Paradise Now: Essays on Early Jewish and Christian Mysticism

by April D. DeConick (Editor)

A substantial introduction to the study of early Jewish and Christian mysticism, this volume examines major aspects of the mystical tradition within early Judaism and Christianity. This tradition was centered on the belief that a person directly, immediately, and before death can experience the divine, either as a rapture experience or one solicited by a particular praxis. The essays define and analyze the nature and practices of mysticism as it emerges within early Judaism and Christianity, recognizing this emergence within a variety of communal environments. Larger questions about the relationship between hermeneutics and experience, as well as the relationship between mysticism and apocalypticism are also discussed, and a substantial bibliography of the field is provided. The book is the result of ten years of work of the Early Jewish and Christian Mysticism unit of the Society of Biblical Literature.

The contributors are Cameron C. Afzal, Daphna Arbel, Kelley Coblentz Bautch, Ra‘anan S. Boustan, James R. Davila, April D. DeConick, Celia Deutsch, Rachel Elior, Frances Flannery-Dailey, Charles A. Gieschen, Rebecca Lesses, Andrea Lieber, Christopher R. A. Morray-Jones, Andrei A. Orlov, Christopher Rowland, Seth L. Sanders, Alan F. Segal, and Kevin Sullivan.

Paperback edition is available from the Society of Biblical Literature (www.sbl-site.org)

Genres: Christianity, Religion, Mysticism

480 pages, Paperback

First published November 15, 2006

About the author

April D. DeConick, Ph.D. (Near Eastern Studies, University of Michigan, 1994), is Isla Carroll and Percy E. Turner Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity and Chair of the Department of Religion at Rice University. She is also Co-Founder and Executive Editor of GNOSIS: Journal of Gnostic Studies published by Brill.

Reviews

[Alan Fuller · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Paradise Now" is the result of ten years of work by the Early Jewish and Christian Mysticism unit of the Society of Biblical Literature.

Early Jewish and Christian mysticism was related to the belief that a person directly, immediately, and before death can experience the divine. The Hekhalot literature is from the Hebrew word for "Palaces", relating to visions of ascents into heavenly palaces. The genre overlaps with Merkabah or "heavenly chariot" literature. Both literary traditions express a profound interest in holy angels as guardians of holy time in sevenfold divisions within the seven heavenly sanctuaries.

The earthly temple is the embodiment of a celestial archetype: the heavenly palace and throne room of the Lord. The cosmos itself is conceptualized as a temple, and the earthly temple reflects this structure. The interior of the temple was identified with the garden of Eden or paradise. The living structure of the cosmic temple and its members are incorporated into the celestial reality.

I am particularly interested in the second temple and early Christian scripture expositions that led to these beliefs.