Study Questions
for
Evelyn Underhill's Mysticism

 

1. What is Evelyn Underhill's definition of Mysticism? (cf. p xiv, 2, 72, and 93-94.)

2. Evelyn lists five (5) "characteristics of true mysticism." Explain in your own words what each of those characteristics is (chp IV).

3. She lists five phases of the mystic life. What are they?

4. She adds a sixth phase for Asian (Oriental) mysticism. What is it?

5. She also adds a sixth phase for Christian mysticism. What is it?

6. What does Evelyn mean by the Awakening stage?

7. What does she mean by the Purgative stage (Part II, Intro)?

8. What does she mean by the Illumination stage (Part II, Intro)?

9. What does Evelyn mean by the Dark Night stage (Part II, Intro)?

10. What does she mean by the Unitive (Part II, Intro) stage?

11. In the preface, on p viii, Underhill says that if she were writing the book now (i.e. 20 years after it was first published) she would write it a bit differently and put the focus on different matters. Explain in your own words what she says she would do differently.