Revelation beyond Conversion: St. Paul Apostle’s Mystical Experiencein Light of Maurice Blondel’s Philosophy of the Mysticism
Lilin Wu
Studia Bobolanum June 1, 2026 DOI: 10.5604/01.3001.0055.7826 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Mysticism Mystical experience |
| Key points | Argues that St. Paul's Damascus experience is best understood as a mystical revelation and prophetic calling, not a simple conversion, and that it exemplifies authentic mysticism as defined by Blondel's philosophy. |
Abstract
This article describes St. Paul’s powerful experience on the road to Damascus using thephilosophy of mysticism by Maurice Blondel. While the experience is often simplifiedas a conversion, the study posits that it is more accurately described as a revelation anda prophetic calling. Using Blondel’s non-reductionist approach, which focuses on livedexperience as well as action, this article demonstrates that St. Paul’s Damascus experience was a truly mystical experience that was rational and transformative. The firstpart analyzes St. Paul’s Christophany as an apostolic mission, and not simply a changeof religion. The second part explains Blondel’s criteria for authentic mysticism and whyhe insists on the mystic experience being more than a psychological phenomenon. Thethird part uses St. Paul’s transformation as an example of authentic mystical experienceas a result of applying Blondel’s philosophy. The conclusion emphasizes the enduringtheological significance of the event on the road to Damascus.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on mystical experience, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Religious and Mystical Experiences as Artifacts of Temporal Lobe Function: A General Hypothesis | 1983 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| The Psychedelic Mystical Experience in the Human Encounter with Death | 1969 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Vectorial Cerebral Hemisphericity as Differential Sources for the Sensed Presence, Mystical Experiences and Religious Conversions | 1993 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| The epistemic innocence of psychedelic states. | 2016 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mystical Experience and Religious Doctrine | 1982 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |