meaning "to conceal",[web 1] and its

derivative μυστικός, mystikos, meaning 'an initiate'. In the Hellenistic world, a "mystikos" was an initiate of

a mystery religion. "Mystical" referred to secret religious rituals[web 1] and use of the word lacked any direct

references to the transcendental.[1]

In early Christianity the term "mystikos" referred to three dimensions, which soon became intertwined,

namely the biblical, the liturgical and the spiritual or contemplative.[2] The biblical dimension refers to

"hidden" or allegorical interpretations of Scriptures.[web 1][2] The liturgical dimension refers to the liturgical

mystery of the Eucharist, the presence Christ at the Eucharist.[web 1][2] The third dimension is the

contemplative or experiential knowledge of God.[2]

Definition

Presence

Bernard McGinn defines Christian mysticism as:

[T]hat part, or element, of Christian belief and practice that concerns the preparation for, the

consciousness of, and the effect of [...] a direct and transformative presence of [the Christian] God. [3]

Presence versus experience

McGinn argues that "presence" is more accurate than "union", since not all mystics spoke of union with

God, and since many visions and miracles were not necessarily related to union. He also argues that we

should speak of "consciousness" of God's presence, rather than of "experience", since mystical activity is

not simply about the sensation of God as an external object, but more broadly about

...new ways of knowing and loving based on states of awareness in which God becomes present in our

inner acts.[3]

William James popularized the use of the term "religious experience" in his The Varieties of Religious

Experience.[4] It has also influenced the understanding of mysticism as a distinctive experience which

supplies knowledge.[web 1]

Wayne Proudfoot traces the roots of the notion of "religious experience" further back to the German

theologian Friedrich Schleiermacher (1768–1834), who argued that religion is based on a feeling of the

infinite. The notion of "religious experience" was used by Schleiermacher to defend religion against the

growing scientific and secular critique. It was adopted by many scholars of religion, of which William

James was the most influential.[5]

Personal transformation

Resurrection of Jesus, Matthias Grünewald.

Related to this idea of "presence" instead of "experience" is McGinn's emphasis on the transformation

that occurs through mystical activity:

This is why the only test that Christianity has known for determining the authenticity of a mystic and her

or his message has been that of personal transformation, both on the mystic's part and—especially—on

the part of those whom the mystic has affected.[3]

Other critics point out that the stress on "experience" is accompanied with favoring the atomic individual,

instead of the shared life on the community. It also fails to distinguish between episodic experience, and

mysticism as a process, that is embedded in a total religious matrix of liturgy, scripture, worship, virtues,

theology, rituals and practices.[6]

Richard King also points to disjunction between "mystical experience" and social justice:[7]

The privatisation of mysticism - that is, the increasing tendency to locate the mystical in the psychological

realm of personal experiences - serves to exclude it from political issues as social justice. Mysticism thus

becomes seen as a personal matter of cultivating inner states of tranquility and equanimity, which, rather

than seeking to transform the world, serve to accommodate the individual to the status quo through the

alleviation of anxiety and stress.[7]

Social constructionism

Mystical experience is not simply a matter between the mystic and God, but is often shaped by cultural

issues. For instance, Carolyn Walker Bynumhas shown how, in the late Middle Ages, miracles attending

the taking of the Eucharist were not simply symbolic of the Passion story, but served as vindication of the

mystic's theological orthodoxy by proving that the mystic had not fallen prey to heretical ideas, such as

the Cathar rejection of the material world as evil, contrary to orthodox teaching that God took on human

flesh and remained sinless.[8] Thus, the nature of mystical experience could be tailored to the particular

cultural and theological issues of the time.

Development

The idea of mystical realities has been widely held in Christianity since the second century AD, referring

not simply to spiritual practices, but also to the belief that their rituals and even their scriptures have

hidden ("mystical") meanings.[3]

The link between mysticism and the vision of the Divine was introduced by the early Church Fathers,

who used the term as an adjective, as in mystical theology and mystical contemplation.[1]

In subsequent centuries, especially as Christian apologetics began to use Greek philosophy to explain

Christian ideas, Neoplatonism became an influence on Christian mystical thought and practice via such

authors as Augustine of Hippo and Origen.

Jewish antecedents

Jewish spirituality in the period before Jesus was highly corporate and public, based mostly on the

worship services of the synagogues, which included the reading and interpretation of the Hebrew

Scriptures and the recitation of prayers, and on the major festivals. Thus, private spirituality was strongly

influenced by the liturgies and by the scriptures (e.g., the use of the Psalms for prayer), and individual

prayers often recalled historical events just as much as they recalled their own immediate needs.[9]

Of special importance are the following concepts:[10]

Da'at  (knowledge) and Chokhmah (wisdom), which come from years of reading, praying and

meditating the scriptures;

Shekhinah , the presence of God in our daily lives, the superiority of that presence to earthly wealth,

and the pain and longing that come when God is absent;

the hiddenness of God, which comes from our inability to survive the full revelation of God's glory

and which forces us to seek to know God through faith and obedience;

"Torah-mysticism", a view of God's laws as the central expression of God's will and therefore as

worthy object not only of obedience but also of loving meditation and Torah study; and

poverty, an ascetic value, based on the apocalyptic expectation of God's impending arrival, that

characterized the Jewish people's reaction to being oppressed by a series of foreign empires.

In Christian mysticism, Shekhinah became mystery, Da'at became gnosis, and poverty became an

important component of monasticism.[11]

Gospels

Transfiguration of Jesus depicting him withElijah, Moses and 3 apostles by Carracci, 1594

The Christian scriptures, insofar as they are the founding narrative of the Christian church, provide many

key stories and concepts that become important for Christian mystics in all later generations: practices

such as the Eucharist, baptism and the Lord's Prayer all become activities that take on importance for

both their ritual and symbolic values. Other scriptural narratives present scenes that become the focus of

meditation: theCrucifixion of Jesus and his appearances after his Resurrection are two of the most

central to Christian theology; but Jesus' conception, in which theHoly Spirit overshadows Mary, and

his Transfiguration, in which he is briefly revealed in his heavenly glory, also become important images

for meditation. Moreover, many of the Christian texts build on Jewish spiritual foundations, such

as chokhmah, shekhinah.[12]

But different writers present different images and ideas. The Synoptic Gospels (in spite of their many

differences) introduce several important ideas, two of which are related to Greco-Judaic notions of

knowledge/gnosis by virtue of being mental acts: purity of heart, in which we will to see in God's light;

and repentance, which involves allowing God to judge and then transform us. Another key idea

presented by the Synoptics is the desert, which is used as a metaphor for the place where we meet God

in the poverty of our spirit.[13]

The Gospel of John focuses on God's glory in his use of light imagery and in his presentation of the

Cross as a moment of exaltation; he also sees the Cross as the example of agape love, a love which is

not so much an emotion as a willingness to serve and care for others. But in stressing love, John shifts

the goal of spiritual growth away from knowledge/gnosis, which he presents more in terms of Stoic ideas

about the role of reason as being the underlying principle of the universe and as the spiritual principle

within all people. Although John does not follow up on the Stoic notion that this principle makes union

with the divine possible for humanity, it is an idea that later Christian writers develop. Later generations

will also shift back and forth between whether to follow the Synoptics in stressing knowledge or John in

stressing love.[14]

In his letters, Paul also focuses on mental activities, but not in the same way as the Synoptics, which

equate renewing the mind with repentance. Instead, Paul sees the renewal of our minds as happening as

we contemplate what Jesus did on the Cross, which then opens us to grace and to the movement of

the Holy Spirit into our hearts. Like John, Paul is less interested in knowledge, preferring to emphasize

the hiddenness, the "mystery" of God's plan as revealed through Christ. But Paul's discussion of the

Cross differs from John's in being less about how it reveals God's glory and more about how it becomes

the stumbling block that turns our minds back to God. Paul also describes the Christian life as that of an

athlete, demanding practice and training for the sake of the prize; later writers will see in this image a call

to ascetical practices.[15]

Early church

See also: Christian mysticism in ancient Africa and Catholic spirituality

The texts attributed to the Apostolic Fathers, the earliest post-Biblical texts we have, share several key

themes, particularly the call to unity in the face of persecution and internal divisions, the reality of

the charisms, especially prophecy, visions and Christian gnosis, which is understood as "a gift of the

Holy Spirit that enables us to know Christ" through meditating on the scriptures and on the Cross of

Christ.[16] (This understanding ofgnosis is not the same as that developed by the Gnostics, who focused

on esoteric knowledge that is available only to a few people but that allows them to free themselves from

the evil world.[17]) These authors also discuss the notion of the "two ways", that is, the way of life and the

way of death; this idea has biblical roots, being found in both the Sermon on the Mount and the Torah.

The two ways are then related to the notion of purity of heart, which is developed by contrasting it against

the divided or duplicitous heart and by linking it to the need for asceticism, which keeps the heart

whole/pure.[18] Purity of heart was especially important given the real threat of martyrdom, which many

writers discussed in theological terms, seeing it not as an evil but as an opportunity to truly die for the

sake of God—the ultimate example of ascetic practice.[19] Martyrdom could also be seen as symbolic in

its connections with the Eucharist and with baptism.[20]

Hellenism

The Alexandrian contribution to Christian mysticism centers around Origen and Clement of Alexandria.

Clement was an early Christian humanist who argued that reason is the most important aspect of human

existence and that gnosis (not something we can attain by ourselves, but the gift of Christ) helps us find

the spiritual realities that are hidden behind the natural world and within the scriptures. Given the

importance of reason, Clement stresses apatheia as a reasonable ordering of our passions in order to

live within God's love, which is seen as a form of truth.[21] Origen, who had a lasting influence on Eastern

Christian thought, further develops the idea that the spiritual realities can be found through allegorical

readings of the scriptures (along the lines of Jewishaggadah tradition), but he focuses his attention on

the Cross and on the importance of imitating Christ through the Cross, especially through spiritual

combat and asceticism. Origen stresses the importance of combining intellect and virtue

(theoria and praxis) in our spiritual exercises, drawing on the image of Moses and Aaron leading the

Israelites through the wilderness, and he describes our union with God as the marriage of our souls with

Christ the Logos, using the wedding imagery from the Song of Songs.[22] Alexandrian mysticism

developed alongside Hermeticism andNeoplatonism and therefore share some of the same ideas,

images, etc. in spite of their differences.[23]

Philo of Alexandria was a Jewish Hellenistic philosopher who was important for connecting the Hebrew

Scriptures to Greek thought, and thereby to Greek Christians, who struggled to understand their

connection to Jewish history. In particular, Philo taught that allegorical interpretations of the Hebrew

Scriptures provides access to the real meanings of the texts. Philo also taught the need to bring together

the contemplative focus of the Stoics and Essenes with the active lives of virtue and community worship

found in Platonism and the Therapeutae. Using terms reminiscent of the Platonists, Philo described the

intellectual component of faith as a sort of spiritual ecstasy in which our nous (mind) is suspended and

God's Spirit takes its place. Philo's ideas influenced theAlexandrian Christians, Clement and Origen and

through them, Gregory of Nyssa.[24]

Desert Fathers

See also: Desert Fathers and Desert Mothers

Inspired by Christ's teaching and example, men and women withdrew to the deserts of Sketes where,

either as solitary individuals or communities, they lived lives of austere simplicity oriented

towards contemplative prayer. These communities formed the basis for what later would become known

as Christian monasticism. Mysticism is integral to Christian monasticism because the goal of practice for

the monastic is union with God.

Monasticism

The Eastern church then saw the development of monasticism and the mystical contributions of Gregory

of Nyssa, Evagrius Ponticus and Pseudo-Dionysius. Monasticism, also known asanchoritism (meaning

"to withdraw") was seen as an alternative to martyrdom, and was less about escaping the world than

about fighting demons (who were thought to live in the desert) and about gaining liberation from our

bodily passions in order to be open to the Word of God. Anchorites practiced continuous meditation on

the scriptures as a means of climbing the ladder of perfection—a common religious image in the

Mediterranean world and one found in Christianity through the story of Jacob's ladder—and sought to

fend off the demon of acedia ("un-caring"), a boredom or apathy that prevents us from continuing on in

our spiritual training. Anchorites could live in total solitude ("hermits", from the word erēmitēs, "of the

desert") or in loose communities ("cenobites", meaning "common life").[25]

Monasticism eventually made its way to the West and was established by the work of John

Cassian and Benedict of Nursia. Meanwhile, Western spiritual writing was deeply influenced by the

works of such men as Jerome and Augustine of Hippo.

Middle ages

Stigmatization of St Francis, by Giotto

The Early Middle Ages in the West includes the work of Gregory the Great and Bede, as well as

developments in Celtic Christianity and Anglo-Saxon Christianity, and comes to fulfillment in the work

of Johannes Scotus Eriugena and the Carolingian Renaissance.

The High Middle Ages saw a flourishing of mystical practice and theorization corresponding to the

flourishing of new monastic orders, with such figures as Guigo II, Hildegard of Bingen, Bernard of

Clairvaux, the Victorines, all coming from different orders, as well as the first real flowering ofpopular

piety among the laypeople.

The Late Middle Ages saw the clash between the Dominican and Franciscan schools of thought, which

was also a conflict between two differentmystical theologies: on the one hand that of Dominic de

Guzmán and on the other that of Francis of Assisi, Anthony of Padua, Bonaventure,Jacopone da

Todi, Angela of Foligno. Moreover there was the growth of groups of mystics centered around

geographic regions: the Beguines, such as Mechthild of Magdeburg and Hadewijch (among others);

the Rhenish-Flemish mystics Meister Eckhart, Johannes Tauler, Henry Suso and John of Ruysbroeck;

and the English mystics Richard Rolle, Walter Hilton and Julian of Norwich. This period also saw such

individuals as Catherine of Sienaand Catherine of Genoa, the Devotio Moderna, and such books as

the Theologia Germanica, The Cloud of Unknowing and The Imitation of Christ.

Reformation

With the Renaissance came the Protestant Reformation, which in many ways downplayed mysticism,

although it still produced a fair amount of spiritual literature. Even the most active reformers can be linked

to Medieval mystical traditions. Martin Luther, for instance, was a monk who was influenced by the

German Dominican mystical tradition of Eckhart and Tauler as well by the Dionysian-

influenced Wesonmystik ("essence mysticism") tradition. He also published the Theologia Germanica,

which he claimed was the most important book after the Bible and Augustine for teaching him about God,

Christ, and humanity.[26] Even John Calvin, who rejected many Medieval ascetic practices and who

favored doctrinal knowledge of God over affective experience, has Medieval influences, namely, Jean

Gerson and the Devotio moderna, with its emphasis on piety as the method of spiritual growth in which

the individual practices dependence on God by imitating Christ and the son-father relationship.

Meanwhile, his notion that we can begin to enjoy our eternal salvation through our earthly successes

leads in later generations to "a mysticism of consolation".[27]

Counter-reformation

But the Reformation brought about the Counter-Reformation and, with it, a new flowering of mystical

literature, often grouped by nationality.

Spanish mysticsim

Main article: Spanish mystics

Ecstasy of St. Theresa depicts Teresa of Ávila's meditation

The Spanish had Ignatius Loyola, whose Spiritual Exercises were designed to open people to a receptive

mode of consciousness in which they can experience God through careful spiritual direction and through

understanding how the mind connects to the will and how to weather the experiences of

spiritual consolation and desolation;[28] Teresa of Ávila, who used the metaphors of watering a garden

and walking through the rooms of a castle to explain how meditation leads to union with God;[29] and John

of the Cross, who used a wide range of biblical and spiritual influences both to rewrite the traditional

"three ways" of mysticism after the manner of bridal mysticism and to present the two "dark nights": the

dark night of the senses and the dark night of the soul, during which the individual renounces everything

that might become an obstacle between the soul and God and then experiences the pain of feeling

separated from God, unable to carry on normal spiritual exercises, as it encounters the enormous gap

between its human nature and God's divine wisdom and light and moves up the 10-step ladder of ascent

towards God.[30] Another prominent mystic was Miguel de Molinos, the chief apostle of the religious

revival known as Quietism. No breath of suspicion arose against Molinos until 1681, when the Jesuit

preacher Paolo Segneri, attacked his views, though without mentioning his name, in his Concordia tra la

fatica e la quiete nell' orazione. The matter was referred to the Inquisition. A report got abroad that

Molinos had been convicted of moral enormities, as well as of heretical doctrines; and it was seen that he

was doomed. On September 3, 1687 he made public profession of his errors, and was sentenced to

imprisonment for life. Contemporary Protestants saw in the fate of Molinos nothing more than a

persecution by the Jesuits of a wise and enlightened man, who had dared to withstand the petty

ceremonialism of the Italian piety of the day. Molinos died in prison in 1696 or 1697.

Italy

The Italians had Lorenzo Scupoli.

France

Main article: French school of spirituality

The French had Francis de Sales, Jeanne Guyon, François Fénelon, Brother Lawrence and Blaise

Pascal.

England

The English had a denominational mix, from Catholic Augustine Baker to Anglicans William Law, John

Donne and Lancelot Andrewes, to Puritans Richard Baxter and John Bunyan (The Pilgrim's Progress), to

the first "Quaker", George Fox and the first "Methodist", John Wesley, who was well-versed in the

continental mystics.

Germany

Similarly well-versed in the mystic tradition was the German Johann Arndt, who, along with the English

Puritans, influenced such continental Pietists as Philipp Jakob Spener, Gottfried Arnold,Nicholas Ludwig

von Zinzendorf of the Moravians, and the hymnodist Gerhard Tersteegen. Arndt, whose book True

Christianity was popular among Protestants, Catholics and Anglicans alike, combined influences from

Bernard of Clarivaux, John Tauler and the Devotio moderna into a spirituality that focused its attention

away from the theological squabbles of contemporary Lutheranism and onto the development of the new

life in the heart and mind of the believer.[31] Arndt influenced Spener, who formed a group known as

the collegia pietatis ("college of piety") that stressed the role of spiritual direction among lay-people—a

practice with a long tradition going back to Aelred of Rievaulx and known in Spener's own time from the

work of Francis de Sales. Pietism as known through Spener's formation of it tended not just to reject the

theological debates of the time, but to reject both intellectualism and organized religious practice in favor

of a personalized, sentimentalized spirituality.[32]

Pietism

This sentimental, anti-intellectual form of pietism is seen in the thought and teaching of Zinzendorf,

founder of the Moravians; but more intellectually rigorous forms of pietism are seen in the teachings

of John Wesley, which were themselves influenced by Zinzendorf, and in the teachings of American

preachers Jonathan Edwards, who restored to pietism Gerson's focus on obedience and borrowed from

early church teachers Origen and Gregory of Nyssa the notion that humans yearn for God,[33] and John

Woolman, who combined a mystical view of the world with a deep concern for social issues; like Wesley,

Woolman was influenced by Jakob Böhme, William Law and The Imitation of Christ.[34] The combination

of pietistic devotion and mystical experiences that are found in Woolman and Wesley are also found in

their Dutch contemporary Tersteegen, who brings back the notion of the nous ("mind") as the site of

God's interaction with our souls; through the work of the Spirit, our mind is able to intuitively recognize

the immediate presence of God in our midst.[35]

Mystic traditions

Eastern Christianity

Eastern Christianity has especially preserved a mystical emphasis in its theology[36] and retains a tradition

of mystical prayer dating back to Christianity's beginnings.

Catholicism

The practice of Lectio Divina, a form of prayer that centers on scripture reading, was developed in its

best-known form in the sixth century, through the work of Benedict of Nursia and Pope Gregory I, and

described and promoted more widely in the 12th century by Guigo II. The 9th century saw the

development of mystical theology through the introduction of the works of sixth-century

theologian Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, such as On Mystical Theology. His discussion of the via

negativa was especially influential.

Protestantism

As part of the Protestant Reformation, theologians turned away from the traditions developed in the

Middle Ages and returned to biblical and early church sources. Accordingly, they were often skeptical of

Catholic mystical practices, which seemed to them to downplay the role of grace in redemption and to

support the idea that human works can play a role in salvation, and which also seemed to come from

post-biblical sources and practices.

However, Quakers, Anglicans, Methodists, Episcopalians, Lutherans, Pentecostals and Charismatics hav

e in various ways remained open to the idea of mystical experiences.

Practice

This article possibly contains original research. Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding inline citations. Statements consisting only of original research may be removed. (January 2011)

Historically, Christian mysticism has taught that for Christians the major emphasis of mysticism concerns

a spiritual transformation of the egoic self, the following of a path designed to produce more fully realized

human persons, "created in the Image and Likeness of God" and as such, living in harmonious

communion with God, the Church, the rest of world, and all creation, including oneself. For Christians,

this human potential is realized most perfectly in Jesus, precisely because he is both God and human,

and is manifested in others through their association with him, whether conscious, as in the case of

Christian mystics, or unconscious, with regard to spiritual persons who follow other traditions, such

as Gandhi. The Eastern Christian tradition speaks of this transformation in terms of theosis or

divinization, perhaps best summed up by an ancient aphorism usually attributed to Athanasius of

Alexandria: "God became human so that man might become god."[37]

Threefold path

Going back to Evagrius Ponticus, Christian mystics have been described as pursuing a threefold path

corresponding to body, mind, and soul (or spirit). The three aspects later became purgative, illuminative,

and unitive in the western churches and prayer of the lips, the mind, the heart in the eastern churches.

[38] The first, purification is where aspiring traditionally Christian mystics start. This aspect focuses on

discipline, particularly in terms of the human body; thus, it emphasizes prayer at certain times, either

alone or with others, and in certain postures, often standing or kneeling. It also emphasizes the other

disciplines of fasting and alms-giving, the latter including those activities called "the works of mercy," both

spiritual and corporal, such as feeding the hungry and sheltering the homeless.

Purification, which grounds Christian spirituality in general, is primarily focused on efforts to, in the words

of St. Paul, "put to death the deeds of the flesh by the Holy Spirit" (Romans 8:13). This is considered a

result of the Spirit working in the person and is not a result of personal deeds. Also in the words of St.

Paul, "...he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

(Epistle to the Philippians 1:6). The "deeds of the flesh" here include not only external behavior, but also

those habits, attitudes, compulsions, addictions, etc. (sometimes called egoic passions) which oppose

themselves to true being and living as a Christian not only exteriorly, but interiorly as well. Evelyn

Underhill describes purification as an awareness of one's own imperfections and finiteness, followed by

self-discipline and mortification.[39] Because of its physical, disciplinary aspect, this phase, as well as the

entire Christian spiritual path, is often referred to as "ascetic," a term which is derived from a Greek word

which connotes athletic training. Because of this, in ancient Christian literature, prominent mystics are

often called "spiritual athletes," an image which is also used several times in the New Testament to

describe the Christian life. What is sought here is salvation in the original sense of the word, referring not

only to one's eternal fate, but also to healing in all areas of life, including the restoration of spiritual,

psychological, and physical health.

It remains a paradox of the mystics that the passivity at which they appear to aim is really a state of the

most intense activity: more, that where it is wholly absent no great creative action can take place. In it,

the superficial self compels itself to be still, in order that it may liberate another more deep-seated power

which is, in the ecstasy of the contemplative genius, raised to the highest pitch of efficiency.[40]

The second phase, the path of illumination, has to do with the activity of the Holy Spirit enlightening the

mind, giving insights into truths not only explicit in scripture and the rest of the Christian tradition, but also

those implicit in nature, not in the scientific sense, but rather in terms of an illumination of the "depth"

aspects of reality and natural happenings, such that the working of God is perceived in all that one

experiences. Underhill describes it as marked by a consciousness of a transcendent order and a vision

of a new heaven and a new earth.

The third phase, usually called contemplation (or Mystical Contemplative Prayer [41]) in the Western

tradition, refers to the experience of oneself as in some way united with God. The experience of union

varies, but it is first and foremost always associated with a reuniting with Divine love, the underlying

theme being that God, the perfect goodness,[42] is known or experienced at least as much by the heart as

by the intellect since, in the words 1 John 4:16: "God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God

and God in him." Some approaches to classical mysticism would consider the first two phases as

preparatory to the third, explicitly mystical experience, but others state that these three phases overlap

and intertwine.

Mystical Contemplative Prayer is the blessing for which the Christian mystic hopes. No human effort can

produce it. This form of prayer has three characteristics. (a)It is infused (i.e. filled with enthusiasm or

desire.) (b) It is extraordinary (i.e. indicating that the intellect operates in new way). (c) Moreover, It is

passive (i.e. showing that the soul receives something from God, and is conscious of receiving it.) It can

manifest itself in one of four degrees. The four degrees are the prayer of quiet, the prayer of union,

ecstatic union, and transforming deifying union.[41]

Underhill's five-stage path

Author and mystic Evelyn Underhill recognizes two additional phases to the mystical path. First comes

the awakening, the stage in which one begins to have some consciousness of absolute or divine reality.

Purgation and illumination are followed by a fourth stage which Underhill, borrowing the language of St.

John of the Cross, calls the dark night of the soul. This stage, experienced by the few, is one of final and

complete purification and is marked by confusion, helplessness, stagnation of the will, and a sense of the

withdrawal of God's presence. This dark night of the soul is not, in Underhill's conception, the Divine

Darkness of the pseudo-Dionysius and German Christian mysticism. It is the period of final "unselfing"

and the surrender to the hidden purposes of the divine will. Her fifth and final stage is union with the

object of love, the one Reality, God. Here the self has been permanently established on a transcendental

level and liberated for a new purpose.[43]

Community

Another aspect of traditional Christian spirituality, or mysticism, has to do with its communal basis. Even

for hermits, the Christian life is always lived in communion with the Church, the community of believers.

Thus, participation in corporate worship, especially the Eucharist, is an essential part of Christian

mysticism. Connected with this is the practice of having a spiritual director, confessor, or "soul friend"

with which to discuss one's spiritual progress. This person, who may be clerical or lay, acts as a spiritual

mentor.

Types of meditation

Within theistic mysticism two broad tendencies can be identified. One is a tendency to understand God

by asserting what He is not and the other by asserting what He is. The former leads to what is

called apophatic theology and the latter to cataphatic theology.

1. Apophatic  (imageless, stillness, and wordlessness) -- e.g., The Cloud of the Unknowing, Meister

Eckhart; and

2. Cataphatic  (imaging God, imagination or words) -- e.g.,The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of

Loyola, Dame Julian, Francis of Assisi,[44] This second type is considered by Pseudo-Dionysius

the Areopagite [45]

Scholars such as Urban T. Holmes, III have also categorized mystical theology in terms of whether it

focuses on illuminating the mind, which Holmes refers to as speculative practice, or the heart/emotions,

which he calls affective practice. Combining the speculative/affective scale with the apophatic/cataphatic

scale allows for a range of categories:[46]

Rationalism = Cataphatic and speculative

Pietism  = Cataphatic and affective

Encratism = Apophatic and speculative

Quietism  = Apophatic and affective

Ascetic practices

Many mystics, following the model of Paul's metaphor of the athlete, as well as the story of the disciples

sleeping while Jesus prayed, disciplined their bodies through activities ranging from fasting and sleep-

deprivation to more extreme forms, such as self-flagellation.

Sensory experiences

Many mystics experience visions. But other sensory experiences are common as well. For instance,

Richard Rolle heard heavenly music and felt a fire in his chest.

Ecstasies

Religious ecstasy is common for many mystics, such as Teresa of Avila, whose experience was

immortalized in the sculpture Ecstasy of Saint Teresa by Bernini.

Physical transformations

One of the most familiar examples of mystical physical transformation is the appearance of stigmata on

the body of the mystic, such as those received by Francis of Assisi and Padre Pio. But other

transformations are possible, such as the odour of sanctity that accompanies the body of the deceased

mystic, such as Teresa of Avila and Therese of Liseaux.

Miracles

Some mystics are said to have been able to perform miracles. But for many mystics, the miracles

occurred to them. In the Middle Ages, one common form of mystical miracle, especially for women, was

the Eucharistic miracle, such as being able to eat nothing other than the communion host. Catherine of

Genoa was an example of someone who experienced this type of miracle.

Influential Christian mystics and texts

This article possibly contains original research. Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding inline citations. Statements consisting only of original research may be removed. (May 2013)

Biblical influences

Hebrew scriptures

This section requires expansion.

(January 2011)

Genesis 15 begins, "After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision:" but even the

reference to Adam and Eve walking with God in the Garden of Eden is subject to an interpretation which

includes the mystical encounter between flesh and blood and God: between God and his spoken word,

between God and His wisdom, teachings, Self-revelation, and of His relation to us as His creatures.

Numbers 12:6 includes the Lord speaking from a pillar of fire which had come down, "And he said, 'Hear

my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the LORD make myself known to him in a vision; I speak

with him in a dream.'" The Lord then goes on to state that with Moses, He speaks mouth to mouth, not in

figures as with others who are present. This with many other examples expresses the various means by

which God may be encountered by His creatures—not as an overwhelming union of absorption, but in a

relationship which preserves the identity of each, while focusing upon the intimacy possible.

The Christian mystical practices are rooted in the experiences of the Jewish patriarchs, prophets and

other encounters found in the Jewish Canon of Scripture: Visions, dreams, angelic messengers, divine

inspiration, miraculous events, and wisdom all are of the more profound examples. Just as Old

Testament prophets seem rooted in a direct consciousness of the Divine Presence (e.g. Ezekiel), the

less profound such as are to be found in several psalms (e.g. Psalm 73:23-26), none-the-less, suggest a

similar mystical awareness.

New Testament

2 Peter 1:4 says that God enables Christians to be "partakers of the divine nature."

John 17:21 records Jesus' prayer for his followers during the last supper: "You, Father, are in Me,

and I in You; [I pray] that they also may be one in Us."

The mystical experience of the apostles, Peter, John, and James, at the Transfiguration of Jesus, is

confirmed in each of the Synoptic Gospels. See, e.g., Mark 9:2-8. Jesus led the three to the top of

Mount Tabor. Before the eye of the disciples, he was transformed. His face shone like the sun, and

his clothes became brilliant white. Elijah and Moses appeared to them. Then “A cloud came,

overshadowing them and a voice came out of the cloud, and said “This is my beloved Son. Listen to

him.""[47]

In II Corinthians 12:2-6, St. Paul refers to what tradition says was his own mystical experience, when

he speaks of a man who was "caught up to the third heaven." [48]

In Galatians 2:20, Paul says "It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me."

In Ephesians 4:6, Paul writes "[There is] one God and Father of all who is above all and through all

and in all.

1 John 4:16: "He who abides in love abides in God, and God in him."

1 Corinthians 6:19: "Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you,

whom you have received from God?"

2 Timothy 1:14: "Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the

Holy Spirit who lives in us."

Greek influences

The influences of Greek thought are apparent in the earliest Christian mystics and their

writings. Plato (428–348 BCE) is considered the most important of ancient philosophers and his

philosophical system provides the basis of most later mystical forms. Plotinus (c. 205 – 270 CE) provided

the non-Christian, neo-Platonic basis for much Christian, Jewish and Islamic mysticism.[web 2]

Early Christians

Justin Martyr  (c. 105-c. 165) used Greek philosophy as the stepping-stone to Christian theology. The

mystical conclusions that some Greeks arrived at, pointed to Christ. He was Influenced

by: Pythagoras, Plato, Plotinus, Aristotle as well as Stoicism.

Origen  (c. 185 – 254): On Principles, Against Celsus. Studied under Clement of Alexandria, and

probably also Ammonius Saccus (Plotinus' teacher). He Christianized and theologized neo-

Platonism.

Athanasius - The Life of Athony (c. 360)[web 3]

Gregory of Nyssa  (c. 335 – after 394): Focused on the stages of spiritual growth, the need for

constant progress, and the "divine darkness" as seen in the story of Moses.

Augustine  (354–430): De Trinitate, Confessions. Important source for much mediaeval mysticism.

He brings Platonism and Christianity together. Influenced by: Plato and Plotinus.

Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite  (c. 500) - Mystical Theology

Middle Ages and Renaissance

Meditative mystical image of the Trinity, from the early 14th-century Flemish Rothschild Canticles, Yale Beinecke MS

404, fol. 40v.

John Scotus Eriugena  (c. 810 – c. 877): Periphyseon. Eriugena translated Pseudo-Dionysius from

Greek into Latin. Influenced by: Plotinus, Augustine, Pseudo-Dionysius.

Bernard of Clairvaux  (1090 – 1153): Cistercian theologian, author of The Steps of Humility and

Pride, On Loving God, and Sermons on the Song of Songs; strong blend of scripture and personal

experience.

Hildegard of Bingen  (1098 – 1179): Benedictine abbess and reformist preacher, known for her

visions, recorded in such works as Scivias (Know the Ways) and Liber Divinorum Operum (Book of

Divine Works). Influenced by: Pseudo-Dionysius, Gregory the Great, Rhabanus Maurus, John

Scotus Eriugena.

Victorines : fl. 11th century; stressed meditation and contemplation; helped popularize Pseudo-

Dionysius; influenced by Augustine

Hugh of Saint Victor  (d.1141): The Mysteries of the Christian Faith, Noah's Mystical Ark, etc.

Richard of Saint Victor  (d.1173): The Twelve Patriarchs and The Mystical Ark (e.g. Benjamin

Minor and Benjamin Major). Influenced Dante, Bonaventure, Cloud of Unknowing.

Franciscans :

Francis of Assisi  (c.1182 - 1226): founder of the order, stressed simplicity and penitence; first

documented case of stigmata

Anthony of Padua  (1195 - 1231): priest, Franciscan friar and theologian; visions; sermons

Bonaventure  (c.1217 - 1274): The Soul's Journey into God, The Triple Way, The Tree of

Life and others. Influenced by: Pseudo-Dionysius, Augustine, Bernard, Victorines.

Jacopone da Todi  (c. 1230 – 1306): Franciscan friar; prominent member of "The Spirituals"; The

Lauds

Angela of Foligno  (c.1248 - 1309): tertiary anchoress; focused on Christ's

Passion; Memorial and Instructions.

Beguines  (fl. 13th century):

Mechthild of Magdeburg  (c.1212 - c.1297): visions, bridal mysticism, reformist; The Flowing

Light of the Godhead

Hadewijch of Antwerp  (13th century): visions, bridal mysticism, essence mysticism; writings are

mostly letters and poems. Influenced John of Ruysbroeck.

Rhineland mystics  (fl. 14th century): sharp move towards speculation and apophasis; mostly

Dominicans

Meister Eckhart  (1260 - 1327): sermons

Johannes Tauler  (d.1361): sermons

Henry Suso  (c.1295 - 1366): Life of the Servant, Little Book of Eternal Wisdom

Theologia Germanica  (anon.). Influenced: Martin Luther

John of Ruysbroeck  (1293 – 1381): Flemish, Augustinian; The Spiritual Espousals and many others.

Similar themes as the Rhineland Mystics. Influenced by: Beguines, Cistercians. Influenced: Geert

Groote and the Devotio Moderna.

Catherine of Siena  (1347 - 1380): Letters

The English Mystics (fl. 14th century):

Anonymous - The Cloud of the Unknowing (c. 1375)—Intended by ascetic author as a means of

instruction in the practice of mystic and contemplative prayer.

Richard Rolle  (c.1300 - 1349): The Fire of Love, Mending of Life, Meditations on the Passion

Walter Hilton  (c.1340 - 1396): The Ladder of Perfection (a.k.a., The Scale of Perfection) --

suggesting familiarity with the works of Pseudo-Dionysius (see above), the author provides an

early English language seminal work for the beginner.

Julian of Norwich  (1342 - c.1416): Revelations of Divine Love (a.k.a. Showing of Love)

Renaissance, Reformation and Counter-Reformation

Ignatius of Loyola  (1491–1556): St. Ignatius had a number of mystical experiences in his life, the

most significant was an experience of enlightenment by the river Cardoner, in which, he later stated,

he learnt more in that one occasion than he did in the rest of his life.[web 4] Another significant mystical

experience was in 1537, at a chapel in La Storta, outside Rome, in which he saw God the

Father place him with the Son, who was carrying the Cross. This was after he had spent a year

praying to Mary for her to place him with her Son (Jesus), and was one of the reasons why he

insisted that the group that followed his 'way of proceeding' be called the Society of Jesus.[web 5]

Teresa of Ávila  (1515–1582): Two of her works, The Interior Castle and The Way of Perfection, were

intended as instruction in (profoundly mystic) prayer based upon her experiences. Influenced

by: Augustine.

John of the Cross  (Juan de Yepes) (1542–1591): Wrote three related instructional works with Ascent

of Mount Carmel as a systematic approach to mystic prayer; together with the Spiritual Canticle and

the Dark Night of the Soul, these provided poetic and literary language for the Christian Mystical

practice and experience. Influenced by and collaborated with: Teresa of Ávila.

Joseph of Cupertino  (1603-1663): An Italian Franciscan friar who is said to have been prone to

miraculous levitation and intense ecstatic visions that left him gaping.[49]

Jakob Böhme  (1575-1624): German theosopher; author of The Way to Christ.

Brother Lawrence  (1614–1691): Author of The Practice of the Presence of God.

George Fox  (1624–1691): Founder of the Religious Society of Friends.

William Law  (1686–1761): English mystic interested in Jakob Böhme, and wrote several mystical

treatises.

Emanuel Swedenborg  (1688-1822): Influential and controversial Swedish writer and visionary.

A strong believer in Christian meditation,Padre Pio stated: "Through the study of books one seeks God; by meditation

one finds him".[50]

Modern era

Domenico da Cese  (1905-1978): Stigmatist Capuchin monk.

Maria Valtorta  (1898-1963): Visionary and writer.

Mary of Saint Peter  (1816–1848): Carmelite nun and mystic.

Marie Lataste  (1822–1899): Visionary, nun and writer.

Marie Martha Chambon  (1841–1907): Nun, visionary and mystic.

Mary of the Divine Heart  (1863–1899): Good Shepherd nun and mystic.

Berthe Petit  (1870–1943): Visionary and mystic.

Frank Laubach  (1884–1970): Evangelical missionary, author of Letters by a Modern Mystic.

Padre Pio of Pietrelcina  (1887–1968): Friar, priest, stigmatic and mystic.

Sadhu Sundar Singh  (1889–1929): Evangelical Indian missionary, ascetic and mystic.

Maria Pierina de Micheli  (1890–1945): Visionary and mystic.

Thomas Raymond Kelly  (1893–1941): Quaker mystic.

Alexandrina Maria da Costa  (1904–1955): Writer and mystic.

Mary Faustina Kowalska  (1905–1938): Polish nun, mystic and visionary.

Simone Weil  (1909-1943): French writer, political activist and ecstatic visionary.

Flower A. Newhouse  (1909-1994): American clairvoyant and mystic.

Carmela Carabelli  (1910–1978): Italian writer and mystic.

Pierina Gilli  (1911–1991): Italian visionary and mystic.

Thomas Merton  (1915–1968): Trappist monk, writer and mystic.

Lúcia Santos  (1907-2005): Portuguese mystic, 1917 Fátima events participant, nun and prophetess.

Bernadette Roberts  (1931–): Carmelite nun, writer and mystic, focusing on no-self states.

See also

Christianity portal

Spirituality portal

Christian mysticism in ancient Africa

Christian mythology

Christian soteriology

Eastern Christianity

Esoteric Christianity

Jesus Prayer

Mystical marriage

Open theism

Orthodox gnosiology

Pauline mysticism

Quietism (Christian philosophy)

Soteriology

Theosophy

References

1. ^ Jump up to:a b Parsons 2011, p. 3.

2. ^ Jump up to:a b c d King 2002, p. 15.

3. ^ Jump up to:a b c d McGinn 2006.

4. Jump up^ Hori 1999, p. 47.

5. Jump up^ Sharf 2000, p. 271.

6. Jump up^ Parsons 2011, p. 4-5.

7. ^ Jump up to:a b King 2002, p. 21.

8. Jump up^ Bynum, Caroline Walker (1988). Holy feast and holy fast: the religious significance of food

to medieval women. U of California Press. pp. 64,253. ISBN 978-0-520-06329-7.

9. Jump up^ John Barton, "The Old Testament", in The Study of Spirituality, ed. Cheslyn Jones, et al.,

Oxford University Press, 1986. pp. 47-57.

10. Jump up^ see Barton and Holmes

11. Jump up^ Holmes pp.15

12. Jump up^ Holmes p.14-16

13. Jump up^ Holmes p.17

14. Jump up^ Holmes pp.19-20

15. Jump up^ Holmes pp.18-19

16. Jump up^ Healey p.2

17. Jump up^ Healey p.8-9; Holmes pp.20-21

18. Jump up^ Healey pp. 3-4; Holmes p. 21

19. Jump up^ Healey pp.4-6

20. Jump up^ Holmes p. 22

21. Jump up^ Holmes pp.25-26

22. Jump up^ Holmes 26-28

23. Jump up^ Holmes pp. 23-25

24. Jump up^ Holmes p.16

25. Jump up^ Holmes pp. 29-31

26. Jump up^ Holmes 125-127

27. Jump up^ Holmes 127-128

28. Jump up^ Holmes pp. 94-97

29. Jump up^ Holmes pp.98-99

30. Jump up^ Holmes pp.99-102

31. Jump up^ Holmes pp. 136-137

32. Jump up^ Holmes pp. 136-138

33. Jump up^ Holmes, pp. 138-139

34. Jump up^ Holmes, pp. 139, 140

35. Jump up^ Holmes, pp. 143-144

36. Jump up^ See Vladimir Lossky, The Mystical Theology of The Eastern Church

37. Jump up^ Literally, "God became man so that man might become god." Here, man is understood

ashuman and no debate exists within the Church concerning a contrary interpretation.

38. Jump up^ Holmes p.37

39. Jump up^ Evelyn Underhill,"Mysticism:a study in the nature and development of Man's Spiritual

Consciousness",1911, Part II chapter 3

40. Jump up^ Mysticism: A Study in Nature and Development of Spiritual Consciousness by Evelyn

Underhill (Public Domain)

41. ^ Jump up to:a b Lehodey, “The Ways of Mental Prayer”, 1960

42. Jump up^ Theologia Germanica, public domain

43. Jump up^ Greene, Dana, "Adhering to God: The Message of Evelyn Underhill for Our

Times", Spirituality Today, Spring 1987, Vol. 39, pp. 22–38

44. Jump up^ McBrian, Richard P., Sheldrake, Philip, eds., The HarperCollins Encyclopedia of

Catholicism: Mysticism, Harper Collins, San Francisco, 1995, p. 901.

45. Jump up^ B.P. Holt Thirst for God: A brief History of Christian Spirituality, Fortress Press, 2005, p 75

46. Jump up^ Holmes pp.4–5.

47. Jump up^ (World English Bible, Mark 9:2-8)

48. Jump up^ (II Cor. 12:2-6)

49. Jump up^ Pastrovicchi, Angelo (1980). Saint Joseph Copertino. TAN Books and Publishers. ISBN 0-

89555-135-7.

50. Jump up^ The Rosary: A Path Into Prayer by Liz Kelly 2004 ISBN 0-8294-2024-X pages 79 and 86

Sources

Published sources

Hori, Victor Sogen (1999), Translating the Zen Phrase Book. In: Nanzan Bulletin 23 (1999)

King, Richard (2002), Orientalism and Religion: Post-Colonial Theory, India and "The Mystic East",

Routledge

McGinn, Bernard (2006), The Essential Writings of Christian Mysticism, New York: Modern Library

Parsons, William B. (2011), Teaching Mysticism, Oxford University Press

Sharf, Robert H. (2000), The Rhetoric of Experience and the Study of Religion. In: Journal of

Consciousness Studies, 7, No. 11-12, 2000, pp. 267-87

Web-sources

1. ^ Jump up to:a b c d e Gellman, Jerome, "Mysticism", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy

(Summer 2011 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.)

2. Jump up^ Bruce B. Janz, Who's Who in the History of Western Mysticism

3. Jump up^ V, The Life of Antony]

4. Jump up^ Life of Ignatius

5. Jump up^ St. Ignatius

Further reading

Bernard McGinn : The Foundations of Mysticism: Origins to the Fifth Century, 1991, reprint

1994, ISBN 0-8245-1404-1

Bernard McGinn : The Growth of Mysticism: Gregory the Great through the 12th Century, 1994,

paperback ed. 1996, ISBN 0-8245-1628-1

Evelyn Underhill : Mysticism: A Study in Nature and Development of Spiritual Consciousness, 1911,

reprint 1999, ISBN 1-85168-196-5 online edition

Evelyn Underhill: The Spiritual Life: Four Broadcast Talks, Hodder & Stoughton, 1937, x, 141 p.

Tito Colliander: Way of the Ascetics, 1981, ISBN 0-06-061526-5

Charles J. Healey: Christian Spirituality: An Introduction to the Heritage, St. Paul's, 1999, ISBN 0-

8189-0820-3

Urban T. Holmes, III: A History of Christian Spirituality: An Analytical Introduction, Seabury,

1980, ISBN 0-86683-890-2

Cheslyn Jones, Geoffrey Wainwright and Edward Yarnold, eds.: The Study of Spirituality, Oxford

University Press, 1986, ISBN 0-19-504170-4

Tarjei Park, The English Mystics, SPCK, 1998, ISBN 0-281-05110-0

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

Ryan Stark, "Some Aspects of Christian Mystical Rhetoric, Philosophy, and Poetry," Philosophy &

Rhetoric 41 (2008): 260-77.

External links

Wikisource has the text of

the1913 Catholic

Encyclopediaarticle Mysticism.

Wikibooks has a book on the

topic of: Mysticism

Christian Mysticism: A Study in Nature and Development of Spiritual Consciousness

Christian Mystics: A online library of Christian Mysticism: Current Topics and Public Books

Christian Mysticism Post on the Realization and Consciousness of Christian Enlightenment

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_spirituality

Catholic spiritualityFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Catholic spirituality is the spiritual practice of living out a personal act of faith (fides qua creditur)

following the acceptance of faith (fides quae creditur). Although all Catholics are expected to pray

together at Mass, there are many different forms of spirituality and private prayer which have developed

over the centuries. Each of the major religious orders of the Catholic Church and other lay groupings

have their own unique spirituality - its own way of approaching God in prayer and in living out the Gospel.

Contents

  [hide] 

1 Catholic devotional piety

2 Desert spirituality

3 Monastic orders

o 3.1 Benedictine spirituality

o 3.2 Franciscan spirituality

o 3.3 Dominican spirituality

o 3.4 Ignatian spirituality

o 3.5 Carmelite spirituality

o 3.6 Redemptorist spirituality

o 3.7 Servite spirituality

o 3.8 Montfortian spirituality

o 3.9 Opus Dei spirituality

4 Post-Vatican II lay movements

o 4.1 Charismatic spirituality

o 4.2 Schoenstatt Movement

o 4.3 Focolare Movement

o 4.4 Sant'Egidio movement

5 See also

6 References

7 External links

Catholic devotional piety[edit]

Main article: Catholic devotions

Further information: Devotional literature

Catholic piety is based on the life and teaching of Jesus Christ. Although Jesus along with the Father,

and the Holy Spirit is the focus of Catholic faith, Jesus was also the founder.

The fundamental relationship of Jesus Christ, Son of God is with his Father. As Son, Jesus is always in

communion with God the Father. All throughout his life, his prayer starts with "Father', and the prayer he

taught his disciples starts with "Our Father".

From this the Catholic Church has developed a piety that mirrors Jesus's attitude. The Mass, the central

prayer of the Church, also refers to the Father.

Desert spirituality[edit]

Desert spirituality is a way of seeking God that is characterized by the "desert theology" of the Old

Testament that is at the very heart of the Judeo-Christian tradition, namely God keeping his People

wandering for 40 years in the desert,[1] and also throughout the subsequent centuries repeatedly calling

them into the desert, as a testing ground where they may experience a change of heart and, by proving

themselves obedient to his ordering of human living, accept him their Creator again as their Lord.

In New Testament times it is likewise for the reason of proving his obedience that Jesus of

Nazareth underwent testing in the desert (cf. Matthew 4:1-11 = Mark 1:12-13 = Luke 4:1-13).

The Christian eremitic vocation has the same purpose, as the name hermit applied to those that embrace

it indicates.

Among those most widely known for living a desert spirituality during the early Christian centuries is St

Anthony of Egypt (251-356). He lived as ahermit for ten years, practiced asceticism for his whole life, and

grew his own food for sustenance.

From the life of someone alone being dedicated to seeking God in the desert, which is the earliest form

of Christian monasticism, the monastic life incommunity has emerged, although the eremitic

vocation continues as a distinct way of seeking God even today.

In practical terms this spiritual quest is pursued through prayer in solitude and asceticism.

Some adherents of desert spirituality – whether as eremitic or cenobitic monastics, or as Christian faithful

outside the religious life – practisecentering prayer. Though seriously disputed as anachronistic and of

modern, Eastern origin, this practice is in truth prominent in Catholic practice (at least) as early as the

13th century, as evinced by works such as The Cloud of Unknowing - written anonymously in Middle

English by a Catholic monastic. This is meditation on a single, sacred word that is meant to draw the

believer closer to God by withdrawing compulsive infatuation with particular sensory objects and

conceptual constructions

Monastic orders[edit]

Benedictine spirituality[edit]

Benedictine spirituality is characterized by striving towards Christian perfection in community, liturgical

prayer, and separation from worldly concerns.St. Benedict (480-550) is considered to be the Father of

Western Monasticism. He wrote The Rule and established his first monastery at Monte Cassino,

Italy. Lectio Divina is a Benedictine prayer form based on praying with the Word of God. Lectio Divina

has four "moments": Lectio (Reading Scripture), Meditatio (Reflection on the Word), Oratio (Praying), and

Contemplatio (Silently listening to God). Key people involved in the 20th and 21st century

include Thomas Merton and Basil Pennington.

Franciscan spirituality[edit]

Franciscan spirituality is characterized by a life of poverty, love of nature, and giving charity to those in

need. St. Francis of Assisi (1182–1226) was the son of a wealthy merchant. He rejected all of his

possessions and founded a community of brothers (friars) who lived in poverty and helped the poor.

Franciscan prayer recognizes God's presence in the wonder of creation. This is seen clearly in St.

Francis' Canticle of the Sun. Franciscan spirituality is focused on walking in Christ's footsteps,

understanding God by doing what Christ asked, experiencing and sharing God rather than discussing

God.

Dominican spirituality[edit]

Dominican spirituality is characterized by poverty, love of preaching and devotion to truth. St.

Dominic (1170–1221) encountered heretics on a journey in France. His opinion was that the people were

not to blame - the preachers were. If there are good, orthodox preachers, then the people will be good

and orthodox also. So, he founded the Order of Preachers, known as Dominicans who are drawn to

contemplation of the Sacred Humanity of Jesus Christ. Throughout history, the Dominicans have helped

to develop ways of praying which have aided people in deepening their relationship with God.

The Rosary is an example of a prayer developed by the Dominicans. Some traditional legends say that

the Rosary was given in its current form to St. Dominic by Mary. The Rosary is characteristic of

Dominican spirituality because it focuses attention on the principal mysteries of the life of Jesus Christ,

can lead to contemplation and is a way of proclaiming the truths of faith. Some members of the

Dominican Order have made significant contributions to Catholic thought. The theological insight

provided by St. Thomas Aquinas continues to be a major reference point for the Church today.

Ignatian spirituality[edit]

Ignatian spirituality is characterized by examination of one's life, discerning the will of God, and living the

Resurrection. St. Ignatius of Loyola (1491–1556) was a wounded soldier when he first began to read

about Christ and the saints. He had a conversion experience while healing and decided to found the

Society of Jesus, known as the Jesuits. His classic, the Spiritual Exercises is a guide for making a

retreat.

Carmelite spirituality[edit]

Carmelite spirituality is characterised by interior detachment, silence, solitude, the desire for spiritual

progress and insight into mystical experiences. The roots of the Carmelite Order go back to a group of

hermits living on Mt. Carmel in Israel during the 12th Century. Ss. John of the Cross (1542–1591)

and Teresa of Ávila (1515–1582) were both Carmelite mystics whose writings are considered to be

spiritual classics. In his work The Ascent of Mount Carmel, St. John of the Cross teaches that purgation

of the soul through mortification and suppression of desires is necessary for the soul while it journeys

through darkness before entering into divine union with God. Teresa of Avila emphasized the importance

of mental prayer which she defined as "spending time with a friend whom we know loves us."

Other important figures in Carmelite Spirituality include Thérèse of Lisieux (Doctor of the Church), Mary

Magdalene de Pazzi, Sister Lúcia of Fátima,Nuno of Saint Mary, Elizabeth of the Trinity, Marie-Antoinette

de Geuser known as "Consumata", Edith Stein, Teresa of the Andes, Teresa Margaret of the Sacred

Heart, Joaquina de Vedruna, Angelus of Jerusalem, and Brother Lawrence

Redemptorist spirituality[edit]

Redemptorist spirituality consists of:

1. the Crib,

2. the Cross

3. the Sacrament.

In other words, the Redemptorists follow Christ in his incarnation, death and resurrection and believe that

he is always with them. They hold the belief that there is always a great encounter with Christ in the

Blessed Sacrament, hence St. Alphonsus wrote the Visit to the Blessed Sacrament and the Blessed

Virgin Mary. He also wrote the popular Way of the Cross, and composedChristmas carols. The

Redemptorist spirituality is a practical one, render help to the abandoned both spiritual and material. The

heart of Redemptorist spirituality is the Gospel Invitation "to follow Jesus Christ." One of the most

tangible ways they do this is to proclaim the gospel in simple ways to ordinary people, and to radiate the

motto of Christ who read from the scroll of the prophetIsaiah, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me…. to

preach Good News to the Poor…. liberty to captives…. sight to the blind…. to proclaim the year of the

Lord’s Favour. (Luke 4:18-19)

Servite spirituality[edit]

The spirituality of the Servite order is focused on contemplating Mary at the foot of the cross as a model

for Christian life, and service to the suffering. Moreover, because the order has Seven Holy Founders,

rather than one individual founder, there is a particular emphasis on the communal aspect of Christian

life. This spirituality finds expression particularly in the Rosary of the Seven Sorrows.

Montfortian spirituality[edit]

God Alone was the motto of Saint Louis de Montfort and is repeated over 150 time in his writings. God

Alone is also the title of his collected writings. Briefly speaking, based on his

writings,Montfortian spirituality can be summed up via the formula: "To God Alone, by Christ Wisdom, in

the Spirit, in communion with Mary, for the reign of God."

Although St Louis is perhaps best known for his Mariology and devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, his

spirituality is founded on the mystery of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ, and is centered on Christ, what is

visible in his famous Prayer to Jesus.

Opus Dei spirituality[edit]

Opus Dei predated the Second Vatican Council in its emphasis on the laity. Founded by St. Josemaría

Escrivá, Opus Dei's spirituality is based on life lived in the secular world. The "sanctification of work"

consists in offering all work, however ordinary, to God. This implies that one always does one's best. To

be a contemplative is to integrate one's life ("unity of life") in faithfulness to the Catholic Church and in

solidarity with all those with whom one comes into contact, living a life of faith in all circumstances of

each day. As John Allen says: people who follow this spirituality enter a church and leave it for the same

reason—to get closer to God. The members of Opus Dei and its cooperators have committed to convert

their daily work into prayer with the spiritual assistance of the prelature.

Pope John Paul I, a few years before his election, wrote that Escrivá was more radical than other saints

who taught about the universal call to holiness. While others emphasized monastic spirituality applied to

lay people, for Escrivá "it is the material work itself which must be turned into prayer and sanctity", thus

providing a lay spirituality.[2]

Post-Vatican II lay movements[edit]

See also Laity in the Catholic Church

The Second Vatican Council accelerated the diversification of spiritual movements among Catholics,

and some lay Catholics now engage in regular contemplative practices such as Centering prayer,

although this is still controversial . Many contemporary spiritual movements emphasize the necessity

both of an interior relationship with God (private prayer) and works of justice and mercy. Major 20th

century writers who sought to draw together the active and contemplative poles of Christian

spirituality have been Dorothy Day, Thomas Merton and Richard Rohr.

The purpose of all lay movements in the Catholic Church is to spread in society a deep awareness

that every single person is called to live a holy life and each in his own way to become

anapostle of Jesus Christ. For the majority of Christians, God calls them to sanctify themselves

through their ordinary lives by works of charity and devotion cultivated in the family, the domestic

church, in the neighborhood and parish life as well as the workplace all of which are paths to

holiness.

Charismatic spirituality[edit]

Main article: Catholic Charismatic Renewal

Not far from the Ignatian spirituality in regard to its understanding of faith, Charismatic spirituality is

in fact the re-exploration of different Catholic spiritual currents with an emphasis on personal

experience generally shared in groups.

Schoenstatt Movement[edit]

Main article: Schoenstatt Movement

Schoenstatt emphasizes a strong devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, upholding her as a perfect

example of love and purity. Schoenstatt seeks to invite the Blessed Mother (and, hence, her divine

Son, Jesus Christ), into the home by establishing a spiritual Covenant of Love with her. It

encourages its members to have the faith and purity of children, and to think of Mary as their mother.

Focolare Movement[edit]

Main article: Focolare Movement

In 1943 in Northern Italy during World War II, Chiara Lubich, together with a small group of friends,

concluded that God is the only ideal worth living for. The Focolare movement was founded as a

result. The goal was to strive towards the fulfillment of Jesus’ prayer to the Father: “That they all may

be one.” (John 17:21). A spirituality of unity resulted and gave rise to a movement of spiritual and

social renewal. Now embracing over 5 million members in 182 countries, Focolare (which means

hearth) draws together groups of families, neighbors and friends to share build community and

extend the works of the Gospel.

Sant'Egidio movement[edit]

The Sant'Egidio community began with a group of high school students in the 1960s who were

convinced by a local priest in Rome to try an experiment—to try to live for a time as the early

Christian disciples did, gathering for prayer and shared meals daily in their neighborhood as well as

joining together in the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. The community thrived and has now

become a global movement of communities working for peace and justice in a spirit of daily common

life and prayer.

See also[edit]

Christian mysticism

French school of spirituality

Lay spirituality

Communion and Liberation

Emmanuel Community

Neocatechumenal Way

Regnum Christi

References[edit]

1. Jump up^ Numbers 13:3, Numbers 13:26

2. Jump up^ Cardinal Albino Luciani (John Paul I). "Seeking God Through Everyday Work: A

profile of the Founder of Opus Dei, Josemaria Escriva". Opus Dei Files. Retrieved 2007-04-03.

External links[edit]

The Mysticism of Catherine of Siena

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Catholic spirituality

Catholic theology and doctrine