Introduction: Defining Mysticism in Religious and Philosophical Terms
Mysticism, broadly defined, refers to the pursuit of a direct, personal, and often ineffable experience of the divine or ultimate reality. In most religious systems, this involves a subjective encounter—often framed as “union with God,” “inner light,” or “higher consciousness”—that bypasses rational thought, scriptural instruction, and objective revelation. In Christianity, mystical experiences are sometimes seen as deeper spiritual enlightenment, spiritual ecstasy, or special access to divine secrets through inner perception. However, this notion stands in stark contrast to the objective, historical, and grammatical truth of the inspired Scriptures.
The term “mysticism” originates from the Greek word mystēs, meaning “initiate,” related to religious secret rites, especially in Greco-Roman mystery religions. This esoteric idea eventually crept into Christian thought through early church fathers influenced by Platonism and Neoplatonism, and later through monastic traditions and Roman Catholic contemplative practices. Its emphasis on subjective feelings, private revelations, and experiential spirituality departs from the clear, propositional, and didactic nature of biblical truth.
This article will examine mysticism from a biblical apologetic standpoint, tracing its origins, assessing its infiltration into Christian thought, and exposing its doctrinal perils. By doing so, we affirm the absolute sufficiency and finality of Scripture as God’s authoritative self-disclosure to mankind.
The Origins of Mysticism in Pagan Philosophy and Religion
Mysticism’s conceptual roots are not biblical but philosophical and religious in the ancient Near Eastern and Greco-Roman worlds. Key influences include:
1. Eastern Mystical Religions: Ancient Hinduism and Buddhism emphasize escaping the material world and achieving a higher spiritual consciousness through meditation and ritual. The Upanishads (8th–5th centuries B.C.E.) present Brahman as the ultimate, impersonal reality to be realized through introspection and ascetic practice. Similarly, Buddhism advocates the annihilation of self (nirvana) as spiritual liberation.
2. Greco-Roman Mystery Cults: The Eleusinian and Dionysian mysteries, popular from the 6th century B.C.E. onward, involved secret rites, symbolic rituals, and emotional ecstasies to connect with divine powers. Participation in these cults promised personal transformation and inner enlightenment not through rational knowledge, but through experiential union with divine forces.
3. Neoplatonism: Originating with Plotinus (c. 204–270 C.E.), Neoplatonism taught that the soul must ascend from the material realm through contemplative practices toward the ineffable One, a concept foundational to later mystical theology. This philosophical system influenced many early church thinkers and provided the intellectual framework for medieval Christian mysticism.
None of these traditions rely on historical revelation or divine instruction. Instead, they elevate the human mind—or emotion—as the ultimate source of truth. This is antithetical to the biblical doctrine that “all Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).
Mysticism’s Entry into Christian Thought
While the early church in Acts and the apostolic epistles rooted faith in the historicity of Jesus Christ, the authority of Scripture, and eyewitness testimony (Acts 2:22–36; 1 Corinthians 15:3–8; 2 Peter 1:16–21), mysticism gradually infiltrated Christian theology, particularly after the second century.
1. Alexandrian Syncretism: Church fathers like Clement of Alexandria and Origen incorporated Platonic ideas into biblical interpretation. Allegorical methods replaced literal, grammatical exegesis. Origen in particular believed that Scripture had hidden spiritual meanings accessible through contemplation. This opened the door to mysticism by removing objective boundaries on interpretation.
2. Desert Monasticism: Beginning in the 3rd century C.E., Christian hermits and monks in Egypt and Syria developed practices of isolation, asceticism, and meditation aimed at mystical union with God. This movement, although well-intentioned in its piety, promoted extra-biblical disciplines and subjective experiences as superior spirituality.
3. Medieval Mystics: Between the 12th and 15th centuries, mysticism flourished in Roman Catholic Europe. Figures like Bernard of Clairvaux, Meister Eckhart, Julian of Norwich, and Teresa of Ávila wrote extensively about inner revelations, spiritual ecstasies, and mystical union with the divine. These were not grounded in Scripture but in private experiences, often contradictory or unverifiable.
4. Roman Catholic Contemplative Tradition: The concept of lectio divina, centering prayer, and “dark nights of the soul” became accepted paths to God, shifting emphasis from Scripture to silence, solitude, and sensation. This undermined biblical epistemology—how we know truth—and promoted a form of Christianized paganism.
Mysticism vs. Biblical Epistemology
The core issue with mysticism is epistemological. That is, how do we know truth? Is truth received by propositional revelation from an all-knowing, personal God? Or is it discovered by inner feeling, subjective awareness, and altered states of consciousness?
The Bible is clear: truth comes from God through His Word. Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Jesus stated, “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17). There is no mention in the New Testament of believers being instructed to seek union with God through subjective means. Instead, believers are called to study, understand, and obey the revealed Word (2 Timothy 2:15).
The apostolic writings are full of exhortations to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18), not to seek mystical experiences or altered states of consciousness. Paul warns the Colossians against mystical pride: “Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind” (Colossians 2:18).
Dangers of Mysticism in Christian Theology and Practice
Mysticism introduces several serious doctrinal and practical dangers that undermine biblical Christianity:
1. Subjectivism Over Scripture: Mysticism places personal experience above the authority of the Word of God. This breeds theological relativism, where contradictory “truths” can coexist as long as they are “felt.” In contrast, 1 Thessalonians 5:21 commands, “test everything; hold fast what is good.” That assumes a standard—Scripture—by which experiences are measured.
2. Revelation Beyond the Canon: Mystics often claim private revelations or divine messages not found in Scripture. This directly contradicts the finality of the biblical canon (Jude 3; Revelation 22:18-19). The canon is closed; all that God intends for us to know has been revealed in the 66 books of Scripture.
3. Psychological Vulnerability: Mystical practices such as contemplative prayer, breath prayer, and visualization exercises open the mind to suggestion, auto-hypnosis, and even demonic deception (1 John 4:1; 2 Corinthians 11:14-15). The biblical method of renewing the mind is through study of the Word (Romans 12:2), not through emptying the mind.
4. Ecumenical Syncretism: Mysticism blurs the doctrinal lines that distinguish Christianity from paganism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islamic Sufism. Many modern interfaith dialogues hinge on shared mystical experiences, not on doctrinal truth. This is a path to spiritual confusion and compromise, not fidelity.
5. Pride and Elitism: Mystics often see themselves as spiritually superior due to their experiences, creating an inner circle of “enlightened” individuals. But Jesus said, “Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:4). Biblical faith is not reserved for the few who achieve mystical union but is accessible to all through the gospel.
Mysticism in Modern Evangelicalism: A Subtle Intrusion
Though mysticism has long been associated with Roman Catholic monasticism and Eastern Orthodoxy, it has now entered evangelical churches through the Spiritual Formation movement, Emerging Church leaders, and New Apostolic Reformation teachers. Many evangelical writers, often influenced by Catholic mystics or Eastern religious techniques, promote practices such as:
Contemplative prayer
Labyrinth walking
Visualization of Jesus
Silence and solitude as a path to God
Repetitive mantras or breath prayers
These practices do not stem from Scripture but from medieval monastic disciplines and Eastern meditation techniques. They foster a false sense of spirituality rooted in subjective feeling rather than biblical truth. This is not authentic Christianity, but a return to the pagan mystical quest.
Paul warned Timothy that “in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons” (1 Timothy 4:1). Mysticism opens the door to such deception under the guise of spiritual intimacy.
A Biblical Response to Mysticism
The answer to mysticism is not emotional detachment or spiritual dryness, but a deeper, richer engagement with God’s Word. The true spiritual life is lived out through the application of Scripture in prayer, worship, obedience, fellowship, evangelism, and service. The Holy Spirit works not by bypassing the mind, but by illuminating the Word (1 Corinthians 2:12-14).
We are commanded to “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Colossians 3:16) and to “grow in respect to salvation” by longing for “the pure milk of the word” (1 Peter 2:2). These are not mystical experiences but disciplined, doctrinally informed spiritual practices.
The goal of the Christian life is not to ascend to God through contemplation but to walk with Him in faith and obedience. The Bible does not present salvation or sanctification as mystical union but as relationship based on covenant, truth, and the guidance of God’s inspired Word.
Conclusion: Return to Biblical Sufficiency
Mysticism, though attractive to the spiritually hungry and emotionally inclined, offers a counterfeit spirituality that draws attention away from the objective truth of Scripture. It promises divine encounter without doctrine, closeness without covenant, and experience without obedience.
The true disciple of Christ will reject mystical subjectivism and instead “contend earnestly for the faith once for all delivered to the holy ones” (Jude 3). Scripture, rightly interpreted, is sufficient for every spiritual need (2 Timothy 3:17), and no mystical shortcut can replace it. The path to maturity is through diligent study, doctrinal clarity, and obedient application—not mystical introspection.
EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 220+ books. In addition, Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).
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