Christian mysticism refers to the development of mystical practices and theory within Christianity. It has a long history with many mystics such as Gregory of Nyssa, Bernard of Clairvaux, Hildegard of Bingen, Meister Eckhart, Teresa of Avila, and John of the Cross playing important roles. Christian mystics emphasize union with God and living in the presence of God. The experience of Christian mysticism typically involves visions, voices, and other mystical experiences that provide direct connection to the divine.
Some key aspects of Christian mysticism include:
– Seeking direct personal communion with God – Christian mystics seek intimate, personal experience of the divine presence beyond external religious ritual. There is an emphasis on knowing God directly rather than through reasoning or philosophy.
– Transcending the senses and intellectual understanding – Mystics describe their mystical experiences as going beyond normal sensory perception and rational thought. There is a transcending of ordinary consciousness to experience a higher spiritual plane of being.
– Unitive experiences – Mystics speak of experiences of oneness with God or the absolute. There is a profound sense of connection to the divine in a way that dissolves the sense of separation.
– Encountering the Divine Light – Visions of divine light are common in mystical experiences both in Christianity and other traditions. The light represents the radiance of God’s energy and being.
– Ecstatic states – Some mystics describe entering states of spiritual ecstasy in which the intensity of their mystical experience is overwhelming. This heightens and deepens their sense of union with the divine.
– The darkness or apophatic way – While light is a common motif, some mystics emphasize the experience of the hiddenness of God, the “cloud of unknowing” where the divine reality goes beyond all concepts and images.
– Love and knowledge of God – Christian mysticism involves an intimate love of God, and also knowledge or gnosis of divine truths revealed directly to the mystic. Bernard of Clairvaux spoke of knowing God through loving him.
– Transformation – Mystics frequently describe profound inner change as a result of their experiences. Their soul, spirit, or consciousness is realigned to the divine presence within.
– Mortification – Some mystics undergo strict ascetic practices of denying the senses and physical pleasures in order to purify the soul and discipline the body. Harsh mortification is seen as preparation for encountering the purity of the divine presence.
– Revelations – Visions, auditions, and other mystical experiences can provide a sense of direct revelation into spiritual truths, the nature of God, and the purpose of life. These revelations provide mystics with wisdom to share.
– Religious ecstasy – In intense mystical states, some mystics describe sensations of spiritual intoxication, raptures, and out-of-body experiences. Their perception of reality is dramatically transformed by the power of divine presence.
– Poetry and writing – Mystics often use symbolic language, paradoxes, and poetry to try to convey the ineffable quality of their mystical experiences. Writings on mystical theology seek to describe the stages of the mystical path.
Prominent mystics in Christian history include the Desert Fathers, Evagrius Ponticus, John Cassian, Diadochus of Photice, Dionysius the Areopagite, Gregory of Nyssa, Bernard of Clairvaux, Hildegard of Bingen, Richard Rolle, Julian of Norwich, The Cloud of Unknowing author, Catherine of Siena, Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross and Thomas Merton among many others. Their writings and teachings reveal different mystical emphases, but common themes of seeking intimate union with God.
In the 12th century, monasticism gave way to the rise of scholasticism, the new monastic orders of Franciscans and Dominicans emphasized preaching and service. Later Reformation movements also threatened mysticism. But Christian mysticism flourished again in the Counter-Reformation with Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross and the Carmelite renewal. Spanish mysticism profoundly impacted later pietism, quietism and 19th century Theosophy.
20th century Christian mysticism includes Thomas Merton’s writings from the Abbey of Gesthemani, the Christian meditative techniques of John Main, and ecumenical mystical theology of Bede Griffiths. Eastern Orthodox theology has retained a strong mystical focus into the modern era through its EMPHASIS ON HESYCHASM, CONTEMPLATION AND THEOSIS. Modern Christian mysticism continues to develop new perspectives like feminist mystical theology and Eco-mysticism.
The study of Christian mysticism is part of the field of mysticism in general. It examines the distinctive expressions of mystical spirituality within Christianity and the development of Christian mystical movements. Key topics include mystical theology and writings, ecstatic visions and states, ascetic and meditative practices, divine union and deification, created vs. uncreated grace, spiritual marriage, sacramental vision, etc. Examining the theology and psychology of mysticism creates deeper understanding of these powerful experiences at the heart of the Christian mystical quest.
Scholars debate exact definitions but generally define Christian mysticism as the pursuit of transrational union with God. Mystics seek intimate experience of the divine presence beyond dogma and reason. But mystics believe this direct communion comes through divine grace, not individual effort. Mysticism then involves both experience beyond the senses, and gifts flowing from God’s self-giving love.
Criteria commonly used by scholars to identify Christian mystical experience include:
– Immediacy – Direct encounter of the human soul with God. Not merely intellectual knowledge about God.
– Transcendence – Experiences go beyond ordinary perception to glimpse supernatural or transcendent realms.
– Transience – Mystical experiences come and go. The mystic lacks control over onset, intensity and duration.
– Passivity – A feeling of being grasped, ravished or possessed by God’s love rather than one’s own efforts.
– Ineffability – Experiences felt to be beyond description or impossible to put into words adequately.
But focus on extraordinary mystical experiences can obscure the importance for Christian mystics of cultivating an ongoing contemplative disposition of quiet prayer, humility, inner silence, and “practicing the presence of God”. This manifests the mystical dimension in everyday activities.
Christian mystical practice typically cultivates prayer beyond words, creeds, or images to seek simplepresence with God for its own sake rather than specific results. But natural mental imagery often emerges spontaneously in such prayer. Mystics use Trinitarian, Christocentric or Marian forms of meditation to contemplate God’s qualities and action in their lives. This contemplation can include intercessory prayer for others’ needs.
Key techniques used in Christian mysticism include:
– Contemplative Prayer – Silent, wordless prayer beyond images, concepts or thoughts. Resting in divine presence.
– Lectio Divina – Praying with scripture through steps of reading, meditating, responding, contemplating. Allowing biblical texts to speak personally.
– Centering Prayer – Letting go of thoughts, emotions and desires to rest in silence and openness to God.
– The Jesus Prayer – Repeating the phrase “Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me.” Bringing continual awareness of divine presence.
– Welcoming Prayer – Being open to stressful feelings/thoughts as occasions for meeting God. Letting go of resistance and anxiety through consent.
– Solitude and Silence – Withdrawing physically or mentally from noise and distraction to still the soul. Creating space to hear God’s quiet voice.
– Pilgrimage – Journeying to sacred places associated with holy people for spiritual renewal through the graces present there. External journey mirrors the inner journey into God.
– Spiritual Direction – Consulting and confessing to an experienced mentor or monk to provide guidance and discernment on the mystical path.
– Asceticism – Forms of self-denial such as fasting, vigil, celibacy, or vows of poverty to discipline desire and purify the soul. Rejecting distraction to open more perfectly to God’s presence.
Mystics recognize stages or spiritual levels of advancement on the mystical path:
1. Awakening – Initial conversion, awareness of God’s reality, pursuit of virtue, purification of self.
2. Purgation – Struggling against sin, ascetic disciplines, dark night of the senses to mortify the ego and passions.
3. Illumination – Growth in virtue, spiritual consolation, gifts of the Spirit, mystical prayer begins.
4. Dark Night of the Soul – Crisis of faith and letting go of remaining ego, loss of satisfaction in created things.
5. Union – Mystic achieves spiritual betrothal/marriage to God. Soul is transformed in God.
6. Deification/Theosis – Stage of final spiritual perfection where the mystic becomes perfectly assimilated to the fullness of the Triune God.
The dark night of the soul is a key mystical stage where God strips away all gratification in created things that prevented deeper union. It brings painful awareness of imperfection, emptiness, dryness, and distance from the divine. But done out of love to purify the soul, revealing the mystical light of God. Teresa of Avila called the dark night a heavenly gift because of how it advanced the soul toward greater illumination.
Christian mystics played key roles in developing theology around mysticism. Pseudo-Dionysius wrote on the via negativa, the unknowability of God beyond positive language. John of the Cross described the dark night of the soul. Other mystical theologians include Bernard of Clairvaux, Bonaventure, Hadewijch, Meister Eckhart and Jan van Ruusbroec.
Eastern Orthodox theology incorporated mysticism in its distinctive emphasis on theosis. The process of theosis aims at transfigured transformation in God through acquiring the Holy Spirit. Prayer traditions like hesychasm cultivated the perpetual invocation of the Jesus Prayer to become filled with divine presence.
Western mysticism has faced more tensions with the Church hierarchy. In the 16th century, Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross reformed Spanish Carmelite houses and faced initial opposition. Christian mysticism has been accused of heresy, pantheism, pride and antinomian extremes. Discernment is required to distinguish potentially dangerous mysticism from authentic mystical union centered in God’s love.
Critics argue mysticism focuses too much on subjective experience rather than objective Christian dogmas. But Christian mystics consistently affirm the priority of scripture and Christ, warning against following alleged revelations that contradict scripture or tradition. Mysticism at its best creates balance between the roles of spiritual experience, scripture, church teaching authority, worship and service in the Christian spiritual life.
Christian mysticism powerfully witnesses to the reality of a direct encounter with God open to all believers. Mystical experiences flower most fully in sustained contemplative practice. The mystical quest is risky and full of perils, but bears fruit in those seeking communion with the living God. Christian mysticism remains a wellspring for renewing and deepening the faith of both new and mature believers on their spiritual journeys.
