Mystical Theology - Classic Text | Alexandria
Mystical Theology (De Mystica Theologia), written by the enigmatic figure known as Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite around 500 CE, stands as one of the most influential treatises in Christian mysticism, fundamentally shaping both Eastern and Western theological traditions through its radical approach to contemplating the divine through "unknowing." This brief but profound text, composed in Greek, presents the paradoxical concept that the truest knowledge of God comes through the transcendence of all intellectual concepts and sensory experiences.
The work first emerged in the Byzantine Empire during a period of intense theological ferment, when its author claimed the identity of Dionysius the Areopagite, Paul's convert mentioned in Acts 17:34. However, scholarly analysis has definitively dated the text to the late 5th or early 6th century, revealing its author as an unknown Christian Neoplatonist who skillfully synthesized Christian theology with Plotinian philosophy. This pseudonymous attribution, far from diminishing the text's significance, adds an intriguing layer to its historical impact and interpretation.
The influence of Mystical Theology expanded dramatically when John Scotus Eriugena translated it into Latin in the 9th century, making it accessible to Western medieval scholars. Its doctrine of "negative theology" (apophasis) - the idea that God can only be approached through negation of what He is not - profoundly influenced medieval mystics including Meister Eckhart, John of the Cross, and the anonymous author of The Cloud of Unknowing. The text's striking imagery of ascending through darkness to encounter divine light has resonated through centuries of contemplative tradition.
Today, Mystical Theology continues to intrigue scholars and spiritual seekers alike, its relevance extending beyond traditional religious boundaries into discussions of consciousness, language, and the limits of human knowledge. Its central paradox - that the highest understanding comes through acknowledged unknowing - speaks to contemporary questions about the nature of knowledge and experience. The text's enduring mystery, like the divine darkness it describes, continues to draw readers into its depths, suggesting that some truths can only be approached through the surrender of conventional understanding.