Christian mysticism Details, Meaning Christian mysticism Article and Explanation Guide

Christian mysticism Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description

Mysticism is the philosophy and practice of a direct experience of God. In the Christian context this is usually practiced through prayer, meditation and contemplation. Christians believe that God dwells in all Christians through the Holy Spirit, and therefore all Christians can experience God directly.

Table of contents

1 Biblical foundations
2 Christian mystics
3 Bibliography

3.1 Classics

4 See Also
5 External links

Biblical foundations

The tradition of Christian Mysticism is as old as Christianity itself. Two texts from the New Testament set up themes that recur throughout the recorded thought of the Christian mystics. The first, Galatians 2:20, says that:

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (KJV)

The second important Scriptural text for Christian mysticism is 1 John 3:2:

Beloved, now we are the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

The two large themes of Christian mysticism are a total identification with, or imitation of Christ, to achieve a total unity of will between the spirit of God and the human soul; and of the perfect vision of God, in which the mystic seeks to understand Him "as he is," and no more "through a glass, darkly." (1 Corinthians 13:12)