Christian Mysticism

1218 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Origin of eastern religions and their characteristics

Mysticism is a word we find in many books that relate to religious experiences. Mysticism is interpreted as searching for spiritual truth and wisdom through the unification with the Divine. Many Christians today believe that the words associated with mysticism like meditation and mystic are not coherently related with Christianity, but more with many Eastern religions. Eastern religions are definitely known for their mysticism, but it is believed to not be a part of Christianity. Mysticism is actually a vital part of Christianity in ways that are more spiritual rather than only being engaged with Christian rituals. Mysticism is the faith that spiritual reality is believed to be from human knowledge and their senses. It searches for truth inside the actual person, weighing feelings, perception, and other internal feelings more heavily than most peoples every day thoughts. It is the idea that directs knowledge of God or ultimate reality is achieved through personal, skewed intuition or experience apart from or even contrary to historical fact or objective divine revelation. (MacArthur 1991)
To think about Christian mysticism as a whole, only one thing comes to mind, the direct experience of God. It represents an experience that is marked by love and joy, but is perceived to not be so emotional, but more intimate. It is not a religion, but an important component in all-practicing religions. It represents a level of consciousness that results in a need for one to have a direct relationship with God. The mystic rarely questions the goodness and value of his experience. Consequently, if he or she receives new information, it is not to be questioned because it is believed to come directly from God. This is the reason that many religious...

... middle of paper ...

...y resulted in a positive way. Believing in God and in the Bible could help people in their daily lives. Although they might not have connected with God in an intimate way, the ways they connect with God have could have been emotional.

Works Cited

MacArthur, John. The Quest for Something More from Our Sufficiency in Christ, 1991,
Wheaton, Illinois.: Crossway Books.

Underhill, Evelyn. The Mystics of the Church. Wilton Connecticut: Morehouse-Barlow,
1988.

Suzuki, Daisetz Teitaro. Mysticism: Christian and Buddhist. London: Routledge, 2002

Johnson, Elliot. “Gender and Mysticism in Hindu Studies: Hindu and Christian Religious
Women Recovered – Agency and Power as Resistance?” The Journal of Hindu
Studies 3.3 (2010): 273-278. Print

Makhlouf, Avril. “Three Christian Women of the Arab Orient: Rafqa, Mariam,
Hindiyya.” One in Christ 44.2 (2010): 3-28. Print

Show More
Related

  • Mere Christianity

    646 Words  | 2 Pages

    In chapter five, Lewis brings up sexual morality. First of we should talk about how the world makes sex. They makes sex seem as though it is only to please the body, but that is wrong. It is not bad to have pleasure when having sex but that is not all that is was made for. What sex is really for is to make children, not to pleasures your ever lust.

    Read More

  • Comparison Of New Spirituality And Christianity

    794 Words  | 2 Pages

    It formed in 1960 C.E. and originated in the United States. Recent surveys of US adults indicate that many Americans hold at least some of the new spirituality beliefs. Eight percent of Americans believe in astrology as a method of foretelling the future. Seven percent of americans believe that crystals are a source of healing or energizing power. Nine percent of americans believe that Tarot Cards are a reliable base for life decisions. New Spirituality has many beliefs such as monism and also pantheism which is all that exists is God; This leads naturally to the concept of the divinity of the individual, that we are all gods. They don’t seek God as revealed in a sacred text; they seek god within the self and the entire universe. They also believe in reincarnation which is when you die you will come back reborn in a new form whether it’s another person or even an animal. They also believe in karma which is basically what comes around goes around so if you do something good or nice you will have good fortune but if you do something really mean or bad you will have really bad fortune come to you. They believe in aura which is an energy field radiated by the body. Some practices that new spirituality practices is channeling and meditation. Many celebrities are into new spirituality. The main one that is really out there about her worldview and doesn’t mind talking about it to anyone is Oprah. The six main characteristics of New Spirituality thinking are: first, all is unity. Second, all is divine. Third, is humanity is divine. Next is a change in consciousness. Fifth is all religions are one. Lastly Cosmic Evolutionary

    Read More

  • Characterizing Pagan Religions

    637 Words  | 2 Pages

    Paganism is a religion of nature, in other words Pagans feel deep respect for Nature. Pagans see the divine as existence in life and the universe; in every living thing, every animal, plant, earth and man and woman, in the dark side of life as much as in the light. Pagans live their lives in tune with the cycles of nature; the seasons, life and death.

    Read More

  • Pagan History

    2520 Words  | 6 Pages

    Paganism is a loose word for the large variety of polytheistic, shamanistic, and mystical non-monotheistic religions. Paganism exists in all cultures, from paleolithic to technological, but has historically waxed and waned. The ancient Egyptians are an example of a highly pagan society; so are the ancient Romans; and all paleolithic cultures from the Old Stone Age to the present have strong pagan elements. An example of a less pagan culture would be the West for the last thousand years or so, since the centuries following the Fall of Rome. The domination of the Middle East by Christians and Moslems has also largely shut out paganism.

    Read More

  • Understanding Indigenous Religious Practices

    728 Words  | 2 Pages

    According to the American Heritage Dictionary, “Belief in and reverence for a supernatural power recognized as the creator and governor of the universe; A particular integrated system of this expression; the spiritual or emotional attitude of one who recognizes the existence of a superhuman power or powers” ("Various Definitions Of Religion", n.d.).

    Read More

  • The Four Types Of Spirituality

    742 Words  | 2 Pages

    Worthington et. al. (2011) says historically, religiousness involved individual and institutional elements; however, now spirituality is thought of as an individual phenomenon and linked with meaningfulness, New Age beliefs, and personal transcendence. Additionally, spirituality is described in personal terms like one’s relationship with God, and as a result, spirituality is more highly regarded than religion. The authors define spirituality as a feeling of closeness and having a relationship or dedication to God or a higher power; this can be a religious experience or a nonreligious one. They state that what one considers sacred is usually related to the awareness of social influences. According to the authors, four types of spirituality have been identified based on closeness to God. First, is religious spirituality. Religious spirituality’s connectedness to God is based on one’s specific denomination and the closeness is specific to the deity identified. Second is humanistic spirituality. Humanistic spirituality involves closeness to humans. This type of spirituality fosters a loving connection with a specific group of people and a sense of selflessness and concern

    Read More

  • Representation Of Loss Of Faith In Night By Elie Wiesel

    1351 Words  | 3 Pages

    world of mysticism, a world fraught with peril. First you must study the basic subjects, those

    Read More

  • This Present Darkness

    1530 Words  | 4 Pages

    Throughout the Western culture, Christianity has played a crucial role in the spiritual life of many people. In fact, it is a one of the largest religion in the world with an estimating range from 2 to 3 billion Christians (Religions of the World: Numbers of Adherents; Growth Rates). Spreading with this worldwide religion, the idea that God is at the centre of daily life has a high importance to many people. In the early 20th Century, one of the significant developments of Christianity was the Pentecostal Movement (A Brief History of Christianity). More specifically, Pentecostalism is “the principles and practices of Pentecostal religious groups, characterized by religious excitement and talking in tongues”; its most remarkable detail is its emphasis of the Holy Spirit and the value of prayer (wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn). It has outspread around the world by the people who believed that they had experienced the marvelous moves of God.

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of Mysticism

    784 Words  | 2 Pages

    Luke Timothy Johnson’s article “Dry Bones” is a great example of how there needs to be mysticism, and richness within religion. If these aspects are left out of the faith, than we are just people reading a book of rules, just saying words, and simply moving our mouths with no heart and calling that singing. Mysticism is what makes religion less man made and what makes religion richer. Johnson also goes over how there needs to be mysticism so that religion doesn’t become all about rules, regulations, and a constant routine. There is added depth into these religious groups in which they can become closer to God rather than closer to man’s expectations of self. “Christian mysticism that finds no center in the Eucharist or the Passion of Christ drifts into a form of self grooming.” (Johnson, Dry Bones) According to Johnson “Esoteric in contrast, finds the point of religion less in external performance than in the inner experience and devotion of the heart; less in the public liturgy than in the individual’s search for God.” (Johnson, Dry Bones)

    Read More

  • Religious Practices of Santeria

    1906 Words  | 4 Pages

    is a unique way of life with rich cultural and spiritual roots. The word Santeria is a syncretistic

    Read More

  • Pentecostalism

    1930 Words  | 4 Pages

    When mentioned to the general public, the word “Pentecostalism” generates three diverse responses: confusion, mockery, and tolerance; some people never heard of the word, some people view it as being infamous, and the rest accept it. According to the Oxford dictionary, Pentecostalism “relates to any number of Christian sects emphasizing baptism in the Holy Spirit.” Misconceptions originated from the misunderstanding of the history of Pentecostalism, along with the notion that Pentecostalism is one sect when, in fact, there are many divisions. The largest of these is the teachings of Charismatic’s, which make up the most prevalent part of the denomination and have been the driving force for the assumptions and reputation that Pentecostalism has garnered. To truly understand Pentecostalism, one needs to learn the religions history, the standard beliefs of the various sects, and the contemporary changes that some followers have made in the recent years that have fueled the current fallacy about the belief system.

    Read More

  • Kabbalah Essay

    1306 Words  | 3 Pages

    Mystical, spiritual, and enlightened are only a few words that describe the belief system Kabbalah. Kabbalah, which means to receive, is founded on the core belief that all humans were placed on this earth to possess complete goodness and fulfillment by the light of the creator. To grow in joy, happiness and fulfillment is the ultimate achievement for all humans and a factor that all humans can achieve.

    Read More

  • Spiritualism

    923 Words  | 2 Pages

    Spiritualism is the system of religious beliefs centered on the presumption that communication with the dead, or spirits, is possible (Grolier '97). Spiritualism challenged dominant cultural beliefs of the 19th century (Paul) and is still in practice today.

    Read More

  • Sufism

    1933 Words  | 4 Pages

    the power of God. The term mysticism can be defined as the consciousness of the

    Read More

  • Spiritualism Essay

    1901 Words  | 4 Pages

    “Just as a candle cannot burn without fire, men cannot live without a spiritual life.” According to Buddha, everyone needs some form of spirituality to define his or her life and existence. Webster Dictionary defines spiritualism as “a system of beliefs or religious practices based on supposed communication with the spirits of the dead, often times through mediums.” Though this is one general definition of spiritualism, this concept is one that does not hold a conclusive meaning. Each and every single person has the ability and right to create and practice their own idea of spiritualism. From ancient times to present day, the term and practice of spirituality has transformed, particularly from region to region. Despite the discrepancies in practices and overall understanding of this idea, spirituality has had an effect and impact upon all of humanity since the creation of time. This religion that is believed to have been established in the early eighteen hundreds, after two little girls claimed to have the ability to talk to spirits, sparked interest in this spiritual movement, allowing it to spread rather rapidly over many geographical locations. Aside from being recognized as a religion, spiritualism is also believed to be a form of philosophy and a science in which spiritualists believe that there is life after death and try to demonstrate this through the ability of attempting to communicate with those that have passed on. Spiritualism was socially different from other religions in existence at the time because it presented followers with a more tolerant belief system that assimilated the principles and facts from a selection the world's religions. Spiritualism also made it acceptable for women to play a disti...

    Read More

More about Christian Mysticism

Open Document