Rethinking the Mystical: An Evangelical Perspective

Michael W. Foss

Article Type: Article

Publication Date: 4/1/1987

Issue: The Search for God (Vol. 7, No 2, Spring, 1987)

These thoughts emerge from Oregon, one of the least churched states in the union, where in recent years the only newsworthy events of a mystical flavor have been the rise and fall of the Bhagwan Shree Rasneesh. The author is a Benedictine monk, a seminary professor, a specialist in medieval spirituality. The understanding of mysticism operative in what follows draws heavily on the medieval catholic tradition and aims to reflect the tolerant ecclecticism which has characterized Benedictine spirituality at its best. There are four questions to be addressed: What is mysticism? Is it desirable? Is it reviving? What would aid its revival?

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