The Mystical Tradition
An Adult Education Offering for 2022-23
The common usage of "mysticism" generally points to experiences, and expressions of those experiences, of human-divine connection or even union. There is a rich tradition of writings (and other portrayals) of mystical encounters between believers and God in the history of Christianity - from Teresa of Avila to Mary Oliver, and Augustine of Hippo to Howard Thurman, for example. And there are rich analogous traditions in other religions of the world as well, including the Sufi poet Rumi, the Jewish cabbalistic writings of the Zohar, and the Hindu poems of Mirabai. For the 2022-2023 program year, I invite members and friends of St. Ann & the Holy Trinity to join me for an exploration of some classical and modern expressions of mysticism. We will compare the works of a Christian writer to those of a writer(s) from another faith tradition each month. Join me on the second Wednesday of the month (please note this change from past years), starting on September 14, from 7:00 to 8:00pm, on Zoom. Approximately 20-25 pages of reading will be assigned for each session.
Since we'll be online, please email me at ctownsend@stannholytrinity.org to indicate your interest in attending, so I can add you to the list!