The Mystical Theology

Abstract

Abstract The Mystical Theology, for all its influence and importance, is remarkably short, only about five pages of text. The inviting brevity and its centrality to the corpus might suggest that this essay could itself conveniently represent the Pseudo-Dionysian system.1 Yet precisely in its brevity and density, the work resists quick comprehension and will mislead a reader who is unaware of its overall context. Several crucial facets of the Areopagite’s thought-amply explained elsewhere and now essential to the accurate interpretation of The Mystical Theology-are here compressed into a single word or omitted altogether. The Mystical Theology explicitly summarizes some previous works, such as The Divine Names, and thus indicates that the author did not intend to use this treatise as an introduction to his thought. The Mystical Theology is thus a brief summary or even the climax of Dionysian thought, but so compressed a summary of such complex thought that it cannot stand alone, or as the first of his works. It will here be quoted in full, line by line, accompanied by interpretive commentary. Because the work itself summarizes most of the Dionysian system, the comments will integrate material from previous parts in order to summarize and to conclude this commentary on the whole of the Dionysian corpus. Conversely, when a significant Dionysian theme, such as the angels or hierarchical authority, is not discussed in The Mystical Theology, this omission too will be investigated. There are difficult questions about the relationship of this treatise to the others, and doubts about the consistency of the overall corpus. Finally, the use and misuse of this seminal essay in the history of Christian mysticism will also be surveyed. Even before quoting the beginning of chapter 1, the title of the treatise itself, The Mystical Theology, invites comment and scrutiny, the kind given in previous parts to the titles added by editors to the chapters of Dionysius’ other works. In this case, both mystical and theology need clarification.