The Return to the Mystical : Mystical Writing from Dionysius to Ludwig Wittgenstein

This is the most recent mystical theology scholarship - a discipline that has found new energy and influence. This is examined through the lens of Wittgenstein's philosophy. The 'return of religion' since the beginning of the century has created a renewed interest in spirituality and mysticism. This book is intended as a guide to the most recent scholarship regarding mystical theology. The author takes as his starting point the philosophical writings of Ludwig Wittgenstein. Using these writings he crafts a tool to interpret the Western mystical tradition beginning with the works of Dionysius the Areopagite in the High Middle Ages and moving through such figures as Osuna, Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross and Jean Gerson. His central argument is that what he terms the theologia mystica is an ancient method for effecting transformation of the heart in the individual and as such is ripe for return as an object of serious academic study.