Medieval Christian and Islamic Mysticism and the Problem of a “Mystical Ethics”
Cambridge University Press eBooks November 29, 2018 Amber L. Griffioen, Mohammad Sadegh Zahedi
Medieval Christian and Islamic mystical traditions face three challenges when examined for their ethical content: defining mysticism and comparing philosophies across cultures; whether a tradition that views God as the highest good yet emphasizes God's unknowability can provide a coherent theory of value; and whether mystics' antinomian tendencies and stress on passivity can yield a coherent theory of right action. Each concern is addressed in turn, arguing that medieval mysticism, as a fundamentally practical enterprise, merits greater attention from practical and moral philosophy than it has received.