The Christian Mysticism Podcast

St. John Bosco (1815–1888) was a mystic who received visions in his dreams so vivid they shaped the future of souls and nations. From prophetic encounters and chilling glimpses of hell to a revolutionary approach to educating troubled youth, in this episode, we explore how one mystic's dreams became a divine blueprint for transforming lives.If you would like to order a copy of Dr. Carlos Eire's latest book, "They Flew: A History of the Impossible," you can order a copy HERE (Yale University Press) or HERE (Amazon).If you have any questions, you can email us at [email protected]. Your question and the answer may appear in a future episode of the podcast.You can visit our podcast website HERE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thomas Merton (1915–1968) was a Trappist monk, bestselling author, and mystic whose life bridged cloistered silence and global controversy. From a restless, scandal-marked youth to a dramatic conversion and controversial activism. Merton sought hiddenness yet became one of the most influential Christian voices of the twentieth century.If you would like to order a copy of Dr. Carlos Eire's latest book, "They Flew: A History of the Impossible," you can order a copy HERE (Yale University Press) or HERE (Amazon).If you have any questions, you can email us at [email protected]. Your question and the answer may appear in a future episode of the podcast.You can visit our podcast website HERE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anne Catherine Emmerich (1774-1824) was an Augustinian Canoness born in Flamschen bei Coesfeld, Westphalia, in northwest Germany in 1774. One of nine children, her family was very poor but faith-filled. She is best known for her visions of Christ and the stunning details recorded of those visions that served as one of the primary sources for the portrayal of the Passion of Jesus Christ in Mel Gibson's epic film, The Passion of Christ.If you would like to order a copy of Dr. Carlos Eire's new book, "They Flew: A History of the Impossible," you can order a copy HERE (Yale University Press) or HERE (Amazon).If you have any questions, you can email us at [email protected]. Your question and the answer may appear in a future episode of the podcast.You can visit our podcast website HERE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After many requests, Dr. Carlos Eire shares a reading list with our listeners.Great classic introductions:Evelyn Underhill,  Mysticism: A foundational, comprehensive survey of the mystical path. The Cambridge Companion to Christian Mysticism, edited by Amy Hollywood & Patricia Beckman): An excellent collection of essays Understanding Mysticism, ed. Richard Woods: Excellent essays of all the foundational scholarly interpreters of mysticism. Including the following: David Knowles, “What Is Mysticism?”Louis Bouyer, “Mysticism: An Essay on the History of the Word”Margaret Smith, “The Nature and Meaning of Mysticism"Evelyn Underhill, “The Essentials of Mysticism”Edward Howells: "Mysticism and the Mystical: The Current Debate" R. C. Zaehner, Mysticism Sacred and Profane: an Inquiry Into Some Varieties of Praeternatural Experience: A classicMore recent introductionsStephen Clarke, From Athens to Jerusalem: The Love of Wisdom and the Love of GodOlivier Clément, The Roots of Christian Mysticism John Macquarrie, Two Worlds Are Ours: An Introduction to Christian MysticismCarl McColman, The New Big Book of Christian Mysticism: An Essential Guide to Contemplative Spirituality Great historical - analytical surveys:Louis Bouyer, et. al., A History of Christian Spirituality, 3 volumes: an older classic surveyVol. 1 The Spirituality of the New Testament and the FathersVol. 2 The Spirituality of the Middle AgesVol. 3 Orthodox Spirituality and Protestant and Anglican Spirituality Bernard McGinn, The Presence of God: A History of Western Christian Mysticism:A monumental multi-volume series that explores the development of mysticism across different historical periods and theological contexts. Vol. 1 The Foundations of Mysticism: Origins to the Fifth CenturyVol. 2 The Growth of Mysticism: Gregory the Great Through the 12 CenturyVol. 3 The Flowering of Mysticism: Men and Women in the New Mysticism: 1200-1350Vol. 4 The Harvest of Mysticism in Medieval Germany: 1300-1500Vol. 5 The Varieties of Vernacular Mysticism: 1350–1550Vol. 6.1 Mysticism in the Reformation: 1500-1650Vol. 6.2 Mysticism in the Golden Age of Spain: 1500-1650Vol. 6.3 The Persistence of Mysticism in Catholic Europe 1500-1675Vol. 7 The Crisis of Mysticism: Quietism in Seventeenth-Century Spain, Italy, and France Bernard McGinn, Modern Mystics: An Introduction (not part of the Presence of God series, but a an essential complement to all of its volumes)Short surveys Harvey Egan, Introduction to Christian MysticismSteven Fanning, Mystics of the Christian TraditionWilliam Harmless, MysticsRichard Rohr, The Naked Now: Learning to See as the Mystics SeeFocus on the corporeal dimension of mysticism:Montague Summers, The Physical Phenomena of MysticismHerbert Thurston, The Physical Phenomena of MysticismFocus on Practice:The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence of the ResurrectionThomas Keating, Open Mind, Open HeartMartin Laird, Into the Silent Land: A Guide to the Practice of Contemplation                      An Ocean of Light: Contemplation, Transformation, and Liberation                     A Sunlit Absence: Silence, Awareness, and ContemplationThomas Merton,  New Seeds of Contemplation                         Contemplative Prayer Anthologies of Christian mystical texts:The Essential Writings of Christian Mysticism, edited by Bernard McGinnChristian Spirituality: The Classics, edited by Arthur HolderLight from Light: An Anthology of Christian Mysticism, edited by Louis DupréSuggestions for approaching the subject graduallyFirst step: Read a brief modern guide like that of Harmless or Fanning to get context before diving into the mystical texts. Second step: Dive into short excerpts from mystical texts in an anthology such as those listed above Third step: Pair theoretical texts (like Underhill) with devotional texts (like Brother Lawrence or Merton) and entire mystical texts (like the Cloud of Unknowing or The Interior Castle). Fourth step: Dive into the great surveys (like McGinn), and explore mystical texts from different eras and traditions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emanuel Swedenborg (1688-1772) was a Swedish scientist, philosopher, and theologian who, in his midlife, became a Christian mystic and visionary after a profound spiritual awakening. Unlike most mystics, however, Swedenborg did not follow the usual steps to mysticism and many of his visions are like nothing we have heard about before, making him a most unusual mystic.If you would like to order a copy of Dr. Carlos Eire's latest book, "They Flew: A History of the Impossible," you can order a copy HERE (Yale University Press) or HERE (Amazon). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is the connection between relics and mysticism? In this episode, we look at how relics have played an important role throughout church history, including the relics of well-known mystics. Mysticism joins the heavenly realm with the earthly realm, and we find that relics can do the same. If you would like to order a copy of Dr. Carlos Eire's new book, "They Flew: A History of the Impossible," you can order a copy HERE (Yale University Press) or HERE (Amazon).If you have any questions, you can email us at [email protected]. Your question and the answer may appear in a future episode of the podcast.You can visit our podcast website HERE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Father Thomas Keating (1923 – 2018) was an American Trappist monk who took the form of prayer used by Christian mystics over the past centuries and presented in a modern and accessible manner, so everyone can partake of it. Although considered controversial by some, Centering Prayer bears a very close resemblance to how Christian mystics used prayer to connect with God and the divine.If you would like to order a copy of Dr. Carlos Eire's new book, "They Flew: A History of the Impossible," you can order a copy HERE (Yale University Press) or HERE (Amazon).If you have any questions, you can email us at [email protected]. Your question and the answer may appear in a future episode of the podcast.You can visit our podcast website HERE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

St. Gertrude of Helfta (1256–1302) was a 13th century German nun who enjoyed constant contact with the divine through her mystical experiences. Known also as Gertrude the Great, her writings were very influential and inspired St. Teresa of Avila and many other mystics throughout the centuries. If you would like to order a copy of Dr. Carlos Eire's new book, "They Flew: A History of the Impossible," you can order a copy HERE (Yale University Press) or HERE (Amazon).If you have any questions, you can email us at [email protected]. Your question and the answer may appear in a future episode of the podcast.You can visit our podcast website HERE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mystics can experience mystical visions that give them insight into the spiritual realm and that can bring messages from God. Whether they are visions of Christ Himself, the Virgin Mary, Angels, or even other saints, this mystical phenomenon plays a vital role in the life of mystics. In this episode, we go over the three types of visions mystics experience and discuss some of the messages they convey to them and to the world. If you would like to order a copy of Dr. Carlos Eire's latest book, "They Flew: A History of the Impossible," you can order a copy HERE (Yale University Press) or HERE (Amazon).If you have any questions, you can email us at [email protected]. Your question and the answer may appear in a future episode of the podcast.You can visit our podcast website HERE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For many Christian mystics who live holy lives of prayer and dedication, visions of heavenly beings are not out of the ordinary. However, heavenly visions are not always exclusive to mystics. Throughout church history, apparitions of heavenly beings have appeared countless times to regular people, often children, sometimes creating confusion and many times changing lives, countries, and even regions. In this episode, we talk about apparitions, mystical visions experienced by non-mystics. If you would like to order a copy of Dr. Carlos Eire's latest book, "They Flew: A History of the Impossible," you can order a copy HERE (Yale University Press) or HERE (Amazon).If you have any questions, you can email us at [email protected]. Your question and the answer may appear in a future episode of the podcast.You can visit our podcast website HERE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Born at the end of the 30-Year’s War, the worst bloodbath ever in Christian history, with Protestants and Catholics killing each other, involving most western European nations, Catholic mystic Madame Guyon (Jeanne-Marie Bouvier de La Motte Guyon 1648 -1717) devoted herself to a life of prayer amidst intense suffering. Ironic for her era, her mysticism crossed confessional lines and appealed to both Catholics and Protestants. If you would like to order a copy of Dr. Carlos Eire's new book, "They Flew: A History of the Impossible," you can order a copy HERE (Yale University Press) or HERE (Amazon).If you have any questions, you can email us at [email protected]. Your question and the answer may appear in a future episode of the podcast.You can visit our podcast website HERE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why do so many mystics endure investigations, persecutions, and even imprisonment and execution? Mystics are always a potential challenge to church and civil authorities. If they are close to God – or united with God – they can claim higher authority than anyone else. Nevertheless, there are also any mystics who escaped close scrutiny and persecution. If you would like to order a copy of Dr. Carlos Eire's new book, "They Flew: A History of the Impossible," you can order a copy HERE (Yale University Press) or HERE (Amazon).If you have any questions, you can email us at [email protected]. Your question and the answer may appear in a future episode of the podcast.You can visit our podcast website HERE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

St. Thérèse of Lisieux (1873–1897) was a French Carmelite nun and a Doctor of the Church. She is known for her autobiography, Story of a Soul, which is still a popular spiritual read today. She is one of the most popular saints of the 20th century and still very popular today. St. Thérèse was never known for exhibiting the physical phenomena or ecstasies many other mystics throughout history have shown, and actually considered herself an anti-mystic. However, her deep understanding of scripture and her connection to God shows she definitely had a mystical connection to the divine. If you would like to order a copy of Dr. Carlos Eire's new book, "They Flew: A History of the Impossible," you can order a copy HERE (Yale University Press) or HERE (Amazon).If you have any questions, you can email us at [email protected]. Your question and the answer may appear in a future episode of the podcast.You can visit our podcast website HERE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Love is an absolutely essential component of Christian mysticism. It is the driving force as well as the ultimate goal: to know God and to love God. But like all other aspects of Christian mysticism, it is deeply wrapped in paradox.If you would like to order a copy of Dr. Carlos Eire's new book, "They Flew: A History of the Impossible," you can order a copy HERE (Yale University Press) or HERE (Amazon).If you have any questions, you can email us at [email protected]. Your question and the answer may appear in a future episode of the podcast.You can visit our podcast website HERE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pain and suffering is part of every mystical journey and throughout history, Christian mystics have embraced it. The classic path to mysticism can be described in three steps: purgation, illumination, and union. But for Christian mystics, the purgation never ends. In this episode, Dr. Carlos Eire delves into the lives of Christian mystics and explains how they considered pain and suffering a gift from God.If you would like to order a copy of Dr. Carlos Eire's new book, "They Flew: A History of the Impossible," you can order a copy HERE (Yale University Press) or HERE (Amazon).If you have any questions, you can email us at [email protected]. Your question and the answer may appear in a future episode of the podcast.You can visit our podcast website HERE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Maria Faustyna Kowalska of the Blessed Sacrament, OLM (1905 – 1938) was a Polish Catholic religious sister and mystic. Faustyna had apparitions of Jesus Christ, which inspired the Catholic devotion to the Divine Mercy and earned her the title of the "secretary" of Divine Mercy.Throughout her life, Kowalska reported having visions of Jesus and conversations with Him, which she noted in her diary, later published as The Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska: Divine Mercy in My Soul. Her biography, submitted to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, quoted some of the conversations with Jesus regarding the Divine Mercy devotion.If you would like to order a copy of Dr. Carlos Eire's new book, "They Flew: A History of the Impossible," you can order a copy HERE (Yale University Press) or HERE (Amazon).If you have any questions, you can email us at [email protected]. Your question and the answer may appear in a future episode of the podcast.You can visit our podcast website HERE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Christian Bible is full of imagery and instruction that Christian mystics have used as inspiration and direction in their mystical journeys. In our last episode, Dr. Carlos Eire shared a sampling of Old Testament scripture that Christian mystics have used and meditated on over the centuries. In this episode, we explore the New Testament and how Christian mystics used it as inspiration.If you would like to order a copy of Dr. Carlos Eire's new book, "They Flew: A History of the Impossible," you can order a copy HERE (Yale University Press) or HERE (Amazon). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Christian Bible is full of imagery and instruction that Christian mystics have used as inspiration and direction in their mystical journeys. In this episode, Dr Carlos Eire shares a sampling of Old Testament scripture that Christian mystics have used and meditated on over the centuries. In the next episode, we'll explore the New Testament and the inspiration mystics found in that scripture. If you would like to order a copy of Dr. Carlos Eire's new book, "They Flew: A History of the Impossible," you can order a copy HERE (Yale University Press) or HERE (Amazon). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is the human brain the source of mystical experience? You may be surprised to learn scientists have been able to map the part of the brain that becomes active when individuals are in prayer, but that doesn't necessarily mean mysticism is just a hallucination or psychosis. In this episode, we discuss how the brain plays a role in mysticism and how modern psychology's penchant to pathologize mystical experiences as a mental disorder may be too quick to discredit real mysticism. If you would like to order a copy of Dr. Carlos Eire's new book, "They Flew: A History of the Impossible," you can order a copy HERE (Yale University Press) or HERE (Amazon). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.