Christian mysticism

Mysticism is the philosophy and practice of a direct experience of God. In the Christian context it is usually practiced through pursuit of the three disciplines of contemplative prayer (including Christian meditation), fasting (including other forms of abstinence), and alms-giving, all discussed by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew Chapters 5-7). Another form of mysticism is participation in ecstatic worship. Many Christians believe that God dwells in all people (or at least in all Christians) through the Holy Spirit, and therefore all Christians can experience God directly.

External links

• Mysticism in Catholic Encyclopedia
• Who's Who in the History of Mysticism by Professor Bruce B. Janz
• ChristianMystics.com includes many short essays covering various aspects of Christian mysticism
• Alphabetical List of Mystics
• Evelyn Underhill's classic work A Study in the Nature and Development of Spiritual Consciousness
• Mysticism in World Religions
• Christian Mysticism