At its heart, mysticism is the pursuit of direct experience with the Divine—encounters that transcend doctrines and rational explanations. It has been part of Christianity since the beginning.
Beautifully laid out, Joe. What I appreciate most is how you resist turning mysticism into a niche within Christianity when—if we’re honest—it’s more like the spine. From Jesus retreating to lonely places to Paul’s third-heaven vision, to the Desert Mothers and Fathers rejecting empire religion for inner fire, mysticism wasn’t the fringe. It was the fire that kept the faith alive when institutions went cold.
Also love that you named Marguerite Porete. More folks need to know her story—burned not for blasphemy, but for daring to say you don’t need priests to touch the Divine.
The church fears what it can’t control. But the mystic doesn’t need control—just stillness, and maybe a little holy defiance.
I don’t write about Gnosticism 😉 That’s the later system with archons, demiurges, and dualistic escape plans.
I write about the Gnostics—the mystics behind the Gospel of Mary, Thomas, and Philip. Their vision isn’t world-rejecting; it’s about seeing through illusion and recovering wholeness.
Gospel of Thomas, Logion 22:
“When you make the two one... when you make the inside like the outside... and the male and female one and the same... then you will enter the kingdom.”
That’s not dualism. That’s non-dual integration. The “kingdom” is realized when opposites dissolve.
In the Gospel of Mary, the soul tells the powers:
“I saw you. You did not see me nor recognize me. I served you as a garment, and you did not know me.”
The “powers” aren’t literal cosmic overlords—they’re inner projections. The soul doesn’t flee them—it recognizes them, and is free.
And Gospel of Philip goes all in:
“Light and darkness, life and death... are brothers of one another. They are inseparable. Because of this, neither are the good good, nor the evil evil...”
This isn’t about sorting reality into binaries—it’s about transcending the illusion that there ever were two.
Deconstruction of the Ego (the binary operating system) is painful and doesn't sell well. It's much easier for people to convince themselves that if they believe Jesus rose from the dead then they will to and be given a happy pill by God to live happily ever after.
I know I am preaching to the choir on that one. What's interesting in this moment is thinking how we probably chose all this craziness so we could be entertained with the whole process.
What if, we are eternal thoughts of God, that created this mess just to play hide and seek with ourselves? Better not go there, might get my tongue and hand cut off.
I have enjoyed your writing Joe. I have always been drawn to the mystics for that very reason you state, the mystery. The sense of divine presence and yet the mystery of it all.
Recently I finished reading Martin Laird’s Into the Silent Land and there is a quote that I felt speaks of the heart of Christian mysticism.
“God is already the ground of our being…most of us spend most of our lives more or less ignorant of this…this ignorance is pervasive and renders us like the proverbial deep-sea fisherman, who spends his life fishing for minnows while standing on a whale.”
I walked away decades ago, left it all. It has been a long journey with no guidance. I have come to a place where I can live now. But, these people were hidden from me while I was in the church and I have only recently discovered them after avoiding them for their connection with the church. If I had known of them it may have changed the trajectory of my life. Now the question remains where would I be now? but, I am sure it would have changed my path
Are you Buddhist now? If so and you’re interested in some crossover reading material both Thomas Merton and Richard Rohr might be down your alley. Rohr’s Falling Upward was transformative for me .
I am not Buddhist although my practice most closely resembles Shikantaza. I dont hold their dogma. I have been heavily influenced by Thich Nhat Hahn and have read “Living Buddha, Living Christ”. I would be interested in other work although i am not seeking a path back to the church, I have no animosity, I just believe my path is elsewhere. That being said, I am not stuck with/on any beliefs.
Oh my gosh! This post could not have been more perfectly timed! I was reflecting on my own leanings toward mysticism last night. I believe that could be part of why I still enjoy the CCM artists I listened to before going on this deconstruction journey here. I still feel close to God when I listen to that music. But I've also learned how to hear from him in secular music. Funny enough, I was listening to 'Fantasy' by Earth, Wind and Fire as I was typing this. I love how I've been able to connect with God through this song more recently. I'm undecided when it comes to materialism though. I agree with you that the possibility of no separation between realms is there, I just have a harder time wrapping my brain around it and I like that feeling.
Haha! Though this post is about mystery the timing of it for you isn’t so much :) Your comment yesterday reminded me I had been wanting to write about it.
Merton, Nouwen, and Rohr — those were the three who drew me in starting 25 years ago. The deeper I’ve gone, the less I care about checking all the boxes of orthodoxy. Most recently I’ve come into contact with nondual tantra and I think it makes a powerful cocktail with Christian mythology.
I am also a big fan of Fr Rohr. I was first introduced to contemplative prayer by a couple of Jesuit authors. I recommend “Armchair Mystic”. I think evangelicals decry mysticism in part because they are worried that direct experience of God will cause you to reject much of their dogma.
Beautifully laid out, Joe. What I appreciate most is how you resist turning mysticism into a niche within Christianity when—if we’re honest—it’s more like the spine. From Jesus retreating to lonely places to Paul’s third-heaven vision, to the Desert Mothers and Fathers rejecting empire religion for inner fire, mysticism wasn’t the fringe. It was the fire that kept the faith alive when institutions went cold.
Also love that you named Marguerite Porete. More folks need to know her story—burned not for blasphemy, but for daring to say you don’t need priests to touch the Divine.
The church fears what it can’t control. But the mystic doesn’t need control—just stillness, and maybe a little holy defiance.
I mostly saved Mary and Gnosticism for you to write about 😜
I don’t write about Gnosticism 😉 That’s the later system with archons, demiurges, and dualistic escape plans.
I write about the Gnostics—the mystics behind the Gospel of Mary, Thomas, and Philip. Their vision isn’t world-rejecting; it’s about seeing through illusion and recovering wholeness.
Gospel of Thomas, Logion 22:
“When you make the two one... when you make the inside like the outside... and the male and female one and the same... then you will enter the kingdom.”
That’s not dualism. That’s non-dual integration. The “kingdom” is realized when opposites dissolve.
In the Gospel of Mary, the soul tells the powers:
“I saw you. You did not see me nor recognize me. I served you as a garment, and you did not know me.”
The “powers” aren’t literal cosmic overlords—they’re inner projections. The soul doesn’t flee them—it recognizes them, and is free.
And Gospel of Philip goes all in:
“Light and darkness, life and death... are brothers of one another. They are inseparable. Because of this, neither are the good good, nor the evil evil...”
This isn’t about sorting reality into binaries—it’s about transcending the illusion that there ever were two.
Deconstruction of the Ego (the binary operating system) is painful and doesn't sell well. It's much easier for people to convince themselves that if they believe Jesus rose from the dead then they will to and be given a happy pill by God to live happily ever after.
I know I am preaching to the choir on that one. What's interesting in this moment is thinking how we probably chose all this craziness so we could be entertained with the whole process.
What if, we are eternal thoughts of God, that created this mess just to play hide and seek with ourselves? Better not go there, might get my tongue and hand cut off.
I have enjoyed your writing Joe. I have always been drawn to the mystics for that very reason you state, the mystery. The sense of divine presence and yet the mystery of it all.
Recently I finished reading Martin Laird’s Into the Silent Land and there is a quote that I felt speaks of the heart of Christian mysticism.
“God is already the ground of our being…most of us spend most of our lives more or less ignorant of this…this ignorance is pervasive and renders us like the proverbial deep-sea fisherman, who spends his life fishing for minnows while standing on a whale.”
Wow that’s really good. Thanks, Tim!
I walked away decades ago, left it all. It has been a long journey with no guidance. I have come to a place where I can live now. But, these people were hidden from me while I was in the church and I have only recently discovered them after avoiding them for their connection with the church. If I had known of them it may have changed the trajectory of my life. Now the question remains where would I be now? but, I am sure it would have changed my path
Are you Buddhist now? If so and you’re interested in some crossover reading material both Thomas Merton and Richard Rohr might be down your alley. Rohr’s Falling Upward was transformative for me .
I am not Buddhist although my practice most closely resembles Shikantaza. I dont hold their dogma. I have been heavily influenced by Thich Nhat Hahn and have read “Living Buddha, Living Christ”. I would be interested in other work although i am not seeking a path back to the church, I have no animosity, I just believe my path is elsewhere. That being said, I am not stuck with/on any beliefs.
I understand. I don’t see my path going back to the church either. The two I suggested are mystic Catholics and a bit of a thorn in the system. ;)
Oh my gosh! This post could not have been more perfectly timed! I was reflecting on my own leanings toward mysticism last night. I believe that could be part of why I still enjoy the CCM artists I listened to before going on this deconstruction journey here. I still feel close to God when I listen to that music. But I've also learned how to hear from him in secular music. Funny enough, I was listening to 'Fantasy' by Earth, Wind and Fire as I was typing this. I love how I've been able to connect with God through this song more recently. I'm undecided when it comes to materialism though. I agree with you that the possibility of no separation between realms is there, I just have a harder time wrapping my brain around it and I like that feeling.
Haha! Though this post is about mystery the timing of it for you isn’t so much :) Your comment yesterday reminded me I had been wanting to write about it.
Merton, Nouwen, and Rohr — those were the three who drew me in starting 25 years ago. The deeper I’ve gone, the less I care about checking all the boxes of orthodoxy. Most recently I’ve come into contact with nondual tantra and I think it makes a powerful cocktail with Christian mythology.
I am also a big fan of Fr Rohr. I was first introduced to contemplative prayer by a couple of Jesuit authors. I recommend “Armchair Mystic”. I think evangelicals decry mysticism in part because they are worried that direct experience of God will cause you to reject much of their dogma.