TTC - Mystical Tradition: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam

TTC - Mystical Tradition: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam

Taught By Professor Luke Timothy Johnson, Ph.D., Yale University,
Emory University

36 lectures, 30 minutes each
Guidebook included

Mystical experiences and practices—including dramatic visions, direct communication with the divine, intense spiritual quests, and hermetic lifestyles—are commonly associated with Eastern cultures and thought to be far removed from the monotheistic traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

But consider the following:
Many of the most important figures in the Jewish Bible had experiences that can be interpreted as mystical, including Moses's conversation with God as the burning bush, Joseph's prophetic dreams, and Ezekiel's vision of the heavenly thronechariot. Jesus Christ, as a figure believed to be the incarnation of God, can be seen as representing the ultimate goal of mystical thought, the unification of human with divine.

The Islamic prophet Muhammad is believed to have experienced the call of God directly through the angel Gabriel, and throughout his life he reported incidents of mystical encounters, including the divine revelation of the Qur'an, the sacred text of Islam.

In these examples, we encounter a surprising truth: that each of the great three Abrahamic religious traditions—those religions that trace their origins back to the patriarch Abraham—holds the seeds for deep mystical contemplation. Over the course of centuries and even millennia, mystics in all three traditions have written of their experiences in the quest for God. But what do most of us know about these mystics and the tradition they sustained?

In Mystical Tradition: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, you explore this spiritual, literary, and intellectual heritage in these great faiths of the West as it unfolds over three millennia. In 36 enlightening, thought-provoking lectures, award-winning Professor Luke Timothy Johnson of Emory University offers nearly unprecedented access to these seldom-studied traditions. Through poetry, diaries, philosophical writings, and histories, you gain a fresh perspective on the great Abrahamic religious faiths that will deepen your understanding and appreciation of these important traditions.

A Rare Glimpse into the Heart of Religious Experience Professor Johnson provides you with a perspective on the Abrahamic religions that is surprising and enlightening. Students of religion rarely get the chance to examine the entire scope of mysticism in the West in a single course.

By laying the mystical traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam side by side, Professor Johnson offers a unique opportunity to compare and contrast the many forms of religious experience in the West.