Hear the ancient wisdom: medieval Christian mystics speak to present-day Asian evangelicals

At first glance, it would seem very unlikely that medieval Christian mystics and present-day Asian evangelicals would have anything to say to each other. And more importantly, it seems unlikely that evangelicals would want to listen to the medieval Christian mystics, since they are seen as people with strange ecstatic and visionary experiences that take people away from a singular focus on Christ and the Scriptures. Moreover, mystics are often seen as self-absorbed and disengaged from serving their neighbors and caring about the world. They are seen as so heavenly-minded that they are of no earthly good.At a second glance, evangelicals generally hold the view that through various revival and holiness movements, our roots for faith, theology, and spirituality only go back to the Reformation. And just as the Reformers put an end to monasticism, they also put — so it is claimed — an end to mysticism. But it is not this simple...In this paper we have suggested that Christian mysticism is part of the Protestant tradition, but that the connection is not as strong as it needs to be...In "Hear the Ancient Wisdom," I look to modern evangelicals who have pointed us back not only to the Reformation, but also to the medieval Christian mystics. First, studying the mystics gives us access to a Christian spirituality that was not shaped by modernity and its emphasis on rationality. Second, the mystics point us to a relationship with God and love of God which is God-centered, rather than the "bless-me Christianity" that so characterizes our time. Third, the Christian mystics quoted in this presentation were deeply involved in the issues of their time, which helps us to see that mystical experience is not esoteric and world-denying. Finally, I argue that not only are these Christians part of our Christian tradition (which we neglect to our own detriment), but that they also hold significant relevance for Asian evangelicals. Because Asian evangelicals are situated amidst the major primal religions, are communal and holistic in their way of Iife, and are focused on wisdom rather than rational knowing (points made by Chan, Capaque, and Alexander), Asian evangelicals are encouraged to drink from the wells of the medieval Christian mystics, whose spirituality also reflects these same characteristics.