Divine Nothingness, Ecstasy and Self-transcendence in the Evangelical Pearl
R. van Nieuwenhove
Medieval Mystical Theology January 2, 2022 DOI: 10.1080/20465726.2022.2084840 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | MDMA |
| Key points | Argues that divine nothingness elicits a theological-anthropological response of ecstasy and self-transcendence, best understood as a disposition of radical recollection, dispossessiveness, and gratuitousness of memory, intellect, and will. The paper also asks whether this negative theology of nothingness is vulnerable to Luther's criticism of apophaticism and its alleged lack of Christocentric grounding. |
Abstract
ABSTRACT This article considers a key topic from medieval theological anthropology by examining how ecstasy and self-transcendence relate to divine nothingness. It discusses this topic by examining a spiritual classic written by a female author and published in 1538 but largely forgotten, namely, The Evangelical Pearl, which encapsulates central themes from Jan van Ruusbroec and Meister Eckhart and passes them on to the modern age. This contribution argues that divine nothingness elicits a theological-anthropological response of ecstasy and self-transcendence, which is best understood as a disposition of radical recollection, dispossessiveness and gratuitousness of one’s memory, intellect and will. The final part of this paper considers the question whether our author’s negative theology of nothingness is vulnerable to Luther’s criticism of apophaticism and its alleged lack of Christocentric grounding.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on MDMA, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Differences Between the Mechanism of Action of MDMA, MBDB, and the Classic Hallucinogens. Identification of a New Therapeutic Class: Entactogens | 1986 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| The Background and Chemistry of MDMA | 1986 | Historical analysis | |
| The origin of MDMA (ecstasy) revisited: the true story reconstructed from the original documents* Original documents in Merck's historical archive in Darmstadt, Germany, years 1900–1960 | 2006 | Historical analysis | |
| Distinct neural mechanisms for the prosocial and rewarding properties of MDMA | 2019 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| How could MDMA (ecstasy) help anxiety disorders? A neurobiological rationale | 2009 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |