Africa's Christian mysticism took form in the desert, as part of a long-reaching Judeo-Christian mystical tradition. In the Judeo-Christian mystical tradition, the desert is known to induce religious experiences and altered states of consciousness. Ultimately, all mysticism originated in Africa. The first site of human activity, Africa is the starting point of all the world’s religions and mystical traditions.

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  • Africa's Christian mysticism took form in the desert, as part of a long-reaching Judeo-Christian mystical tradition. In the Judeo-Christian mystical tradition, the desert is known to induce religious experiences and altered states of consciousness. Ultimately, all mysticism originated in Africa. The first site of human activity, Africa is the starting point of all the world’s religions and mystical traditions. The first signs of Christian Mysticism in Africa followed the teachings of Montanus in the late second century. Followers of Montanus, called Montanists, induced ecstatic experiences out of which they would prophesy. Usually the prophecies were spoken in an unknown language. In the mid- to late 3rd century, the deserts of northern Africa became home to a deeply devout group known as the Desert Fathers or Desert People. These individuals were highly influenced by the intellectual components of Coptic Christianity. They led quiet lives and communicated the Gospel with those whom they traded with. Their movement became the template of Western eremitism and monasticism. The architect of the template was Saint Anthony, the foundational Desert Father. It is unclear if Christian Mysticism in Africa was most influenced by Plato, spiritualists of South Asia, or another factor, perhaps emerging from within Christianity itself. However, most scholars agree that Plato undoubtedly had far-reaching influence on Christian Mysticism, in Africa and throughout much of Europe and Western Asia. Many of his thoughts are evident in the Gospel of John, and via neo-Platonism he affected the large audience who read Dionysius' "Mystical Theology. " Furthermore, many of the Fathers of the early African Church had Platonist and Neo-Platonist thinking embedded throughout their writings.
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  • Africa's Christian mysticism took form in the desert, as part of a long-reaching Judeo-Christian mystical tradition. In the Judeo-Christian mystical tradition, the desert is known to induce religious experiences and altered states of consciousness. Ultimately, all mysticism originated in Africa. The first site of human activity, Africa is the starting point of all the world’s religions and mystical traditions.
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  • Christian mysticism in ancient Africa
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