The Connection Between Christian Mysticism + Personal Revelation
Written by Cheri Stirling
Amid the ceaseless rhythm of daily life, the mystic pauses, yearning for something more—something eternal. Christian mysticism, though often seen as esoteric or elusive, is at its core a deep and personal journey toward the Divine. The mystic path invites us to seek God not only in the ordinances and outward rituals, but in the stillness of the soul where the divine voice whispers.
What is Christian Mysticism?
Like we discussed in our last post, Christian mysticism is the pursuit of direct experience with God. Unlike theology, which seeks to understand God intellectually, mysticism longs to encounter Him. The mystic does not settle for secondhand knowledge. Like Job, they cry, “I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee” (Job 42:5).
Mysticism in the Christian tradition spans centuries—from the desert fathers and mothers of early monasticism to medieval saints like Joan of Arc, to the quiet, contemplative figures in our modern faith communities.
Personal revelation is inherently mystical. The idea that individuals can receive divine knowledge, see visions, or hear the voice of the Spirit places our spirituality firmly within the broader mystical tradition.
The Mystical Heart of the Restoration
The very foundation of the restoration began with a mystical experience. A boy prophet entered a grove of trees and prayed—seeking truth, wisdom, and communion with God. Joseph Smith’s First Vision is not merely doctrinal; it is mystical:
“I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun… I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description” (Joseph Smith—History 1:16–17).
This theophany—a visible manifestation of God—echoes the mystical experiences recorded throughout Christian history. In many ways, the Restoration rekindled an ancient pattern: God revealing Himself to seekers in dreams, visions, and sacred silence.
Apocryphal Echoes: Hidden Texts, Unveiled Mysteries
Christian mysticism often draws on texts outside the traditional canon—writings suppressed, forgotten, or hidden. Doctrine and Covenants 91 teaches that “there are many things contained therein that are true, and it is mostly translated correctly.” Apocryphal and pseudepigraphal works, such as the Gospel of Thomas, the Book of Enoch, and The Shepherd of Hermas, offer windows into early mystical thought.
The Gospel of Thomas, a collection of Jesus’ sayings, includes this provocative line:
“The kingdom is inside of you, and it is outside of you… When you know yourselves, then you will be known, and you will understand that you are children of the living Father” (Gospel of Thomas, Logion 3).
Though not included in our canon, this text resonates with doctrines of divine potential and the Light of Christ given to all (Moroni 7:16, D&C 88:11). It echoes the idea that divinity is not distant but embedded within us—that the divine spark can be fanned into flame through personal revelation and righteousness.
Similarly, the Book of Enoch, which was quoted by Jude (Jude 1:14), describes visionary ascents into the heavens, angelic councils, and cosmic order—recalling the visions of Moses and Abraham in the Pearl of Great Price. Enoch’s mystical visions of divine judgment and glory serve as an early example of prophetic mysticism, blending imagery with moral exhortation.
The Temple: A School of the Divine
The temple is perhaps the most tangible expression of mysticism. It is a sacred space where symbols teach, covenants bind, and the presence of God is sought. Early Christian mystics, particularly in the Eastern Orthodox tradition, often spoke of theosis—becoming like God through grace.
This doctrine parallels the our understanding of eternal progression: “As man now is, God once was: as God now is, man may be” (Lorenzo Snow, The Teachings of Lorenzo Snow, p. 1).
The temple teaches us not only about the plan of salvation but also about our divine identity. It becomes, in the words of Hugh Nibley, “a model, a presentation in figurative terms, of the pattern and the sequence of man’s progress toward exaltation” (Temple and Cosmos).
The rituals and symbols therein are not meant to be merely observed—they are meant to be experienced. They are invitations to personal revelation, sacred silence, and inner transformation.
Silence, Stillness, and the Voice of God
One of the hallmarks of mysticism is the embrace of silence. In a world driven by distraction, silence becomes an act of resistance and reverence. Elijah’s experience on Mount Horeb reminds us that God is not always found in the fire or the earthquake—but in the “still small voice” (1 Kings 19:12).
This stillness is closely associated with the workings of the Holy Ghost. The Spirit speaks “in your mind and in your heart” (D&C 8:2), often gently, quietly, unmistakably. To hear this voice, we must cultivate what the mystics called interior silence—a quieting of the soul to perceive the divine.
The 14th-century English text The Cloud of Unknowing offers a simple yet profound instruction: “Lift your heart up to the Lord with a humble stirring of love.” This love—pure, reverent, and undistracted—is the essence of the mystic’s prayer.
The Role of Suffering and Transformation
The mystic path is not always peaceful. Like Christ in Gethsemane, the mystic often walks through suffering as a means of transformation. This suffering refines us. “All these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good” (D&C 122:7).
Early Christian mystics such as St. John of the Cross wrote of the dark night of the soul—a period of spiritual desolation that ultimately leads to deeper union with God. Such periods are not signs of divine absence but preludes to greater light.
Christ’s modeled this pattern in Hi mortal ministry. The Book of Mormon testifies: “He shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind… that he may know… how to succor his people” (Alma 7:11–12).
Mystical union often follows the descent, following the pattern of Fall, Atonement, and Restoration. Resurrection comes after crucifixion. The veil parts after the silence.
Becoming the Burning Bush
One of the most beautiful metaphors in Christian mysticism is the burning bush—a manifestation of divine presence that burns but is not consumed (Exodus 3:2). In mystical tradition, the bush represents the human soul on fire with the love of God.
The aim of the mystic is not to escape the world, but to be transfigured within it—to become, as C.S. Lewis said, “little Christs.” The doctrine of eternal families, divine potential, and exaltation does not just hint at this reality—it proclaims it.
The ultimate goal is to become one with God—not in identity, but in unity of will, love, and purpose.
The Divine Beckons
Christian mysticism is not a relic of the past, nor is it reserved for cloistered monks or visionary saints. It is alive, beckoning to each of us—to kneel in quiet prayer, to ponder sacred mysteries, to open ourselves to revelation.
The Restoration has restored not only truths but the means by which those truths are personally revealed. We are invited to enter our own sacred groves, seek our own burning bushes, and hear the voice of the Lord for ourselves.
As Moroni declared: “By the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things” (Moroni 10:5).
This is not merely doctrinal—it is deeply mystical. The path of the Christian mystic is the path of the disciple, the seeker, the lover of God. In seeking the Divine, may we discover that the Divine has already been seeking us.
Resources:
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- “Temple and Cosmos” by Hugh Nibley
- “The Cloud of Unknowing” (Anonymous, 14th century)
- “Fire Within” by Thomas Dubay
- D&C 88, 2 Nephi 2, and Alma 12–13 for deeper study of divine knowledge and transformation.
- “Temple and Cosmos” by Hugh Nibley
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