Mystical Theology: Negation and Desolation

Dear Colleagues,

The Special Issue seeks to discern a more extensive critical understanding of ‘negativity’ within mystical traditions. What are these ‘negative’ aspects? What functions do they serve? And what is the relationship between apophatic ‘negation’ and moments of arid ‘desolation’?

Such desolation is often interpreted as a stage on the Way of Purgation (via purgativa): a ‘dark night of the soul’ that helps initiate one towards Illumination and Union. However, is this necessarily the case? Might there be images, ideas, and experiences that are irreducible to models of spiritual progression, or to dialectical frameworks? Is there a difference between mystical self-mortification and traumatic abjection? In other words, are there pathological elements at work that inhibit ‘healthy’ spirituality? Is it the case that ‘negation’ itself risks abandoning one to a state of dereliction? Or can ‘negation’ actually serve to illuminate a path away from such ‘desolation’? What is the relationship between serene abandonment of attachments and traumatic abandonment by God? Furthermore, what ‘negative’ images of God are found in mystical thought? What role is played by the demonic or even the Satanic? How does ‘negativity’ shape the understanding of good and evil? How does ‘negativity’ affect one’s sense of self, or dying-to-self? Such questions motivate this Special Issue but are far from exhaustive. Contributors are encouraged to think critically and creatively about the role of ‘negativity’ in mystical traditions, from the ancient to the contemporary.

The scope of the Special Issue is initially focused on the frequently under-examined ‘negative’ aspects of mystical thought, practice, and experience as they appear within the broadly conceived theological traditions of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. However, we also encourage submissions from scholars seeking to explore these issues within other mystical traditions that are not generally deemed ‘theistic’ in the Abrahamic sense (Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, etc.). Essays approaching the topic from a comparative perspective are also very welcome. This may involve critical comparison across traditions, comparison of particular mystics and thinkers, and comparison of mystical approaches with approaches from other fields and disciplines. Along with theological approaches, essays may examine the topic from philosophical, phenomenological, literary, artistic, psychological, or practitioner perspectives. The aim is to shed greater critical light on the darkness of ‘negativity’ in all its aspects.

We are pleased to invite you to participate in a Special Issue of Religions on the theme of ‘Mystical Theology: Negation and Desolation’. Submissions are invited that shed new light on the role, function, and implications of ‘negativity’ in mystical traditions, both theistic and non-theistic. Essays may approach the topic from a comparative perspective, including critical comparison across traditions, comparison of particular mystics and thinkers, and comparison of mystical approaches with approaches from other fields and disciplines. Along with theological approaches, essays may examine the topic from philosophical, phenomenological, literary, artistic, psychological, or practitioner perspectives. By drawing on international expertise, the Special Issue aims to produce a distinctive open access and peer reviewed journal that serves the interests of a wide range of thoughtful readers and academic scholars of religion (including theologians, philosophers, social scientists, anthropologists, psychologists, neuroscientists and others interested in the multidisciplinary study of religions).

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Negativity and Nothingness (void, abyss, emptiness, etc.)
• ‘Negation’ (negative theology, apophasis, etc.)
• ‘Desolation’ (negative experiences, images, concepts, etc.)
• ‘Dying-to-Self’ (self-mortification, self-emptying, ego-death, etc.)
• ‘Dark Nights of the Soul’ (abandonment, God-forsakenness, spiritual struggle, etc.)
• Spirituality and Mental Health (including trauma, depression, God-images, etc.)
• Transpersonal and Depth Psychology
• Negativity in relation to Sexuality and the Body
• Evil in Mystical Thought (including demons, the demonic, etc.)
• Comparative Mysticism
• Negativity in Art and Literature

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Simon Podmore
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Religions is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• Mysticism
• Negativity
• Nothingness
• Negation
• Apophasis
• Desolation
• Spiritual Struggle
• Suffering
• Trauma
• Self-Mortification