LOUTH:ORIGINS OF CHRISTIAN MYSTICAL TRADITION 2E PAPER: From Plato to Denys

by Andrew Louth

Scholars of the patristic era have paid more attention to the dogmatic tradition in their period than to the development of Christian mystical theology. Andrew Louth aims to redress the balance. Recognizing that the intellectual form of this tradition was decisively influenced by Platonic ideas of the soul's relationship to God, Louth begins with an examination of Plato and Platonism. The discussion of the Fathers which follows shows how the mystical tradition is at the heart of their thought and how the dogmatic tradition both molds and is the reflection of mystical insights and concerns. This new edition of a classic study of the diverse influences upon Christian spirituality includes a new Epilogue which brings the text completely up to date.

Genres: Theology, Religion, Christianity, Philosophy, Mysticism, Spirituality, Church History

228 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1983

About the author

Andrew Louth is an Eastern Orthodox theologian and priest of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Reviews

[Zachary Kostopoulos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Throughout the book, Louth does a careful job of situating early Christian mystical thought in its Platonic origins (especially Middle-Platonic), and he helpfully demonstrates both where it aligns with this tradition as well as departs from it. His chapters on the Platonic "beginnings" of mystical thought are devoted to Plato, Philo, and Plotinus before moving on to chapters concerned with Christian thinkers such as Origen, Athanasius, Gregory of Nyssa, various Monastic contributors, as well as Augustine, and lastly Dionysius the Areopagite.

As a part of situating mystical theology in its historical context, Louth not only highlights the Platonic influence, but also Christian mysticism's relation to the formation of dogma in early Christian history. He demonstrates how the rise of mystical thinking was hardly coincidental with the development of crucial doctrine on the Trinity and Christ, as these doctrines are ultimately mystical beliefs formulated dogmatically. Mysticism, Louth argues, was truly at the heart of Patristic theology, and our efforts to at times separate "mystical" thinking from "dogmatic" belief in the early Church leads to misunderstandings of early Christian thought. Overall this is a good book with careful contextualizing of a difficult subject.

[Ephrem Arcement · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magnificent! Very clear developmental study of the contemplative tradition leading into the Christian movement and through its early centuries with excellent and very relevant chapters on the tradition's relationship to St. John of the Cross and the question of its validity. This is the best book of its kind!

[Robert Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

You MUST read the Afterward in order to appreciate this book fully. Otherwise, it will come across as kind of dated. Plus, if you are a student of "mysticism" you will find his updated discussion about terminology and methodology in the Afterward helpful.

Louth did an excellent job tracing tendencies and emphases in the Platonic and Christian mystical traditions and ultimately ends his book by showing how the two differ in essential ways. Protestant or evangelical criticisms of mystical tendencies of Christianity as being "too Platonic" ought to read these essential differences before condemning it as heresy.

Louth's writing is extremely lucid and easy to follow. Mysticism is very difficult to understand because of its philosophical background which is very foreign to most Protestants or non-religious individuals. He could have made things more complicated by getting into very detailed discussions, but he seldom does so.

He could have improved his book with a chapter on Clement of Alexandria. I was thinking this when I read the book. But in the Afterward, he says that if he were to completely rewrite the book he would include a chapter on Clement.

Additionally, he should spend more time in showing the mysticism inherent in the New Testament. He *does* do this a little in the last chapter, but he never cites the Gospel of John, which is by far the most mystical of any book in the Bible (at least as I currently read it now). Even Johannine scholarship recognizes this because of the influence of Philonic thought on the Gospel's author. His case in the last chapter would be way stronger and more convincing to many Protestant readers who value the New Testament far more than Patristic authors, whom they (like Festugiére) suspect of "contaminating" Christianity with Platonism.

[Ted · Rating 4 out of 5]

Louth is a good scholar and author. This book was originally written early on in his career and contains a nice afterword written 30 years after the original publication which gives Louth a chance to see how his thinking changed over his long career. It became clear to him over his scholarly career that the words 'mysticism' and 'mystical' were given new meanings after the Protestant Reformation. They were used to imply personal spiritual experiences as versus the institutional, clerical and liturgical meanings they originally had. They became words used by the Enlightenment's focus on the individual (against the church or any social organization). This shaped how mysticism and mystical came to be used in common parlance whether among scholars or the populace. The words were not used in quite the same way in the early church, especially in the East where the words were closely aligned with ideas of liturgy, sacraments and the Body of Christ (meaning the Church). There is no doubt that Christian spirituality is shaped by Platonism (at least in its later forms of middle Platonism and Neoplatonism). Louth is clear that the great Christian writers have moved away from pure Platonic spirituality, but the philosophical framework and the terms they use when discussing the spiritual life are Platonic and this is the lens through which they interpret Scripture. What is amazing to me is that the 'mystical' side of Eastern monasticism is so very influenced by various philosophies - Platonism and Stoicism - but also shaped by ideas that were rejected as heretical such as Origenism and Messalianism. And with Psuedo-Dionysius you have the mega influence of ideas that were based on a lie (that his writings were from the 1st Century when they were from the 5th). And though early on one sees warnings about these things, eventually these writings are all accepted in mainstream monasticism.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

The afterword is essential. A great overview. The only negative might be the semblance of not being as knowledgeable in "neoplatonism" as he might initially seem; once, or thrice, he makes a constrained attempt at expanding the divergence of platonic mysticism and christian mysticism. But he is right in saying that the One is "careless" while Christ loves you and seek your union; the problem here is that from the One's perspective (in Platonism), you are already with him—the proodos is an illusion. To epistrophe is not to ascend in some spatial sense (as Louth himself affirm), but to find and see your true function and right place in the hierarchy of all being.

[Jared Greer · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I read this for school, and the following is a condensed version of the review I wrote for class. I essentially kept the introduction and conclusion, but cut out individual chapter summaries.

To say that the mystical tradition developed and practiced by Jews and Christians in classical antiquity was informed by Platonist philosophy is an understatement; the similarities are glaring and profound. Louth acknowledges this, but resists any oversimplified narrative that suggests this tradition was identical to Platonism. While the mysticism of the monotheistic religions is unmistakably Platonic in character, the dogmatic theology with which it is coupled unavoidably transmutes it into something altogether new. Thus, by carefully tracing the evolution of the Patristic mystical tradition from early figures like Plato, Philo, and Plotinus, to Fathers like Origen, Athanasius, Gregory of Nyssa, Evagrius, Augustine, and Denys the Areopagite, Louth aims to delineate the “the extent to which Platonism determines [the Christian Fathers’] thought, but also the extent to which this Platonic influence is resisted and rejected” (xii). This is Louth’s primary task; and throughout the book, he demonstrates time and again that the Christian dogmas of divine incarnation and "creatio ex nihilo" (creation from nothing) are the precise points at which the Christian mystical tradition must make a radical departure from Platonism as such.

One clearly sees in Louth's brief survey that in the Fathers “the concept of God,” “the idea of the soul’s relationship to God,” and the “understanding of the moral virtues” are all significantly modified from traditional Platonist thought (189). In Origen and beyond, God becomes the personal God revealed both in scripture and in the Incarnate Word Jesus Christ. While Origen denies the doctrine of "creatio ex nihilo," its wide acceptance in the Nicene Fathers introduces a profoundly new dynamic between the soul and God; for the soul is no longer an emanation of God but the creation of God, and it is therefore distinct and separate by nature. In Augustine, the Trinity is identified as the key to navigating the soul’s journey back to God its Creator.

Undoubtedly, Louth succeeds in substantiating his thesis. The dogmatic theology of the Fathers is endemic in Patristic mystical theology. You simply cannot have a Christian mystical tradition without a Trinity, without an Incarnation, without "creatio ex nihilo"; and each of these things is categorically foreign to Platonism. What we see in Patristic mysticism is far from “pure Platonism,” as Père Festugière has suggested. Moreover, Louth’s extensive scholarship in this book is nothing short of impressive; he employs a plethora of primary sources and excerpts from the Fathers—and his meticulous study of these texts is clearly evidenced by his brilliant exegesis. Nevertheless, it is perplexing that Clement of Alexandria is entirely missing from Louth’s roster, considering the undeniable impact that he, alongside Origen, had on Patristic mysticism; and all the while, Louth’s penultimate chapter on St. John of the Cross feels largely tangential and entirely irrelevant to his overall thesis.

All in all, Louth provides an invaluable introduction to Christian mysticism, relaying in great detail its origin and development in the face of early Christian dogmatics. He speaks in a way that is accessible to layman and scholar alike; his language is clear and concise, but never lacking in substance. The reading is at times tedious; while the nuanced differences in each of the theologies presented are what drive Louth’s thesis, the theological similarities intrinsic to their shared Platonic origin can make for some tiresome redundancy. What’s more, this is slightly exacerbated by Louth’s own mild propensity for redundancy. Even so, "The Origins of the Christian Mystical Tradition" is an indispensable resource for any who are wanting to become familiarized with the history of Christian mysticism; there is quite possibly no better place to start than here.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a fine piece of introduction and analysis of what may, rather then 'mystical', more precisely be considered the contemplative strand of Christianity as it took on and then adapted (or at times rejected) the Platonic inheritance. The 2006 edition is definitely to be preferred, for in this edition Louth closes with a very challenging Afterword wherein he confronts the very concept of mysticism. We all think we know what the word means, but probably we don't.

After chapters on Plato, Philo, and Plotinus, Louth discusses Origen; 'Nicene Orthodoxy' which includes Athanasius (who raises an anti-'mystical' challenge to Platonism) and Gregory of Nyssa; 'The Monastic Contribution' which considers Evagrius of Pontus (the rich but problematic Origenist/Platonist), the Macarian Homilies, and Diadochus of Photiki who brings out strands in both of the other two in this chapter; Augustine of Hippo's contribution; then Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite (whom he refers to as 'Denys').

Living in a post-Carmelite age whose understanding of Christian 'mysticism' is indelibly marked by the late medieval and early modern inheritance, Chapter 9 is an important discussion of St John of the Cross and the patristic inheritance. Louth argues that there is, indeed, some difference, but more often of style and perspective than content. The final chapter is 'The Mystical Life and the Mystical Body'. This final chapter reminds us of a chief difference between ancient Christian 'mysticism' and the philosophers, for the ancient Christians always thought in terms of the Christian community, the liturgy, and the communion of saints, rather than Plotinus flight of the alone to the Alone.

In each of the ancient philosophers or patristic authors analysed, Louth gives us a run-through of what we may consider his 'mystical' teaching, looking both at their reception and at their challenge of Platonist ideas. It is a helpful book in many ways, although one is reminded that most of the praktike of the contemplative tradition in Christianity is the pursuit of moral virtue and askesis rather than the delineation of particular psychological practices as taught by the baptised Buddhism of Anthony de Mello, S.J., in Sadhana. I would have liked to have seen more on Diadochus and the Jesus Prayer, since the Jesus Prayer is the heart of so much of what we may consider Eastern Orthodox 'mysticism' today.

In the end, I recommend this book. At times it is challenging to read. At times, since it is introductory, it feels not quite deep enough. But overall, it gives you some idea of the landscape of these authors and this strand, as well as questions to take with you on your own journey into the broad literature of Christian spirituality.

[jayrt · Rating 5 out of 5]

[mysticism's move from the substantive to the ethereal]

what is mysticism? imagine writing on a topic with no agreed on definition. concepts have a life of their own and our imputing modern meaning to concepts of old has always been dicey.

as a historic tracing of greek, esp platonic, thought on early christians, louth draws clear lines from plato thru philo to athenasius, evagrius, augustine, and dionysius. but beyond this lineage is an absence of consequence (beyond the sequential nature of x influencing y.)

this is not to diminish louth's work. in fact, in his afterword, he admits such--that is, taking for granted the shift in meaning of mysticism. with laser focus, he hones on the change:

mystikos, as used by early fathers is concerned with sacred *things* (scripture, liturgics, sacraments) and their mirroring to that which they symbolize in the dark divine. contrast that with middle age conception, esp in west, of mystikos as the dark divine itself.

notice the dualistic change. early fathers see a bridge by participation in these sacred *things*--mystikos. whereas moderns see an ineffable gap between profane and sacred--mystikos.

this change allows luther and the protestant ilk to divide the church (mystikos) from the church (institution). and speaking of tracing roots, perhaps here at the jettison of mystikos as an essential ingredient in the body of Christ, we understand when nietzsche says: God is dead (at least might as well be if there is no possibility of participation).

great book, do read.

[Aaron White · Rating 4 out of 5]

A deep and wide dive into the thought of Christian mysticism, at least up until Denys (sometimes called Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite) in the 5th century. Louth traces the influence of Greek mysticism, especially through the writings of Plato, as they wound themselves through Philo, Plotinus, Origen, Evagrius, the Cappodocians and the monastics. Of greatest import was the emphasis upon apophatic - or negative - theology - the sense that all we can say about God is what God is not. And yet, at least according to the Christian mystics, the goal of life and contemplation is union with this Divine Mystery, sometimes thought of as Uncreated Light, sometimes as Divine Darkness, but certainly located in the incarnated person of Jesus Christ. Louth does a masterful job at summarizing and explaining the sometimes very difficult patterns of thought, and also of showing how the Christian take on mysticism developed from, but also broke from, Platonic thought.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

A magisterial exposition of the topic. Highly recommended.

[Charlie Moll · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent piece of scholarship, cleared up lots of confusion

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

The early chapters on Platonism were helpful (and throughout, he does a good job of showing where the Christian tradition departs--often sharply!--from inherited Platonist ideas). The 2006 epilogue is worth a careful read as well.