The Mysticism Of St. Paul

Fr. Dale Matson

Christ is the prototype of the perfect human and I would say that St. Paul is the prototype of the converted and sanctified human. As a psychologist with a background in developmental psychology, the domain of spiritual development is of particular interest because I am a priest.

Sanctification is the process of spiritual development following conversion. Most would agree that Paul had a powerful conversion experience as reported by St. Luke in Acts chapter nine.  Paul was on his way to Damascus to arrest followers of the Way and was knocked off his horse.  There he encountered the resurrected Christ.

Paul, though he was converted, was not fully formed. Christ is revealed by St. Paul more than any other New Testament author and in so doing; Paul revealed much about himself also. While he focused on revealing the mysteries of Christ, he also provided a longitudinal record of his own spiritual development lasting about 30 years.

Just as the Synoptic Gospels and St. John’s Gospel give us a differing perspective on the portrait of Christ, St Paul gives us a differing perspectives on Christ in his early, middle and later writings. This is not to say that any period of St. Paul is less inspired than the others.

The model of spiritual development that has been traditionally employed by the church consists of the Purgative, Illuminative and Unitive stages. For an expanded explanation of these stages, please refer to my previous posting on Soundings. http://sanjoaquinsoundings.blogspot.com/2011/08/sanctification-iii-doctrine-of-three.html

Evelyn Underhill in Mystic Way A Psychological Study In Christian Origins , wrote the following, “There is a marked development in the Pauline epistles, which also throws light on their author’s growth in the new life. The series of letters from 1^st Thessalonians to Philippians, from A.D. 50 to A.D. 60 clearly reflect the changes taking place in the mind which composed them: its steady process of transcendence, its movement on the Mystic Way.” (1913, p.180).

The late Bishop of Durham J.B. Lightfoot offered fascinating comments in his book Biblical Essays (1893) “1^st and 2^nd Thessalonians reveals Christ as Judge and penance. This would coincide with Paul’s Purgative stage of spiritual development. Romans, 1^st and 2^nd Corinthians and Galatians would coincide with his Illuminative stage of development and reveals Christ as “Savior-God”. Philippians, Philemon, Ephesians and Colossians portray Christ as the “Indwelling Word”. This would be a product of the Unitive stage of spiritual development. “We turn to the third group of Epistles and at once we notice a change of subject-matter. The metaphysical, mystical, contemplative aspects of the Gospel are brought out into special prominence.” (p.232).

The church has traditionally attributed all the epistles mentioned here, to Paul. Modern scholarship has cast doubt on the authorship of many of Paul’s letters but has not always taken into account the fact that Paul was not the same person thirty years after his conversion.

It is also worth considering when conducting Bible studies, what stage of spiritual development the participants are at. Curriculum development should be geared to the level of those being instructed. For spiritual directors this also has application. For those who want to focus on doctrine, it might be useful to take a second look at the end of Paul’s writings, not just the middle.

“Many a phrase which has provided a handle or an obstacle for critics, is but the hopeless attempt of the mystic to communicate by means of artistic symbols his actual and supernal experience to unmystical men.” (Mystic Way A Psychological Study In Christian Origins  (Evelyn Underhill, p.194)  

Anglican Sanctifiication The Work We Were Given To Do

To theologians sanctification is the process of becoming holy. In the Orthodox Church it is the process of deification. To those psychologists who also understand the fallen nature of humans, it would be termed the process of becoming whole. Perhaps it is just as well to call it spiritual development. The Methodists have their methods and the Roman Catholics have The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius.

I am an Anglican who considers Anglican Christianity to be a form of reformed Catholicism. Anglican roots go back to the church fathers and the undivided church before Canterbury. Throughout the history of the church sanctification is that passage between saving relationships with her head Jesus the Christ and an earthly death.

Those who heed Christ’s call to follow him as both savior and Lord are transformed from glory to glory (2 Corinthians 3:18). There are numerous variables that can be applied to spiritual development for Anglicans. I have attempted to speak of my own spiritual journey which is an eclectic combination of methods within Anglicanism. Those include immersion in Holy Scripture, being a part of Christ’s body the church, regular participation in worship, liturgy, prayer and fasting, performing good works for Christ in others and listening to God the Holy Spirit. Exercise, solitude, journaling, family, and friends are something that balances out the Benedictine active and contemplative life.

Finally, some may ask, “But what about the Book Of Common Prayer?" While Holy Scripture is preeminent, certainly the Prayer Book is a central feature and organizing force within Anglican Christian life. I have included portions of the Prayerbook in a number of the elements of this book and want to avoid the temptation to make this an Anglican Catechesis.

As someone who has been a seeker of God most of his seasoned life, I have found a home, a niche.  For those of you who remain thirsty for the living water of Jesus Christ, I believe all of God you seek in this life may be found in the traditional church. Although this has been the age of the non-denominational mega church for Protestants, I believe the traditional churches; Orthodox, Anglican and Roman Catholic provide a deeper seedbed for spiritual growth and pray that someday they would again be the undivided church of Jesus Christ. [The book is currently at the publisher for file review]