Studies in Mysticism and Mystical Experience in the Soviet and Post-Soviet Russia
European Journal for Philosophy of Religion June 21, 2015 Tatiana Malevich 3 citations
The paper examines how Soviet and Post-Soviet religious studies understood mysticism. Because the term 'mystical' was vague, Soviet scholars defined it as belief in communication with supernatural powers. They viewed mysticism as a multicomponent entity comprising mystical experiences, mystical beliefs, and mysticism as a false ideology. This framework arose from the epistemological assumptions of dialectical materialism, where mystical experiences and beliefs were seen as distorted reflections of objective reality in the human mind, shaped by individual and social factors. This perspective continues to influence academic interpretations of the mystical in Russia today.