Mysticism And New Testament
In: The Mystery of God: Early Jewish Mysticism and the New TestamentSearch for other papers by Christopher Rowland in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Christopher R.A. Morray-Jones in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Purchase instant access (PDF download and unlimited online access):
Abstract
Mysticism is one of those concepts that defies exact definition and historically has caused suspicion in religion because the appeal to privileged access to the divine perspective has seemed to encourage the unpredictable and subversive. Mysticism and schism are closely linked in the history of Judaism and Christianity. For example, the mystical communion with the divine led to antinomianism in both Sabbatianism and the radical religion of English Protestantism at roughly the same time in the seventeenth century, though, of course, mysticism and conventional religion could be found together. The apprehension of divine wisdom by means of vision or revelation which is beyond normal human perception well describes the religion of the apocalypses of Judaism and Christianity. The central role that prophecy played within early Christianity is evident from virtually every document in the New Testament.