Mystics: Presence and AporiaMichael Kessler, Christian Sheppard University of Chicago Press, 2003 M12 15 - 254 pages When we speak of mystics, we normally think of people who have confessed extraordinary experiences of divine presence. But mysticism can also refer to the ways that people have described and explained such phenomena—ways that challenge our normal modes of thinking and believing. And the study of mystics can show problems inherent to experience and language—how to speak and think about what affects people but lies beyond language or thought. Mystics presents a collection of previously unpublished essays by prominent scholars that consider both the idea of mystics and mysticism. The contributors offer detailed discussions of a variety of mystics from history, including Dionysius the Areopagite, Thomas Aquinas, Joan of Arc, Nicholas of Cusa, Saint Teresa of Avila, Martin Luther, and George Herbert. Essays on mysticism in George Bataille, Maurice Blanchot, and contemporary technology bring the volume into the twenty-first century. For anyone interested in the state of current thinking about mysticism, this collection will be an essential touchstone. Contributors: Thomas A. Carlson, Alexander Golitzin, Kevin Hart, Amy Hollywood, Michael Kessler, Jean-Luc Marion, Bernard McGinn, Françoise Meltzer, Susan Schreiner, Regina M. Schwartz, Christian Sheppard, David Tracy |
Contents
What Do We Mean by Mystic? | 1 |
The Place of Negative Theology in the Mystagogy of Dionysius Areopagites | 8 |
Thomas Aquinas and Ontotheology | 38 |
The Trial of Joan of Arc | 75 |
Nicholas of Cusas Trinitarian Mysticism | 90 |
The Problem of Deception in Martin Luther and Teresa of Avila | 118 |
Herberts Mystical Eucharist | 138 |
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according angel Angela of Foligno apophatic argues ascent Bataille Bataille's becomes Blanchot causa sui causality cause certainty certitude Christ Christian Church claim concept Corpus Dionysiacum created Cusa's death Descartes Deus devil Dionysian Dionysius Dionysius's distinction Divine Names docta ignorantia ecstasy entity Epistle Eriugena essence Eucharist Father Georges Bataille God’s Golitzin Heidegger Herbert Hierarchy Holy human Ibid incomprehensible Inner Experience Interior Castle Jean-Luc Marion Joan language light literature liturgy Luther McGinn means medieval meditational Meister Eckhart memory metaphysica metaphysics modern mystery Mystical Theology negative theology Nicholas of Cusa nonexperience omnia onto-theo-logy Paris Paulhan philosophy praise precisely Pseudo-Dionysius quae question quod revealed sacramental Saint Satan soul speak Spirit Summa Theologiae technological Teresa theophany Thierry of Chartres things Thomas Aquinas thought tion tradition trans transcendence trinitarian Trinity understanding unitas unity University Press unknowing vision word writing