Prophecy and Ecstasy
Martti Nissinen
November 22, 2017 DOI: 10.1093/oso/9780198808558.003.0005 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Topics | MDMA |
| Key points | Argues that an altered state of consciousness—ecstasy, trance, or possession—appears as a prerequisite of prophetic performance in ancient Near Eastern, Greek, and biblical texts. The Mesopotamian designation muḫḫûm/maḫḫû implies ecstatic performance, biblical prophets engage in ecstatic behavior, visions, and spirit journeys, and Greek sources assume divine possession of the Delphic Pythia and prophets at Didyma, Dodona, and Claros. The sources do not specify how the state was reached; divine inspiration, not its mechanism, was essential. |
Abstract
Abstract The prophetic performance is typically associated with a specific state of mind variously called ecstasy, trance, or possession. This chapter demonstrates that an altered state of consciousness appears as a prerequisite of the prophetic performance in ancient Near Eastern, Greek, and biblical texts. One of the designations of Mesopotamian prophets, muḫḫûm/maḫḫû, implies an ecstatic performance, and many biblical prophets engage in ecstatic behavior, seeing visions, and making spirit journeys. In Greek sources, the divine possession of the Delphic Pythia is taken for granted, and also the prophets of Didyma, Dodona, and Claros are believed to have been influenced by the divine spirit. Neither the Greek nor the Near Eastern sources specify how the altered state of consciousness was reached. The essential thing was that they were divinely inspired, not how the inspiration manifested itself.
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 |
Citations in the library
Cites 4
- Anthropology and spirit possession: A reconsideration of the Pythia's role at Delphi The Journal of Hellenic Studies November 1, 1995
- Ecstasy research in the 20th century – an introduction Scripta Instituti Donneriani Aboensis January 16, 2019
- The professional ecstatic in his social and ritual position Scripta Instituti Donneriani Aboensis January 16, 2019
- Ecstatic prophecy in the Old Testament Scripta Instituti Donneriani Aboensis January 16, 2019