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Just consider these diverse instances of mysticism, which represent the different
styles and methods of mystical practice:
The writings of Jewish Kabbalah mystic Rabbi Abulafia, whose work includes
practical directions for the achievement of religious ecstasy
The practice of hesychasm, through which medieval Christians used the
repetition of the "Jesus prayer" to evoke a stillness in body and soul and invite
divine revelation
The theological texts of Jalal ad-Din Rumi, a Muslim scholar who explored the
mystical implications of love through breathtaking poetry
What these diverse traditions share is an intense desire to experience the divine. In
some cases, this highly individual quest aligns with the shared practices of the faith
as when Christian monks in medieval monasteries used prayer and
contemplation to enhance their spiritual lives. In others, mystics find themselves in
tension with the dominant traditionas seen in the case of the Islamic Sufi mystics,
whose asceticism developed in opposition to the tenets of the faith as practiced by
the larger community.
But what all these traditions share is a commitment to the pursuit of knowledge of
God as the heart of religious experience and the very core of what it means to be
human.
Mystical Tradition introduces you to the many faces of mysticism, from renowned
scholars to simple people striving for personal enlightenment, throughout the
centuries.
Along the way, you encounter the fascinating stories of mysticsboth famous and
obscurewhose quest for knowledge resonates today:
The 11th-century Sufi mystic al-Ghazzali, whose spiritual crisis led him to
abandon a successful university career to pursue a life of asceticism and
contemplation.
Teresa of vila, one of three female doctors of the Roman Catholic Church,
whose harrowing and mystical vision of hell led her to found a more rigorous
form of monastic life.
Abraham Isaac Kook, a 20th-century rabbi whose work forged a fascinating
connection between the scientific theory of evolution and Kabbalah
You also hear about the less renowned, everyday people who followed the mystical
tradition through daily devotions and community life, from Jewish Hasidic
communities that arose in the 18th century to the 16th-century Anabaptists, whose
attempts to live a newly reformed, mystically focused form of Protestant Christianity
led to their persecution.
These lives emerge from the writings they left behindtouching personal diaries,
historical accounts of visions and revelations, theological commentaries, and lyrical
poems of great beauty. Using firsthand sources, Professor Johnson explores the
various roles writing has played in mysticism and provides memorable, moving
examples of the great literature produced by this vast spiritual tradition, including
such famed pieces as St. Francis of Assisi's "Canticle of Brother Sun" and
remarkable excerpts from the wisdom literature of a 9th-century female Sufi mystic.
Contemplate the Nature of Spirituality
You also contemplate questions about the nature of mysticism itself: How are we to
understand mysticismas literally true, as poetically true, or as a delusion? Will
mysticism survive in an increasingly secular world? What is the future of mysticism?
As it becomes detached and popularized apart from its religious faiths, can mystical
observances retain their original character?
A Unique Opportunity
For most students, this is a unique opportunity. Many of the sources Professor
Johnson draws onfrom ancient Hebrew meditations to medieval Muslim
philosophical texts to early Christian Gnostic writingsare unavailable to general
readers. Some of them have only recently been translated into English. Professor
Johnson's course offers for nonspecialists what in many cases is a first-time
glimpse into this tradition.
A noted religious scholar and former Benedictine monk, Professor Johnson offers
an intriguing, enlightening look into these seldom-studied traditions and illuminates
the rich and complex relationship between mystical contemplation and the Western
traditions of faith. He also helps you understand how these various traditions have
contributed to faith, philosophy, and daily life over the centuries.
But perhaps most important, he invites you to join him as you ponder a new way to
understand faith, religion, and the essence of humanity. Explore with Professor
Johnson the intriguing and enriching insights that await you in Mystical Tradition:
Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
While this course works well in all formats, the DVD version features over 700 visual
elements to enhance your learning experience, including images, maps, and a
wealth of on-screen text taken from each faith's rich body of mystical literature.
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Viviana Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report Inappropriate Review)
(read all my reviews)
Location: Santiago, Chile
Overall Rating
Course Content Not my favorite course Date: October 12, 2010
Professor
Presentation "The idea is interesting, to learn about the mystics and their experiences and
Course Value practices in three major western religions. The professor attempted to do that
and presented some of the information that you would expect in a course
MichaelT named Mystical Traditions.
(read all my reviews)
However, I was overwhelmed by all the names and dates and by the sheer
Location: Long Island, NY
number of the mystics mentioned in the course. I think the course might have
been better if the professor has reviewed fewer practitioners, concentrating
instead on the essence of mysticism, the ways to experiencing it and its
impact on the individual.
I forced myself to listen to the entire course and was glad when it was over."
Overall Rating
Course Content Great Interfaith Course Date: August 30, 2009
Professor
Presentation "This course was very very educational. Luke Timothy Johnson is an extremely
Course Value good communicator and covers this topic with respect and uplifting language
toward all three faiths. He shows the common ground that the three faiths
Artistree share.
(read all my reviews) I found the section on Islam especially interesting in that Sufism, according to
Location: Lake Tomahawk, WI Johnson, is the heart of Islamic law. We in the West could see how Sufism
and Christianity have much in common by listening to Luke Johnson very
intelligent lectures. A very thoughful presentation mysticism in Judaism was
immensely interesting, information that is rarely covered in our lacking
education of religion here in America. This is a course that is essential for all
those who have interfaith friendships with others of differant faiths than there
own, and even for those who have limited contact with these great faith
traditions."
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