Last night I joined the good folks at Countryside Church in Omaha, NE for their weekly webcast, Darkwood Brew. Needless to say, our topic was Christian mysticism. The host, Dr. Eric Elnes, invited me to comment on what he described as three “myths” related to Christian mysticism — three common misconceptions that many Christians might [...]
A reader writes: I love reading your articles but am new to the terminology. What is “non-dualism” and is it compatible with Biblical truth? Also, why did non-dualism get marginalised? Great questions, both of them, and both point back to Richard Rohr, one of the most dynamic contemplative teachers alive today. Rohr calls Jesus the first nondual [...]
Mystical spirituality is concerned with one basic question: how can we truly know God? One way of knowing involves learning information about God; it is doctrinal. Another way of knowing leads to union with God; it is mystical. Mystical writing often seems impenetrable and incomprehensible, eluding precise definition, as if it were an unknown and [...]
The Greek word for “reading” means to have renewed cognition, to re-cognize. To read texts of mysticism is to have renewed cognition of one’s self, of a being that is buried under rubble. Thus, the discovery of the mystical tradition also sets free one’s own forgotten experience. — Dorothee Soelle, The Silent Cry: Mysticism and [...]
Some folks — especially those who are familiar with my interfaith work, or my books from before 2005 about neopagan and non-Christian Celtic spirituality — might wonder why I am so committed to the path of Christ. Couldn’t I explore mysticism and meditation and contemplation in a non-sectarian or exclusively interspiritual way? Well, yes, of [...]
A reader writes: In the first chapter of The Big Book of Christian Mysticism you offer your sense that mysticism offers the serious practitioner the possibility of experience of God that is transforming and which then enhances the world around us. I firmly agree. But does that mean such a transformative relationship is not open [...]
There’s still time to register for the Introduction to Christian Mysticism class being offered through the Evening at Emory program. Continuing education credit is available for this 5-week class. To register, click here. Here’s the course description from the Emory website: Introduction to Christian Mysticism Evening at EmoryHumanities and Cultural Studies The renowned twentieth century [...]