Resources for REL 3432: Roots of Western Mysticism

The two most basic resources for this course are the Roots of Western Mysticism Resources page and the Who's Who in the History of Mysticism page.

On using the internet for research, please read this page.

Tips on reading mystical writings are here.

Readings and Resources

Week 1: Aug. 21-25

Introduction; Theories and History of Mysticism Experience.

READING:

• Some Accounts of Mystical Experience
• Mystical Experience Registry
  • Mystical Experiences of Famous People
  • Mystical Experiences of Regular People

 

Week 2: Aug. 28-Sept. 1

Early Mysticism; Greece and Jerusalem; Plotinus.

READING:

• Parmenides, On Nature.
• Plato, Phaedrus excerpt.
• Plato, Cave Allegory.
• Plotinus, Enneads: On Beauty (html, pdf), On The Good or the One (html, pdf)

 

Week 3: Sept. 4-8

Early Christian Theology: The Roots of Catholic and Orthodox Mysticism. Augustine, Cappadocians, (Pseudo-) Dionysius, John Scotus Eriugena.

READING:

• Augustine, Confessions (html, pdf), On the Trinity (html, pdf)
• Dionysus, The Mystical Theology.

 

Week 4: Sept. 11-15

Early Mediaeval Mysticism: Monasticism, Hildegard of Bingen.

READING:

• Hildegard of Bingen

 

Week 5: Sept. 18-22

Love Mysticism: Bernard of Clairvaux, Mechthild of Magdeburg.

READING:

• Mechthild of Magdeburg
• Bernard of Clairvaux

 

Week 6: Sept. 25-29

The Roots of Esoteric Traditions; Jewish Mysticism; Gnosticism.

READING:

• Merkabah Texts
• Jewish Mysticism,
• What is a Gnostic?
• The Gnostic World View

 

Week 7: Oct. 2-6

Mediaeval English Mysticism: Julian of Norwich.

READING:

• Julian of Norwich, Showings 173-247

 

Week 8: Oct. 9-13

Mediaeval English Mysticism II: Julian of Norwich.

READING:

• Julian of Norwich, Showings 248-343

 

Week 9: Oct. 16-20

Speculative Mysticism: Meister Eckhart

READING:

• Eckhart, Selected Writings, Talks of Instruction (1-52), On the Noble Man (97-108)

 

Week 10: Oct. 23-27

Speculative Mysticism: Meister Eckhart

READING:

• Eckhart, Selected Writings, German Sermons (109-252), Latin Sermons (255-265)

 

Week 11: Oct. 30-Nov. 3

The Roots of Protestant Mysticism: Eckhart, Seuse, Tauler, Theologica Germanica, Martin Luther.

READING:

• Tauler, Sermons
• Theologia Germanica (ch. 7-16, 29-41), Granum Sinapis.

 

Week 12: Nov. 6-10

The Beginnings of Modern Mysticism: Jacob Boehme, Silesius, Nicholas of Cusa

READING:

• Boehme, Mysterium Magnum excerpt,
• Boehme, Signature Rerum excerpt.
• Boehme, Mysterium Pansophicum

 

Week 13: Nov. 13-17

Spanish Mysticism: Theresa of Avila, John of the Cross.

READING:

• John of the Cross, Dark Night of the Soul.

 

Week 14: Nov. 20-24

Mysticism after early modernism; Epilogue

• Why Studying Mysticism is a Really Bad Idea.

 

Week 15: Nov. 27-Dec. 1

Review - Questions for Final Exam

Course Handouts, Lecture Notes, etc.

• Philosophical Questions About Mysticism -- good essay topics in here
• Why Studying Mysticism is a Really Bad Idea