the Hesychast

Amhara prayer book from Lasta region of Ethiopia; Hesychasm, the Christian Orthodox Heart Prayer

Hesychasm

What Is Hesychasm? Hesychasm is a mystical tradition of contemplative prayer in the Eastern Orthodox Church. Based on Jesus‘s injunction in the Gospel of Matthew that “when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray”, hesychasm in tradition has been the process of retiring inward by ceasing to register the senses, in order...

Assisi Landscape Santa Chiara

Mystical Theology

Mystical Theology Mystical theology is the branch of theology that explains mystical practices and states, as induced by contemplative practices such as contemplative prayer. Early Christianity According to Origen (184/185–253/254AD) and the Alexandrian theology, theoria is the knowledge of God in creation and of sensible things, and thus their contemplation intellectually (150–400AD) (see Clement...