Mystical theology is the study of religious ideas that are difficult to explain. It can refer to the exploration of the human soul’s approach to the Christian God, often through prayer and contemplation. Medieval scholars, philosophers, and theologians heavily influenced this type of theology, with Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite’s work being a significant contribution.
Mystical theology can refer to fairly general concepts within religious studies or to the study of a specific aspect of Christian theology. In general terms, this type of theology is concerned with the study of the mystical or that which cannot be easily explained or understood as far as religion is concerned. As a more specific term, mystical theology can refer to a particular idea within Christian religious study that involves the ascent of the human soul to the Christian God. This idea was extensively developed and expanded upon in medieval times and involves an understanding of ideas that cannot be easily explained.
As a basic concept, mystical theology refers to the study of religious ideas involving those things that are not easily expressed or explained. This is in contrast to some other types of theology which may refer to more specific and concrete aspects of a religion, such as its ground rules or creation story. The mystical components of a religion are typically those that are most difficult for someone outside that religion to understand or believe. This makes mystical theology a field of study that often requires a great deal of openness and a willingness to consider ideas that may seem far-fetched or impossible.
In a more specific sense, mystical theology can refer to the study of a particular aspect of Christian belief systems. This aspect is an exploration of the ways in which the human soul or conscience can approach the Christian God. One of the simplest ways many Christians seek to create this closeness is through prayer or contemplation of God. In the study of mystical theology, this type of contemplation is explored as a process by which a person is able to overcome own physical and spiritual limits and approach the Christian divinity.
Many of the ideas explored in this type of mystical theology come from medieval scholars, philosophers, and theologians. The works of one individual in particular, Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, established some of the foundations for this kind of mystical exploration of the Christian faith. His work entitled Mystical Theology is a seminal treatise on how one can use prayer and contemplation to move beyond ignorance and draw closer to the God of Christianity. This type of theology was heavily influenced by the works of Roman philosophers, especially the Neo-Platonist philosophers, and their explorations of the “good” and how someone can know it.
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