In this talk I introduce the reflections that all revolve around the theme of negative theology in Christianity. Here we touch on the traditional approach to negative theology as developed by the early Christianity mystics. By delving into the central claim of mysticism and its relationship to atheism we explore mysticisms dialectical nature, its embrace of epistemic humility, its notion of paradox, its understanding of theo-poetics and its understanding of Otherness.

Dionysius and the early mystics can be credited as the first individuals to develop a theory and practice that explicitly incorporates atheism as a central motif within theology. The term ‘early mystics’ is generally used to describe a loose collection of hermits, ascetics, nuns and monks who lived around 3rd century. Their monastic approach had a large impact on the development of Christianity, especially in the Orthodox Tradition, and has been an important resource in the development of various neo-monastic communities. The early mystics have an interesting and undervalued place in the history of atheism, with a theological approach that constantly deferred, delayed, destabilized and disarmed our understanding of God via a rigorous set of negations. Today’s reflection begins with some classical quotes from some notable mystics.

After this, you will read two short extracts from the work of Dionysius - also known as Pseudo-Dionysius. Dionysius was a Christian thinker who wrote in the late fifth or early sixth century CE, and is widely regarded as the first to systematically raise mystical reflections to the level of conceptual understanding. His work influenced many great medieval thinkers, such as Meister Eckhart, and continues to be of interest to those studying Mystical Theology. The extracts are from The Mystical Theology, and offer two classical examples of Negative Theology. Negative theology - also called Apophatic theology - exists in a type of dialectical relationship with Positive - or Kataphatic - theology. It offers a type of atheistic de-naming of God (Denomination) that always undermines and delimits the theistic naming of God (Nomination).

SUPPLEMENTAL REFLECTION

This week marks a shift from the more tradition atheism of people like Epicurus, towards a type of theological atheism. The atheism of the mystics, as exemplified in the work of Pseudo-Dionysius, is of a particular kind. While it is not a rejection of God as such, it is a thoroughgoing rejection of any concept that would claim to grasp the meaning of the word ‘God’. 

In the apophatic tradition of the mystics, every affirmation about God must be followed by a negation of that affirmation. What we witness in today’s reflection is a particular type of a/theism that that moves through three phases. First, there is the via positiva (nomination), then the via negativa (denomination), and finally the via eminentia (which is an enlightened affirmation freed from understanding).

For Pseudo-Dionysius, and those who follow in his wake, there is a reality that stands beyond all affirmation and negation. The religious individual is one who opens themselves up to this hyper-reality.

In this way, Pseudo-Dionysius can be seen as among the first to explore the idea of atheism as a type of purification process. A spiritual discipline that would help purge us of idolatry (an idea that we will see being taken up by Simone Weil). It is with Anselm that we will gain the clearest philosophical vision of what Pseudo-Dionysius is expressing here.

supplemental reading

I’ve included a link to Dionysius’ The Mystical Theology. as well as two other books that offer a substantial deep dive into the mystical tradition. The first offers a great introduction to the subject, along with a exploration of the contemporary significance of the tradition. The second offers a very clear and extensive anthology of the essential writings of the mystics.

Anselm of Canterbury (1033 – 1109) was a Benedictine monk, abbot, philosopher and theologian of the Catholic Church, who held the office of archbishop of Canterbury from 1093 to 1109. He was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church by a bull of Pope Clement XI in 1720.

At first it might seem strange to include The Proslogion in Atheism for Lent. After all, this brief work aims at proving the existence of God.

The main argument that makes up the book has been called The Ontological Argument. Yet this very argument actually clarifies and hones one of the mystical tradition’s most powerful arguments against religious conceptions of God.

Following the argument closely, we can begin to understand why many theologians later argued that atheism is closer to the Absolute than traditional theism.

SUPPLEMENTAL reflection

While it might initially appear strange to include a person who provided one of the most famous arguments for the existence of God, Anselm deserves an important place in the development of theological atheism because of his philosophical defense of a reality ‘beyond being’. Anselm famously outlined three modes of being (each of which supersede the former in their level of greatness),

• Being in the mind, but not in reality

• Being in reality, and can be grasped by the mind

• Being in reality, but cannot be grasped by the mind

By using an argument derived from the definition of the word ‘God’, he claimed that the third form of being is necessarily connected with the idea of God. The word ‘God’ refers to a being ‘that which none greater can be conceived’, and thus the definition requires that one attach the third type of reality to the very idea of God. This is much like having to attach the idea ‘a shape of three sides’ to the word ‘triangle’.

In this way, Anselm provides a basis for the mystical idea of the religious ‘object’, being beyond our ability to grasp. Hence, this helps us to understand why the mystics took negation (atheism) as a vital tool for religious purification.

supplemental material

I’ve included a link to The Proslogium, as well as a famous essay on the Ontological Argument, called “Is the Ontological Argument Ontological” by Jean-Luc Marion from the book, Flight of the Gods.

Marguerite Porete (1248/1250 – 1310) was a mystic and the author of The Mirror of Simple Souls, a work of Christian mysticism dealing with the workings of divine love. She was burnt at the stake for heresy in Paris in 1310 after refusing to remove her book from circulation or recant her views. The book is cited as one the primary texts of the medieval Heresy of the Free Spirit. After her death extracts from the book were cited in the bull Ad Nostrum, issued by the Council of Vienne in 1311, to condemn the Free Spirit movement as heretical.

The following excerpt from Mirror shows a conversation between Love, Reason and the Soul, where Love reveals her true identity. This is another classical example of a critique of religious theism from within the Christian tradition.

SUPPLEMENTAL REFLECTION

What you will find in today’s reflection is a beautiful description of the movement from law to love. For Porete, the Soul begins by learning to be virtuous through external means. Much like a child learning what is good and bad from their parents. However, the soul eventually soars to such a height that it no longer needs to try to be virtuous. Indeed, it takes leave of the virtues entirely. However, now the virtues cling to the soul. They are no longer compelled by external forces, but emanate from within.

Porete is writing about a type of life that utterly transcends external authority, whether that comes from the tradition, reason or God. For the soul becomes truly free when it merges with pure love. A love that is not constrained by any external laws. It is only when the soul is one with love, that she discovers loves true identity, for ‘I am God’, says love.

Porete lived the lessons she wrote of, coming up against the church authorities who believed she was a threat to the church. Feeling no need to bow before the church, she remained silent before her accusers, was imprisoned for a year and a half and finally burned at the stake.

supplemental reading

I’ve included a link to the book The Mirror of Simple Souls.

Ikon was the community where I, along with some other friends, began to develop Transformance Art. Transformance Art is the liturical practice of Pyrotheology. I’ve included a description of one of our earliest gatherings, which took place in The Menagerie bar in Belfast. The gathering was called ‘A/Theism’ and was directly influenced by a reading of the German theologian, philosopher and mystic, Meister Eckhart.

The image to the left of this description was spray painted onto a wall beside The Menagerie bar. While it wasn’t done by us, it was very much a perfect image for people to see as they descended the stairs into Ikon.

SUPPLEMENTAL reflection

While most consider Christianity as advocating theism over and against atheism this gathering sought to show how theism and atheism are embraced within the Christian tradition. Not only is Christianity atheistic insomuch as it rejects ideas of God which stand opposed to those found in its own tradition (the early Christians were called atheists because of their rejection of those deities worshiped by the Romans) there is also a sense in which Christianity is atheistic because it rejects its own understanding of God.

One of the things I enjoyed most about Ikon, was the process of taking ideas like this and exploring how we might live them out in a type of immersive, artistic experience. My hope with including some of the earliest Ikon gatherings, is not they might inspire people to try some of their own.

supplemental reading

I’ve included a PDF of ten of our earliest gatherings. These are taken from my first book How (Not) to Speak of God, which I’ve also included a link to.

Simone Weil (1909 – 1943) was an intellectually brilliant and deeply troubled philosopher, mystic, and political activist. Taking a path that was unusual among twentieth-century left-leaning intellectuals, she became interested in mysticism as her life progressed.

In this excerpt we witness an example of Weil's complex and subtle work that opens up an understanding the divine that cut against the idea of God as a being. Weil's work has a place in the wider development of a post-theistic approach to theology.

SUPPLEMENTAL REFLECTION

Weil is perhaps the only modern individual who’s spirit truly reflected that of the ancient mystics. As you will see from tomorrow’s reading, the mystics were anything but meek and mild. They didn’t fit into the mould of what we imagine a mystic might be… as enlightened stoic or peaceful meditator. Instead they often exhibited erratic, violent, delusional behavior and questioned everything that we take for granted. They would often starve themselves, undergo profound acts of voluntary suffering and reach prolonged ecstatic states. In short, they lived a more intense kind of life than most of us can imagine.

This was true of Weil. Not only was she one of the greatest intellects of her generation, she suffered deeply, and shared profoundly in the sufferings of others. She had no interest in being part of the elite Parisian circles frequented by her contemporaries. Instead she devoted her life to extreme political action, religious devotion and mystical contemplation. For this reason Albert Camus said of her, ‘she is the only great spirit of our times’.

SUPPLEMENTAL material

I’ve included links to three important podcast episodes for anyone who would like to delve deeper in the life and thought of Weil. First, I have included an In Our Time episode that brings together three experts to discuss the life and thought of Simone Weil. This offers a nice introduction to who she is. Secondly, I have included an episode from Revolutionary Left Radio. This episode dives a deeper into her life as a whole, but pays particular attention to her political work. Thirdly, I have included two episodes from the The Partially Examined Life, that take a more philosophical look at the importance of Weil. Fourthly, I’ve included an excellent essay that explores Weil’s understanding of desire and it’s relation to Lacan (the second half of the essay is quite technical and requires some knowledge of psychoanalysis, but the first half is very useful for an understanding of Weil’s approach to God. In addition to this, I’ve provided a link to her book of reflections, Gravity and Grace.

Emile Coiran (1911 - 1995) was a Romanian philosopher who became famous for his intoxicating, aphoristic pessimism and his unrivaled lyrical reflections on the themes of death, decay and suffering. His work paints a profound metaphysical bleakness in which life is presented as the brief insomnia of nothingness and where suicide is rejected only for the joy that the thought of suicide can bring. 

His uncompromising, joyful pessimism places him as one of the most important and profound individuals to be found among the philosophers of despair. Providing darkly musical musings and metaphysical speculations that are oddly comforting, and writing in a style that lifts the melancholy content of his work to the level of an affirmation perhaps only rivaled by Nietzsche. 

Like Nietzsche, Coiran is the type of thinker who is difficult to place in the world of theology. While often viewed as a profoundly anti-theological and anti-institutional individual, his work simultaneously overflows with a passion and enthusiasm that seems to emanate from nothing less than a type ecstatic, delirious religious jouissance.

I wanted to end the week on mysticism with an excerpt from his work because he is one of the great philosophical historians of the mystics. His work doesn’t focus on mysticism as a set of beliefs, but rather as a profound type of painful passion for the impossible, for the nothing, for the beyond of being. What follows are extracts from his essay ‘Dealing with the Mystics’.

SUPPLEMENTAL Reflection

Reading Cioran is like putting on your favorite melancholy album. You don’t necessarily do this because you want to be depressed, but rather because you want your suffering to find articulation, to raise itself into an aesthetic experience, to allow it to become exquisite in its horror. A truly sad and solemn album can bring about a coincidence of opposites, in which darkness and light, loss and gain, pain and pleasure find themselves united. 

Cioran’s literary work does precisely this. It is almost as if its own depth and beauty offers a counter-argument to its content. As if the negation of life within the pages of his books becomes its own affirmation of life. 

I know of no other writer who so powerfully and perceptively captures the Passion (in both senses of the world) of the mystics as Cioran. When reading him, it is difficult not to get the sense that, today, the only individual able to truly understand the drive of the ancient mystics is one who has truly undergone the Nietzschean Death of God.

Supplemental material

I’ve included links to two of Cioran’s books. The first is The Temptation to Exist, where today’s excerpt is taken from. The second is a profoundly powerful reflection on the mystics called Tears and Saints. This book was self-published when the original publishers backed out because of its controversial and incendiary content.