Elijah Audio Lectures

St. Augustine on Mystical Prayer

Harvey Egan

The topic of this lecture the figure of St. Augustine, one of the fathers of the Catholic Church and primary influence on the first 1000 years of Christianity in Western Europe. Augustine is unique in the history of mysticism in that his main concerns and writings were about church doctrine and education. His status as the father of Christian mysticism is due largely to the fact that he viewed all speculation about God as mystical, and as such drew no distinction between... More>>

The Dark Night of the Soul

Harvey Egan

This lecture discusses the darker sides of Christian mysticism, as it is found to struggle with the trials of the body and soul that the mystic must pass through to reach the revelation of divine love. The focus is on the figure St. John of the Cross, the most celebrated Christian mystic who created a model of purification which passed through stages of apparent death. This is the dark night of the soul. Christian mystics often portray intense interest with this dark side of the mysterious... More>>