CHRISTIAN MYSTICISM

CHRISTIAN MYSTICISM

Grace Bible Church, Gillette, Wyoming

Pastor Daryl Hilbert

http://www.gracebiblegillette.org/Mysticism-Christian.htm

I.        INTRODUCTION TO CHRISTIAN MYSTICISM

A.      Mystical Experience

1.       No true believer will deny that experience or even, mystical experience, has a place in the Christian life.

2.       For instance, the divine events that bring a sinner to salvation could be described as a mystical experience.

3.       A mystical experience could be an evangelism tract that was picked up, or someone randomly entering a church out of desperation and hearing a gospel presentation, or even standing in line in a grocery store next to a believer. Other mystical experiences could be a definite answer to prayer, an unexpected provision, or a season of spiritual renewal.

4.       Even some of our great hymns of the faith suggest a “mystic’ sweet communion” from “The Church’s One Foundation.”

5.       However, these mystical experiences might rather be described as “God’s supernatural work in everyday life.”

B.      Christian Mysticism

1.       Christian Mysticism, on the other hand, differs in that the concept of Christianity is combined with Mysticism.

2.       Definitions:

a)       Mysticism (from the Greek mustikós an initiate of a mystery religion, mustếria meaning "initiation") is the pursuit of achieving communion, identity with, or conscious awareness of ultimate reality, the Other, divinity, spiritual truth, or God through direct experience, intuition, or insight. (Wikipedia.org)

b)       Christian Mysticism … maintains that God dwells in all Christians and that they can experience God directly through belief in Jesus… [It] aspires to apprehend spiritual truths inaccessible through intellectual means, typically by emulation of Christ. (Wikipedia.org)

3.       The problem with both of these types of mysticism is that in order to have union with God (the Other or the Absolute), the intellect and divine revelation of the Scriptures must be abandoned.

a)       Mysticism is the idea that direct knowledge of God or ultimate reality is achieved through personal, subjective intuition or experience apart from, or even contrary to, historical fact or objective divine revelation. (MacArthur, John Jr., Our Sufficiency in Christ, p. 181)

b)       Mysticism is the belief that spiritual reality is perceived apart from the human intellect and natural senses. It looks for truth internally, weighing feelings, intuition, and other internal sensations more heavily than objective, observable, external data. Mysticism ultimately derives its authority from a self-actualized, self-authenticated light rising from within. Its source of truth is spontaneous feeling rather than objective fact. (MacArthur, John Jr., Our Sufficiency in Christ, p. 181)

c)       In other words, in one degree or another, Christian Mysticism does not rely upon the Scriptures for its truth and spirituality, but rather upon one’s own feelings, impressions, and intuitions.

C.      Gnostic Mysticism

1.       Mysticism is also an ingredient of Gnosticism. A form of pre-Gnosticism was a false teaching circulating around the time of New Testament writings.

2.       Paul addresses this pre-Gnosticism specifically in Colossians and by John likewise in 1, 2, 3 John.

3.       There are at least three aspects of Gnosticism refuted in the epistle to the church at Colossae:

a)       Material vs. Spirit

(1)     The Gnostics gleaned from Greek Philosophy that the material was either imperfect or evil but that the spirit was perfect or good.

(2)     Not only did they impugn earthly sanctification but the bodily resurrection of Christ as well.

(a)     In order to refute Gnostic teaching, Paul emphasizes that Christ had a “fleshly body” (tō sṓmati tếs sarkós - “the body which possesses flesh,” Col 1:22). Some may have argued that Christ only looked or appeared human.

(b)     In Col 2:9, Paul declares that Christ came in “bodily form” (sōmatikṓs - having a body, corporeal). Some, such as Cerinthus, believed that the human Jesus and the spirit Jesus united until the cross. John refuted Cerinthus directly (1Jn 4:2).

b)       Mediating Demigods

(1)     Since material was evil and spirit was good, there had to be intermediate demigods escalating to the Supreme Spirit.

(2)     Therefore, Gnosticism did not view Christ as the sole mediator between God and man, nor could they conceive that He was deity.

(a)     Col 1:20 states that through Christ’s agency (prep. diá with genitive - agency) as mediator, He reconciled man to Himself (cp. 1Ti 2:5). This, along with the expression “things on earth or things in heaven” rules out the concept of demigods.

(b)     “Reconciled to Himself” (vs. 20) is a reference to Christ’s deity. In the previous verse Paul declares Christ’s full deity, “all the fullness” (Col 1:19).

(c)     Col 2:9 Paul dispels any doubt that Christ has always possessed “all the fullness of deity.” Deity (theótes from theós (God, i.e. Godhead) means that Christ possessed all the attributes of God (cp. 1Jn 4:14-15).

c)       Mystical Knowledge

(1)     Gnosticism is derived from the Greek word gnṓsis, which means knowledge. The Gnostics believed they were an elite group that obtained a secret, inner, and mystical knowledge.

(a)     Gnosticism as a philosophy refers to a related body of teachings stressing the acquisition of “Gnosis” or inner knowledge. The knowledge sought is not strictly intellectual, but mystical…This Gnosis is the inner and esoteric mystical knowledge of ultimate reality. It discloses the spark of divinity within, thought to be obscured by ignorance, convention, and mere exoteric religiosity. (Groothuis, Douglas, Revealing the New Age Jesus, pg. 74).

(b)     Paul argues in Colossians that all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (gnṓsis) are hidden in Christ (Col 2:3). Such knowledge is not obtained by mystical means but through the revelation in the Scriptures.

(c)     The knowledge in Christ gives the believer a “full” or “true” knowledge (epígnōsis - intensive use of gnṓsis - Col 1:9, 10; 2:2; 3:10).

(d)     Through the true knowledge in Christ from the Scriptures a believer:

(i)       Has the knowledge of God’s will (Col 1:9).

(ii)     Has the knowledge of how to walk in a worthy manner (Col 1:10).

(iii)    Has the knowledge of the riches of His glory (Col 1:27).

(iv)   Has the knowledge to become more like Christ (Col 3:10).

(2)     Paul’s purpose in writing was so that no believer would be “taken captive (sul - plundered * agō - and lead away, i.e. brainwashed) by man’s philosophical arguments. Such arguments are based on falsehoods, man-made ideas, and worldly principles, not according to Christ (Col 2:8).

(a)     Given the size of the contemporary church, the neo-gnosticism of today poses a more far-reaching threat than its first-century predecessor. Moreover, the leaders of the early church were united in their opposition to the gnostic heresy. Sadly, that is not true today. (MacArthur, John Jr., Our Sufficiency in Christ, p. 181) Our Sufficiency in Christ, p. 181)

II.      EXAMPLES OF CHRISTIAN MYSTICISM

A.      Pseudo-Dionysius

1.       At one time, Dionysius was believed to be a convert of the apostle Paul (“Dionysius the Areopagite,” Ac 17:34). However, later scholarship ascertained that he was probably a pseudonymous writer from the 5^th century.

2.       His writings and theology were apophatic (Negative Theology…”what God is not”) and mystical in man’s illumination of God.

a)       The soul must lose the inhibitions of the senses and of reason.  God is beyond the intellect, beyond goodness itself, and it is through unknowing, and the discarding of human concepts, that the soul returns to God and is united with the “ray of divine darkness.” (Moynahan, Brian, The Faith, pg. 270.)

B.      Bernard of Clairvaux

1.       Typical of mystical literature, the mystical writings of Bernard of Clairvaux (12^th cent) changed the Song of Solomon into an erotic love story between God and man.

2.       At the moment of the mystical experience of union with God, a believer is “kissed with the kisses of His mouth.”

C.      St. John of the Cross

1.       St. John of the Cross was a Carmelite priest (religious order of monks found on Mt. Caramel, known for their contemplative prayer) in the 16^th century. He authored the mystically coined term, “dark night of the soul,” in a poem and commentary of the same name.

2.       In his poem and commentary, St. John depicts the mystical development of the stages of the soul’s union with God. The “dark night of the soul” represents the mystical purification of the material and physical desires and senses. In addition, it describes the ten steps on the ladder of mystical love and union with God.

3.       St. John of the Cross also spoke of their mystical experience in romantic and sensual terms.

4.       Pastor Gary Gilley, in his article entitled, “Mysticism,” writes that St. John, describes the union [with God] in terms of spiritual betrothal, where the soul, conceived of as feminine, is married to Christ as the bridegroom.

5.       Christian mystics today still use the term the “dark night of the soul” in their mystical purgation of the soul in order to achieve a mystical union with God.

D.      Ignatius Loyola

1.       Ignatius Loyola (16^th cent) was the author of “Spiritual Exercises” which were ritualistic meditations, contemplative prayers, fastings, and various mental exercises in order to achieve spiritual illumination. The exercises were to be carried out over a period of 28-30 days.

2.       Ignatius Loyola founded what was called the, “Society of Jesus”, who were especially known for the mystical practice of “contemplative prayer. Contemplative Prayer (also known as “centering prayer” or “breath prayer”) is not the normal idea of prayer in the Bible. Rather, it is the mainstay of ancient and modern mystics by which they are able to experience oneness with God.

E.       Other Ancient Christian Mystics

1.       Other Christian mystics, holding to these or other similar views would include, St. Francis of Assisi (13^th cent), Meister Eckhart (14^th cent), Juliana of Norwich and Thomas à Kempis (15^th cent), Teresa of Ávila (16^th cent), George Fox (17^th cent), Madame Guyon (18^th Cent), and Thomas Merton (d. 1968) and Agnes Sanford (d. 1982).

F.       Evelyn Underhill

1.       A more contemporary Christian mystic would be Evelyn Underhill who authored the book, “Mysticism, A Study of the nature and Development of Man’s Spiritual Consciousness.”

2.       Initially an agnostic with an interest in Neo-Platonism, she eventually became an Anglo-Catholic with strong leanings toward mysticism.

3.       Underhill’s idea of mysticism was,

a)       1) mysticism is practical, not theoretical, (2) mysticism is an entirely spiritual activity, (3) The business and method of mysticism is love, (4) and mysticism entails a definite psychological experience. (wikipedia.com)

b)       … At the time, and still today, the subject is associated with the occult, magic, secret rites, and fanaticism, while she knew the mystics throughout history to be the world's spiritual pioneers. (wikipedia.com).

4.       Evelyn Underhill outlined five stages for entering into “the way,” (oneness with God):

a)       Awakening of Self - understanding the soul’s true nature and purpose.

b)       Purgation of Self - stripping all material and physical things from the soul.

c)       Illumination - mystical, not intellectual process of understanding the eternal.

d)       Dark Night of the Soul - process of life’s removal of everything but God.

e)       Union - mystical and ecstatic oneness with God’s incomprehensible light.

5.       Though there may be differences, these stages are universally accepted as the stages of Christian Mysticism.

G.      Richard Foster

1.       A Quaker, Richard Foster, has authored one of the most influence books on Christian Mysticism called, “Celebration of Discipline.” The book was written in 1978 and has sold over a million copies. It was named by Christianity Today as one of the top ten books of the twentieth century.

2.       The book promotes the inward disciplines of Christian Mysticism such as prayer, fasting, meditation, and study in the Christian life. It includes the outward disciplines of simplicity, solitude, submission, and service, and the corporate disciplines of confession, worship, guidance, and celebration.

3.       In one sense, these disciplines seem no different from the disciplines for which the average evangelical Christian strives. However, Foster’s goals and meanings are completely different from those of the average evangelical.

a)       For instance, typical of Christian Mystic literature, Foster’s goal is the mystical union of oneness with God, As we did this, over time we began experiencing that "sweet sinking into Deity" Madame Guyon speaks of. It, very honestly, had much the same feel and smell as the experiences I had been reading about in the Devotional Masters. (Foster, Richard, Celebration of Discipline, pg. xv)

b)       These disciplines are not intellectual but are the keys to a mystical experience.

(1)     The desperate need today is not for greater number of intelligent people, or gifted people, but for deep people. (ibid. pg. 1)

(2)     The classical Disciplines of the spiritual life call us to move beyond surface living into the depths. They invite us to explore the inner caverns of the spiritual realm. (ibid.)

c)       Furthermore, these are the same disciplines uses by the Christian mystics (Devotional Masters) listed above. Foster applauds and quotes them all.

(1)     [The Disciplines] are not classical merely because they are ancient, although they have been practiced by sincere people over the centuries. The Disciplines are classical because they are central to experiential Christianity. In one form or another all of the devotional masters have affirmed the necessity of the Disciplines. (ibid.)

III.   COMPONENTS OF CHRISTIAN MYSTICISM

A.      Contemplative Prayer

1.       When believers hear the word “prayer,” they instantly have an affinity toward the word. After all, prayer is the believer’s communication with God. It would not even be wrong to say that the believer fellowships with God through prayer.

2.       Evidently, Christian Mysticism is not content with the biblical idea of prayer and practices what is called, Contemplative Prayer.

3.       For the Christian mystic, the emphasis is on the word “contemplative.” In the book, “Mysticism,” Georgia Harkness explains, among the church fathers [mystics], ‘contemplation’ was the usual term to designate what was later to be called mystical experience. (pg. 25). So contemplative prayer is a means to gain a mystical experience.

4.       Contemplative Prayer is not a practice of thinking; but rather it is a practice to empty the mind. Gary Gilley comments,

a)       through contemplative prayer the person is to empty his mind (detach) then fill it with imaginative experiences with Christ (attach) who we will find in the silence of our souls, resulting in God becoming the source of our words and actions.  Sounds attractive to many, even if no such teaching is found in Scripture. (Mysticism, Part 3)

5.       Some of the methods for contemplative prayer have their roots in Eastern religions. Gary Thomas’ explanation