Mystical Christianity

Mystical Christianity- Gnostics – Final Essay Rev. Lucinda Parker

This is one of the best and most Christian informative classes I have taken from the ULC Seminary. This class is well researched, well cited for further reading (which I found myself doing), written in a non-condemning voice and includes great ‘thought’ questions at the end of each lesson.

One of my favorite quotes from this entire class is as follows:

"From all the evidence that we now have about the person of Jesus, one thing is blatantly obvious. Jesus did not do or talk theology. We find him teaching ethics, especially about loving your neighbors and your enemies, and we find him teaching about the importance of going to God with the inner sincerity of the heart. But we do not find him discussing the nature of God nor even saying who or what he perceives himself to be."

This is a very important point for all studying the Bible and Christianity. Jesus never defined the nature of God, or the Goddess, only the ethics of living a Godly, or Holy life. Nor did Jesus ever call himself God. This class looks at the writings about the early Jesus and makes valid points about how Christianity has totally changed over the past millenniums.

Mary Magdalene and her part in the early Judeo-Christian world have always intrigued me. This class actually looks at several answers yet leaves the final decision up to the reader. We will probably never know every detail, yet the change of Christianity in the early years from heavily matriarchal to the post canonical years of Constantine and the Council of Nicea is discussed academically in this class. As a woman, these lessons sure opened up a world of explanation!

“ The elephant in the living room that many are now recognizing can be summarized in the question: How did a woman as powerful, intelligent, and courageous as Mary Magdalene end up being labeled for centuries as a sinner and whore, even if repentant? By asking this we cross the line from history into fantasy, myth and legend. The Mary Magdalene that most of us know has been packaged by the Church to serve social and political purposes and is no more historical than the image of the Virgin Mary. But like her sacred sister, the Mary Magdalene of myth still has the power to captivate and enthrall us.” Lesson 11

Mystical Christianity, written by Mother Maryesah Karelon, is an excellent class in early Christianity and a look at how much Christianity has diversified in its approach to religion and spirituality. She covers the early history very well. “Some Christians began to see a belief in Jesus as the only road to salvation. Once this happened, Christianity began to be defined as exclusive and believers claimed that their way was right and everyone else was wrong. Lesson 15” This happened after the Council of Nicea, and once the shift to exclusivity began so did the religious wars. It is this very approach to Jesus and the “we are right” attitude that turned me off to Christianity decades ago.

I really enjoyed this class, and the topics it covers from Mary Magdalene to reincarnation to the mystical Jesus who saw the Christ in each of us. I place it in the top five of ULC Seminary classes I have taken. It is informative and thought provoking. It was most certainly worth my time and money.

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