ST. STEPHEN’S COLLEGE RELEASE FORM NAME OF AUTHOR: Mona Lynn Smart TITLE OF THESIS: Five Women Mystics and the Five-Fold Transformative Map to Unia Mystica DEGREE: MASTER OF THEOLOGICAL STUDIES YEAR DEGREE GRANTED: 2010 Permission is hereby granted to St. Stephen’s College to reproduce single copies of this thesis and to lend or sell such copies for private, scholarly or scientific research purposes only. The author reserves all other publication and other rights in association with the copyright in the thesis, and except as herein before provided, neither the thesis nor any substantial portion thereof may be printed or otherwise reproduced in any material form whatsoever without the author’s prior written permission. ____________________________ Signature ST. STEPHEN'S COLLEGE FIVE WOMEN MYSTICS AND THE FIVE-FOLD TRANSFORMATIVE MAP TO UNIA MYSTICA by Mona Lynn Smart A thesis submitted to the Faculty of St. Stephen’s College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF THEOLOGICAL STUDIES Edmonton, Alberta Convocation: November 1, 2010 To Cynthia Bourgeault ABSTRACT Five Women Mystics and the Five-Fold Transformative Map to Unia Mystica This thesis is an exploration of unia mystica, the unity of divine and human will, as the final stage in an arduous process of growth in human consciousness, the central purpose of which is to directly apprehend God. Five women mystics, Julian of Norwich, Saint Catherine of Genoa, Saint Teresa of Avila, Edith Stein and Evelyn Underhill, have been selected for investigation both as critical exemplars of this process and for their testimony of self-growth and divine apprehension. Through an analysis of their lives and pertinent writings, this thesis explores the five-stage classical Christian map – purgation, illumination, dark night of the senses, dark night of the soul and unia mystica – as a highly paradoxical schema for developing human consciousness since it involves the forfeiture of selfhood and the transmutation of the pain of humankind, processes which necessarily involve personal suffering. This thesis also investigates the selected mystics’ response to such suffering; according to their testimony, growth in human consciousness is a dialectical process involving both suffering and joy, and to live in the presence of God is never for the benefit of oneself, but to serve humankind. Three key activities the five mystics’ identify as critically necessary to the success of the classical schema is also discussed: (1) purgation to develop a detached state of mind; (2) mortification to develop a virtuous character, and; (3) prayer for help and guidance. As these five mystics attest, the culmination of these practices is a deeply intimate relationship with God, experiencing first-hand, divine love and wisdom, energies so holy they can never be compared or mistaken for their inferior human facsimile. It was precisely this energy these five women brought to the world through their lives and work, their remarkable accomplishments dispelling any view of the mystic as impractical or unrealistic. CONTENTS CHAPTER ONE ................................................................................................................. 1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 1 Theological Area of Study ............................................................................................... 2 Key Term ......................................................................................................................... 3 Key Research Question .................................................................................................... 4 Author’s Personal Interest in the Area of Study .............................................................. 5 Research Methodology .................................................................................................... 8 Literature Review........................................................................................................... 10 Application of Research Methodology .......................................................................... 12 Validation Process ......................................................................................................... 13 Outline of Thesis and Summation of Argument ............................................................... 13 CHAPTER TWO .............................................................................................................. 15 Definition of Mysticism .................................................................................................... 15 Classical Five-Fold Transformative Map ...................................................................... 16 Great Holarchy of Being and Knowing ......................................................................... 18 Honouring the Women Mystics ........................................................................................ 20 CHAPTER THREE .......................................................................................................... 23 Evelyn Underhill (1875-1941) .......................................................................................... 23 Literary Legacy .............................................................................................................. 23 Biographical Sketch ....................................................................................................... 24 Spiritual Life .................................................................................................................. 25 Growth of Mystical Life ................................................................................................ 27 Historical Context .......................................................................................................... 28 Primary Sources for a Study of the Transformative Map .............................................. 30 Self-Awakening .................................................................................................... 31 Purgation ............................................................................................................... 32 Illumination ........................................................................................................... 39 Dark Night of the Soul .......................................................................................... 39 Unitive State.......................................................................................................... 40 Worship and Prayer........................................................................................................ 41 Evelyn Underhill: Contemporary Interpreter of the Transformative Map ........................ 42 CHAPTER FOUR ............................................................................................................. 44 Julian of Norwich (1342-1416) ......................................................................................... 44 Literary Legacy .............................................................................................................. 45 Biographical Sketch ....................................................................................................... 46 Spiritual Life .................................................................................................................. 47 Key Mystical Event........................................................................................................ 49 Historical Context .......................................................................................................... 51 Primary Sources for a Study of the Transformative Map .............................................. 52 Central Theological Premise: Perfect Divine Love ....................................................... 53 Classical Transformative Map within a Cosmic Context .............................................. 54 Julian of Norwich: Cosmic Interpreter of the Transformative Map ................................. 66 CHAPTER FIVE .............................................................................................................. 67 Saint Catherine of Genoa (1447-1510) ............................................................................. 67 Literary Legacy .............................................................................................................. 67 Biographical Sketch ....................................................................................................... 69 Final Years ..................................................................................................................... 72 Spiritual Life .................................................................................................................. 73 Historical Context .......................................................................................................... 75 Primary Sources for a Study of the Transformative Map .............................................. 75 Central Theological Premise: Perfect Divine Love ....................................................... 76 Classical Transformative Map and Purgation: Cosmic Human Journey toward God ... 77 The Human Spirit after Death ........................................................................................ 78 Saint Catherine of Genoa: Timeless Interpreter of the Transformative Map ..................