Abstract
D.Litt. et Phil.
Throughout the history of the Church, there has been an aversion to mysticism. Much
of it is because of a basic misunderstanding of the concept, and because of the
contradiction that mysticism has historicaly proved to be for the Church. As someone
has said: "It has been the well spring of both saints and schismatics, the hallmark of
luminaries and lunatics alike. It has been a force for the active upbuilding of the Body
of Christ and an impetus to the counter-currents of sectarianism, anti-nomianism and
quietism. It has issued in theologies of impeccable trinitarian montheism and in the
heterodoxy of pantheism". We have looked at the word "mysticism" and derived the basic definition: Being in communion with the divine reality (see chp.1, pg.41). For most, it involves a process; one cannot encounter the divinity, but by going through a specified process. We have discovered that "mysticism" is practiced by non-christian religions too. These include Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and other eastern religions. The process often includes ascetic tendencies, meditation, contemplative methods and transcendental
communications. The general quest is for inner peace, tranquility, knowledge and
light, and ultimately, to bring some self-realization, which is really a loss of self in
the Absolute. In our understanding, christian-mysticism is different. It is having a personal
relationship with God through his Son, Jesus Christ, and to be in fellowship with him
through his indwelling Spirit. We speak of communion with a trinitarian God; not by
processes of asceticism, meditation, contemplation and transcendental communications
ascending to God, but by faith in a God who descended to meet us in the God-man,
Jesus Christ. We believe therefore that every believer and only believers in Jesus
Christ, are true "mystics". The word "mysticism" is unfortunate, because of all the negative understanding, and because it is applied to experience outside Christ as well. It might be better to change it to another name; but what?; we don't know. Participation, fellowship, communion, etc., are inadequate because they do not necessarily mean that it is with God, whereas "mysticism" includes all these ideas uniquely in relation to God. Having stated its inadequaces, we have nevertheless employed the word "participation" alongside " myticism " .