MYSTICISM
MYSTICISM
63
Apostolic Christianity it is imi)ossil)le to cxchnle the mysticism which has heeii liclineil as ' the type of reIi<;ion which puts the empluisis on immciliate awareness of relation with God, on direct and inti- mate consciousness of the Divine Presence. It is religion in its most acute, intense, and livin" stage ' (Kufus Jones, Studies in Mijstical licligion, London, 1909, p. XV).
Tlie result of the contact of Cliristianity with non-Christian philosophies was the intrusion of non-Christian elements into Christian mysticism. But its corruptions ought not to be idcntilied with its essence. The mysticism wliich Harnack con- demns had its origin in the philosophy of Dionysius the Areopagite (4th cent. ) : ' Tlie mystical and jiietistic devotion of to-day, even in the Protestant Church, draws its nourishment from writings wliose connection with those of the pseudo-Areo- pagitic can still be traced througli its various in- termediate stages' (op. cit. i. 3til). But Chiustian mysticism ditlers essentially from the ' Platonic niysteriosophy ' of Dionysius with its pantheistic tendency and its exclusive insistence on tlie via ncgativa (W. R. Inge, Christian Ulysticism, London, 1S99, p. 105). The mystical element in the Christian religion is found in the earliest stages of its history. Divine revelation could not possibly ' leave untouched the mystical yearnings of mankind. . . . Not only in John, but also in Paul, there are plentiful traces of Mysticism ' (S. M. Deutsch, ' Theologie, mystisclie,' in PRE' xix. [1907] 635 ; cf. ExpT xix. [1907-08] 304). To some of these traces attention must now be directed ; it will then be necessary to inquire how far the apostles had the mind of Christ.
1. Pauline mysticism. — Inge has shown that the mystical element in St. Paul's theology has been under-estimated ; that ' all the essentials of mysticism are to be found in his Epistles,' and that his authority has been wrongly claimed for two false and mischievous developments of mysti- cism, namely, ' contempt for the historical frame- work of Christianity,' and ' extreme disparagement of external religion — of forms and ceremonies and holy days and the like' (op. cit. p. 6911'.). Von Hiigel finds ' in St. Paul not only a deeply mystical element, but mysticism of the noblest, indeed the most daringly speculative, world-embracing tyjje ' (The Mystical Element of Beligion, London, 1908, i. 35). Referring to St. Paul as an ecstatic mystic, this able Roman Catholic interpreter of mysticism supplies a salutary test for such experiences : ' Visions and voices are to be accepted by the mind only in proportion as they convey some spiritual truth of importance to it or to others, and as they actually help it to become more humble, true, and loving' (op. cit. ii. 47). Inge says : ' These recorded experiences are of great psychological interest ; but . . . they do not seem to ine to belong to the essence of Mysticism ' (op. cit. p. C3f.).
Tiie most important elements of St. Paul's mysticism are derived from his experience of fellowship with the living Christ. W. K. Fleming gives a useful summary of ' the special points with regard to wliich Mysticism gains its inspiration and direction from St. Paul ' (Mysticism in Chris- tianity, London, 1913, p. 30 tf.). The subject is more extensively and most luminously treated by Miss Underbill (The Mystic Way, London, 1913, ch. iii. ), tliough the teclinical phraseology of the great mystics is, at times, too rigidly applied to the Apostle's spiritual experiences. Ilufus Jones holds that the term ' mystic ' more properly be- longs to St. Paul than to St. John, because ' Paul's Christianity takes its rise in an inward experience, and from beginning to end the stress is upon Clirist inwardly experienced and re-lived '
(op. cit. p. 16). St. Paul's explanation of his initi- ation into the spiritual life is: 'It was lint gnud pleasure of God to reveal his Son in me' (Gal 1'"). In his doctrine of mystical union with Christ he gives pregnant expression to his own consciousness of oneness with Christ : * when he came to analyze his own feelings, and to dissect this idea of uncnets, it was natural to him to see in it certain stages, corresponding to those great acts of Christ, to see in it something corresponding to death, something corresponding to burial . . ., and something corre- sponding to resurrection ' (Sanday-Hcadlam, ICC, ' Komans '», 1902, p. 162, note on Ko 6'""). Appeal- ing from Kant and Ritschl and Herrmann to Luther and his doctrine of the vnio mystica, Soderldom argues that ' the mystical union ... is a genuine constituent of evangelical Christianity, inasmuch as its mysticism is inseparably bound up with the essentials of every Christian life, that is to sa3', with the forgiveness of sins and with justification ' (Religion unci Gcistcskultur, vi. [1912] 298 11.; cf. ExpT xxiv. [1912-13] 117). Another truth which St. Paul put in the forefront of his teaching finds its highest expression in his great hymn in i)raise of Love(l Co 13), for therein he 'declares the con- ditions, and sets the standard, to which the whole of Christian mysticism has since striven to con- form' (Underbill, op. cit. p. 205). Finally, as Moberly has impressively said, 'the re.al truth of Christian Mysticism is, in fact, the doctrine, or rather the experience, of the Holy Ghost.' Mysti- cism is ' the realization of the Spirit of Holiness, the Spirit of the Creator of Heaven and Earth, in, and as, the climax of human personality' (Atone- ment and Personality, London, 1901, p. 312). In this doctrine the key to St. Paul's mysticism is found, for if Christ is to dwell in our hearts through faith we need to pray that we may be ' strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inward man' (Eph 3'").