From ecstasy to divine somnambulism: Henri Delacroix's studies in the history and psychology of mysticism.
History of psychology November 1, 2020 DOI: 10.1037/hop0000149 (opens in new tab) via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractHenri Delacroix's 1908 book on the psychology of mysticism was part of a debate with the American school of psychology of religion. Delacroix argued against the American emphasis on the primacy of emotions in religious experience, instead introducing a developmental logic into the mystical life. He also sought to shift focus away from ecstasy as the central aspect of mysticism and to account for mysticism's value by positing a specific underlying mental state.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Historical analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key finding | Argues that Delacroix's work countered the American school's emphasis on affect in religious experience by introducing developmental logic and a focus on a specific mental state underlying mysticism. |
Abstract
This article aims at placing Henri Delacroix's (1908) book on the psychology of mysticism in the context of debates in the psychology of religion in the earlier part of the 20th century. I argue that Delacroix's work was authored as part of a wider debate that Delacroix maintained with the American school of the psychology of religion regarding the role of emotions in religious experience. As I show, Delacroix sought to counter the primacy of the affective in religious experience, which the Americans maintained, and to introduce the notion of a developmental logic into the mystical life. In addition, Delacroix also tried to disengage mysticism from an exclusive focus on ecstasy, as well as to offer an account of the value of mysticism based on the existence of a specific mental state that underscored it. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).