A Beginner’s Guide to Christian Mysticism

Welcome to this  course entitled, A Beginners’ Guide to Christian Mysticism. This course will give you insight into and an appreciation of the way of the Christian mystics. The purpose of this course is to define Christian mysticism and to help you become familiar with the classic Christian mystical pathway. This course will expound upon the process, that is, the threefold way that Christian mystics travel as they are led into a mystical union with the Absolute Mystery we call God. If you have a desire to draw closer to God, wish to intensify your spirituality and relationship with the Divine, or dive deeper into the wonder of Christian mysticism, this introductory course is for you.

You will be able to recognize that mysticism is a universal human experience

Three major commonalities of mysticism in various religious traditions are presented in this video.

Four areas of difference will be briefly examined in this lecture.

Here is a recap of the comparisons & differences of mysticism in various religious traditions.

This lecture will provide rationale to affirm the concept of Christian mysticism  and that it does exist not only historically but in the present times as well.

You will receive two foundational, academic definitions of Christian mysticism and will be given a working definition to use in this course and elsewhere.

We will break open the question, "Are you called to be a mystic?" by reviewing thoughts from theologians who have an expertise in Christian mysticism.

We will review the important Greek term, apophatic mysticism.  You will be able to define apophatic mysticism and the mystics who are considered apophatic.

In this lecture, we will review the second important Greek term, kataphatic mysticism.  You will be able to define kataphatic mysticism , the difference between apophatic and kataphatic mysticism and learn of the mystics who are considered kataphatic.

This lecture provides a summary of the two types of mysticism and demonstrates how the two types of mysticism work together.

The Hebrew Scriptures are foundational for Christians.  Many people in the "Old Testament" had direct mystical contact and communication with God. After this lecture you will be able to provide a few examples of mysticism found in the Hebrew Scriptures.

The New Testament is replete with direct mystical experiences of the common people with Jesus and later his apostles.  After this lecture, you will be able to convey a few examples of such mysticism found in the New Testament.

This lecture will briefly provide you with descriptions of mysticism in the first few centuries after Christ's death and resurrection, the time of the early church.

In this lecture the threefold way of Christian mysticism will be defined and the each of the three stages named and differentiated. We will also discuss the development of spiritual maturity as one progresses along this mystical path.

In addition to the three major stages of Christian mysticism, there is a pre-stage.  This lecture will discuss that pre-stage called, "Awakening."

The first stage of Purgation, also known as the Purgative way will be described.

The Dark Night of the Senses, which is a transitional phase in this stage, will be defined.

In this lecture, the second stage of Illumination will be explained. The Dark Night of the Spirit which is a transitional phase in this stage will also be identified.

The third and ultimate stage of Union will be defined and examples of this stage will be given.

This is a reflection to sum up the three stages using a meditative tool called the labyrinth, to help you have a reflective "experience" with the threefold way. You may also download a copy of the reflection and labyrinth to use in the future.