Listening out for God’s Breath – a Negative Hermeneutical Approach to Mysticism
Edda Wolff
Interdisciplinary Journal for Religion and Transformation in Contemporary Society September 1, 2023 DOI: 10.30965/23642807-bja10085 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Mysticism |
| Keywords | Hermeneutics Faith Negation Negativity effect Epistemology Active listening Theology Linguistics |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key points | Argues that a negative hermeneutics, centered on the 'travail of the negative,' is a suitable lens for studying mysticism and contributes to theological discourse by emphasizing negation. |
Abstract
Abstract This essay argues that a negative hermeneutics, i.e., a hermeneutics that takes its starting point from the experience of gaps, failures, and limits, is a suitable lens for the study of mysticism. It uses the concept of travail of the negative, which focuses on dynamics of a continuous ‘unsaying’ and ‘subverting’ of traditional expressions of faith and religious practice, to explore the connection between aspects of practical and theoretical negativity in mystical expressions. It suggests that this approach to mystical theology makes an important contribution to the wider theological discourse and encourages theology to take the fundamental character of negation seriously.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on mysticism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The mystical mind: probing the biology of religious experience | 2000 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Religious and Mystical Experiences as Artifacts of Temporal Lobe Function: A General Hypothesis | 1983 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| The Problem of Pure Consciousness: Mysticism and Philosophy | 1993 | Edited collection of essays | |
| Irreducible Mind: Toward a Psychology for the 21st Century | 2020 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mysticism and schizophrenia: A phenomenological exploration of the structure of consciousness in the schizophrenia spectrum disorders. | 2016 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cites 4
- Cataphasis, Visualization, and Mystical Space The Oxford Handbook of Mystical Theology February 25, 2020
- Theological Epistemology and Apophasis The Oxford Handbook of Mystical Theology February 25, 2020
- Mystical Theology and Christian Self-Understanding The Oxford Handbook of Mystical Theology February 25, 2020
- Mystical Theology in Contemporary Perspective The Oxford Handbook of Mystical Theology February 25, 2020