Religion - Mysticism - Essay Example

Religion – Mysticism Introduction Mysticism is a broad concept that refers to myriad features including dis s, texts and traditions among many others in relation to understanding human transformation. Scholars of theology face myriad problems in their quest to understand mysticism key among which is the definition and application of the term. As explained, mysticism is broad and entails numerous sub concepts and disciplines all of which contribute to the understanding of humanity and the transcendental order. Effective understanding of the concept therefore requires elaborate explanation of the relationship existing between an individual and the supernatural being, God in most cases. Understanding the relationship between human and their faiths is a vital aspect of understanding mysticism since it help understand the individual and the faith among other vital features of mysticism. Such an elusive introduction presents the relativity aspect of mysticism, which further presents scholars with more challenges. Spiritual beliefs vary in people. Christians believe in the existence of God alongside the numerous different doctrines of their churches, Muslims have similar structures and so are pagans among many other faiths throughout the world. Each of the numerous beliefs has a distinctive definition and application of mysticism in their attempt to develop a relationship with their faiths. The relativity of faiths introduces a concept of relativity in the study of mysticism as well. This complicates and may curtail the study of mysticism in most cases. In order to understand mysticism in a faith, a scholar must become conversant with the faith and understand the relationship an individual develops with their supernatural beings. The need to understand the traditional practices of individuals in order to understand the relative concept of mysticism makes the study more hectic to scholars. Traditions are cultural aspects of human life that helps explains the beliefs of an individual. Culture refers to non-genetic features of an individual most of which the individuals obtain from the society. Belief in a supernatural being is a vital aspect of culture that helps understand the mysticism. Different societies have their respective types of transformation and beliefs. Most traditional societies believed in the role of ancestral spirits in the transformational process. Such societies believed that the ancestors were intermediaries between them and the supernatural beings. The introduction of Christianity and Islam among other contemporary faiths eliminated such institutions thereby portraying the dynamism of both culture and faiths. Understanding mysticism requires effective understanding of faith a feature that compels the study of the traditions and culture and the influence of the two the beliefs of an individual. The need to understanding traditions presents scholars with yet another vital problem in their quest to understand mysticism and its prevalence in societies. The spread of globalization and urbanization have facilitated the destruction of cohesive social structures. Current societies consist of people from diverse backgrounds living in cosmopolitan societies oblivious of their diminishing cultures and tradition. Such have resulted in the development of independent families with each family believing in relative aspects of both faith and cultures. This implies that a scholar of theology may not establish a uniform manifestation of faiths in a group of individuals living is a single society. This makes the study of mysticism more complicated since it requires the scholars to obtain vital information on the concept and pioneers a particular school of thought. This becomes difficult in the contemporary social structures. Human transformations begin at birth after which the human life is a series of transformation possibly not ending even in death. The study of mysticism requires a scholar to gain concrete information on the series of transformation that occurs to individuals even in their deaths. This becomes an elusive aspect of the study since death is one major aspect of human life that is not easy to study. To the living, the dead are lifeless and therefore useless precisely meant for either burial or cremation. To scholars of theology on the other hand, the dead offer an opportunity to study the relationship between man and God or the transcendental order. the fact that there are no many facts available on the series of activities or lack of any after the death of an individual makes the study of mysticism a speculative affair that further complicates understanding of nature and their relationship humans form among themselves. The claim that religion is a human creation in not a hidden fact, the revolutions in the Christian faith that led to the formation of numerous denominations example attest to the plastic nature of religion. Traditional priests requested payments to forgive sins and to bless families. Such features prove that religions could be a creation of humanity. Worse still, such beliefs are manifested by numerous people a feature that has led to the formation of a specific group of individuals within the society who continue to portray atheist features. The existence of such people in the society makes the practice of topologists and their quests to understand mysticism more complicated. Such people lead happy lives on earth existing peacefully alongside other people in the society. Additionally, when such people die, no one understands what happens to them. The secretive nature of death is therefore one of the greatest stumbling block to the study of mysticism. Both believers and non-believers enjoy an equal degree of peace and calm in their death, at least it appears so to the living. This constitutes the greatest problem that students of theology encounter in their study of mysticism (McGinn, 2006). McGinnn a renown theology scholar argues that the presence is more important that the union. In his understanding, the study of mysticism should often portray the presence or existence of the transcendental order rather than the union that the people form with such. By acquiring such an objective approach to the study, it becomes possible to understand mysticism and the subsequent human transformation. Both believers and non-believers have a relative manifestation of the existence of God or a supernatural being in the society. Investigating the society will therefore provide evidence of the existence of such beings thereby making it possible for the scholars to draw realistic conclusions on the transformations that people experience both in their lives and in deaths. However, while the definition makes it possible for students of theology to investigate the concept of mysticism among a potential population, it does not eliminate some of the problems that such scholars may face key among which is interrogation. Integration especially in the contemporary society has facilitated major social and cultural; developments as people readily trade cultural values and virtues. Investigating the manifestation of the transcendental order is easier when the target population is similar. Integration on the other hand eliminates the similarity or uniformity of settlement thereby curtailing the success of such studies. In cosmopolitan societies, people own different opinions and faiths but still manage to share boundaries; the contradiction in some of the faiths coupled with the settlement structures that encourage people to criticize unique faiths makes investigations into mysticism difficult thereby promoting the development of atheists. Atheists hold the view that such supernatural beings do not exist, they believe in life since they can attest of the same. Different religions on the other hand believe in the existence of the supernatural being and the existence of life after death. The believers therefore provide different proofs of the existence of the transcendental order some of which are daily occurrences they believe are unique and unprecedented. They therefore use religion to explain some of the things that they cannot. The manifestation and the contemporary prevalence of science make it possible for humans to explain almost every feature of life and the occurrences in the society. Such makes it difficult for scholars of theology to investigate the existence of God since scientists will explain nearly anything that the believers will present as the proof of his existence. In retrospect, believers have just their faith to prove of the existence of the transcendental order and his deed in justifying the transformations they are likely to experience in life. On the contrary, faith is limited and equally relative depending on the cultural values that an individual believes. Such diversities in the contemporary society make it difficult for scholars of theology to investigate and determine the manifestation and their understanding of mysticism and its roles. Reference McGinn, B. (2006). The Essential Writings of Christian Mysticism. New York: Modern Library. Read More