“Love will not be idle”: Non-Doing and Action in the English Mystical Tradition
This essay explores the dynamic of contemplative action, which I will refer to as ‘social mysticism’, or what from the perspective of comparative mysticism we might also want to term a form of ‘non-doing’. It focuses primarily on the medieval English mystical tradition, illustrating that two forms...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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CERES / KHK Bochum
2023-07-01
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| Series: | Entangled Religions - Interdisciplinary Journal for the Study of Religious Contact and Transfer |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://er.ceres.rub.de/index.php/ER/article/view/10391 |
| _version_ | 1797785188820844544 |
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| author | Louise Nelstrop |
| author_facet | Louise Nelstrop |
| author_sort | Louise Nelstrop |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
This essay explores the dynamic of contemplative action, which I will refer to as ‘social mysticism’, or what from the perspective of comparative mysticism we might also want to term a form of ‘non-doing’. It focuses primarily on the medieval English mystical tradition, illustrating that two forms of action are discussion—ordinary actions and those which flow out of contemplation. It is noted that the latter constitute a detached form of action. To draw out the full ramifications of social mysticism within a Christian context a short coda is added that considers mysticism in the writings of three twentieth-century anglophone writers, all of whom were strongly influenced by medieval Christian mysticism. The essay sets out to show that focusing on the relationship between mysticism and action raises questions concerning the extent to which ineffability offers the most useful marker for Christian mysticism.
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| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T00:51:30Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a4fe0491ca4244c38b259c87bbbccd77 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2363-6696 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T00:51:30Z |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | CERES / KHK Bochum |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Entangled Religions - Interdisciplinary Journal for the Study of Religious Contact and Transfer |
| spelling | doaj.art-a4fe0491ca4244c38b259c87bbbccd772023-07-07T15:53:27ZengCERES / KHK BochumEntangled Religions - Interdisciplinary Journal for the Study of Religious Contact and Transfer2363-66962023-07-0114410.46586/er.14.2023.10391“Love will not be idle”: Non-Doing and Action in the English Mystical TraditionLouise Nelstrop This essay explores the dynamic of contemplative action, which I will refer to as ‘social mysticism’, or what from the perspective of comparative mysticism we might also want to term a form of ‘non-doing’. It focuses primarily on the medieval English mystical tradition, illustrating that two forms of action are discussion—ordinary actions and those which flow out of contemplation. It is noted that the latter constitute a detached form of action. To draw out the full ramifications of social mysticism within a Christian context a short coda is added that considers mysticism in the writings of three twentieth-century anglophone writers, all of whom were strongly influenced by medieval Christian mysticism. The essay sets out to show that focusing on the relationship between mysticism and action raises questions concerning the extent to which ineffability offers the most useful marker for Christian mysticism. https://er.ceres.rub.de/index.php/ER/article/view/10391Mysticismsocial actionMedieval English MysticismTheology |
| spellingShingle | Louise Nelstrop “Love will not be idle”: Non-Doing and Action in the English Mystical Tradition Entangled Religions - Interdisciplinary Journal for the Study of Religious Contact and Transfer Mysticism social action Medieval English Mysticism Theology |
| title | “Love will not be idle”: Non-Doing and Action in the English Mystical Tradition |
| title_full | “Love will not be idle”: Non-Doing and Action in the English Mystical Tradition |
| title_fullStr | “Love will not be idle”: Non-Doing and Action in the English Mystical Tradition |
| title_full_unstemmed | “Love will not be idle”: Non-Doing and Action in the English Mystical Tradition |
| title_short | “Love will not be idle”: Non-Doing and Action in the English Mystical Tradition |
| title_sort | love will not be idle non doing and action in the english mystical tradition |
| topic | Mysticism social action Medieval English Mysticism Theology |
| url | https://er.ceres.rub.de/index.php/ER/article/view/10391 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT louisenelstrop lovewillnotbeidlenondoingandactionintheenglishmysticaltradition |