The Silent Cry: Mysticism and ResistanceExploring the religious impulse known as mysticism - the "silent cry" at the heart of all the world's religions. Mysticism, in the sense of a "longing for God," has been present in all times, cultures, and religions. But Soelle believes it has never been more important than in this age of materialism and fundamentalism. The antiauthoritarian mystical element in each religion leads to community of free spirits and resistance to the death-dealing aspects of our contemporary culture. Religion in the third millennium, Soelle argues, either will be mystical or it will be dead. Therefore, Soelle identifies strongly with the hunger of New Age searchers, but laments the religious fast food they devour. Today, a kind of "democratized mysticism" of those without much religious background flourishes. This mystical experience is not drawn so much of the tradition as out of contemporary experiences. In that sense, each of us is a mystic, and Soelle's work seeks to give theological depth, clarity, and direction. This, her magnum opus, conjoins Soelle's deep religious knowledge and wisdom with her passion for social justice into a work destined to be a classic of religious literature. |
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amazement asceticism asked basic beauty become beginning Beguines C. S. Lewis called chapter Christ Christian Christliche Mystik church cloud of unknowing commotion creation culture dance death desire Dinzelbacher divine domination Dorothy Day ecstasy Ecstatic Confessions Edith Stein ego-lessness erotic everyday everything expression faith feel forms freedom friends God's Hasidic heart heaven human Ibid inner Jesus Jewish language learned letting go liberation live Martin Buber means Mechthild meditation Meister Eckhart movement Müntzer mystical experience nature needs nonviolent one's oneself pantheism peace Perennial Philosophy piety Porète possession poverty praise prayer prison Quakers question radical reality relation religion religious resistance rience Rudolf Otto Rumi seek sense silence Simone Weil slave slavery soul speak spiritual suffering Sufis sunder warumbe Teresa of Avila theology things Thomas Müntzer tion tradition understanding unity violence woman women Woolman words