Mystical Texts
The Oxford Handbook of Mystical Theology February 25, 2020 DOI: 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780198722380.013.12 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Proposes that mystical literature has three distinctive elements: an exceptional linguistic referent, a wide variety of genres tied to authorial motives and context, and a determining function of difficult historical and theological contexts on intertextuality and reception. |
Abstract
The study of mysticism and mystical theology implies the study of texts, and the general principles of scientific literary analysis are applied here. Nevertheless, mystical literature contains a number of elements that are worthy of specific enquiry. The first is that as a linguistic form, these texts have a unique ‘referent’—i.e. that the connection between the signifiant and the signifié is exceptional. Second, it is important to note that mystical literature consists of a wide variety of literary genres, which is partly related to the mystical authors’ motives for writing, the concrete circumstances in which these texts were written, and the intended readers. Third, these texts often function(ed) in difficult (historical and theological) contexts, which is a determining factor in terms of intertextuality and reception history.