Mystics

** Medieval Mysticism **


Mysticism and miracles were very important features to the development of Christianity during Medieval times. Mysticism is the spiritual quest for truth and is practiced to find unity with God. Usually, it included having visions. The people that had these visions were called mystics. Sadly, many mystics were caught, tried, and (if one were female) burned at the stake. Roman Catholic churches did not accept the idea of Mysticism. They believed it was a form of heresy, since it sometimes contradicted what they knew to be the Christian religion. The Eastern Orthodox Churches however, welcomed the idea.

A specific kind of Christianity affected by mysticism was Byzantine Christianity. The main foundation of their religion was the doctrine. Monks were their spiritual leaders, and were usually the ones who had the visions. The writings the monks left behind make up the theology of Byzantine Christianity. The Byzantines were highly affected by mysticism because they believed that one could not reach God through reason. That statement goes along with the idea behind mysticism.

Works Cited
 * “The Knowing.” Flickr. Yahoo, 11 June 2009. Web. 6 Apr. 2010. .
 * “Miracles and Mysticism.” Medieval World. Vol. 7. Danbury, CT: Grolier Education, 2001. 13-15. Print.
 * “Mysticism.” The Middle Ages: An Encyclopedia for Students. Ed. William Chester Jordan. Vol. 3. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1996. 165-167. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 25 Mar. 2010.

MH