Christian Mysticism & Divine Feminine

Dedicated Mind · #1 09-30-2011, 02:24 PM

In addition to Kabbalah, I've been doing a little research into gnosticism and christian mysticism. I believe that both traditions worship the divine feminine, which they call Sophia. Sophia is of course the word for wisdom and wisdom is referred to in the feminine in Proverbs chapter 8. We know that in the NT, all wisdom is hidden in christ.

I'm wondering if christ had a balanced male/female nature in the sense of adam and eve together being called adam or if we can view christ and the church as the male and female aspects of christ?

From what i've read so far gnostics and mystics view God being balanced between male and female and call the female aspect sophia. Could there be any truth in this?

gnostics have an exalted view of Mary Magdalene and consider her the wife of christ or like a female christ. I don't have enough info on that yet. But a christian mystic site worships Mary the mother of Jesus as the embodiment of Sophia or the divine feminine. I know some of this stuff is off track but I find it interesting and I hunger for more of a mystical interpretation of the NT with verses like, we partake of the divine nature, christ in us, the church as the body of christ...etc

I see many aspects of the NT in mystical terms and would like to hear some teaching on these aspects. Do you have any opinions on any of this subject matter? I would like to hear it.

In the spirit of sharing, here are the sites I'm looking at. a general site on christian mysticism with several free books for download and forum:

http://christianmystics.com/

Another christian mysticism site with forum, free online course and sample videos to introduce. They have other courses and videos for a fee.

http://www.centersoflight.org/index.html

A gnostic forum with some far out stuff and a christian cabala section

http://www.sophian.org/

please only enter if you are firm in your faith. I believe we are all apostolic adults.

Dedicated Mind · #2 09-30-2011, 02:43 PM

just found out that forum on sophian.org is more interested in selling books than answering questions.

seekerman · #3 09-30-2011, 03:28 PM

You'll never be the same. You're out of the box, out of the confines and you'll never again walk in bondage.

Get ready.

mfblume · #4 09-30-2011, 05:02 PM

Personally I see God as a HIM alone. And Christ is the HIM and the church is the bride. Eph 5. Eve was in Adam but Adam did not have female qualities before Eve was made from his rib. The church was likewise in Christ, but Christ is a HIM alone. The bible never calls God a she. This is the kabbalistic idea of SHEKINAH, the female quality of God, one of nine or ten emanations. Makes Him a homosexual deity.

Dedicated Mind · #5 09-30-2011, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mfblume

Personally I see God as a HIM alone. And Christ is the HIM and the church is the bride. Eph 5. Eve was in Adam but Adam did not have female qualities before Eve was made from his rib. The church was likewise in Christ, but Christ is a HIM alone. The bible never calls God a she. This is the kabbalistic idea of SHEKINAH, the female quality of God, one of nine or ten emanations. Makes Him a homosexual deity.

Blume, you might be right about christ as a he and the church as his bride, but what makes the church his bride if not his spirit in every believer? I tend to agree with the mystics that wisdom is personified as a she in proverbs 8 and that wisdom might be the feminine aspect of divinity. Prov 8:22 says the LORD possessed me in the beginning, from everlasting I was set up/established/inaugurated/ordained. What I don't know is if this is a spirit of God or a separate entity. My guess is the former, Let's forget Kabbalah's shekinah and focus on the mystic sophia. What are your thoughts?

Aquila · #6 10-03-2011, 07:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mfblume

Personally I see God as a HIM alone. And Christ is the HIM and the church is the bride. Eph 5. Eve was in Adam but Adam did not have female qualities before Eve was made from his rib. The church was likewise in Christ, but Christ is a HIM alone. The bible never calls God a she. This is the kabbalistic idea of SHEKINAH, the female quality of God, one of nine or ten emanations. Makes Him a homosexual deity.

Why do we men have nipples? lol

Digging4Truth · #7 10-03-2011, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mfblume

Personally I see God as a HIM alone. And Christ is the HIM and the church is the bride. Eph 5. Eve was in Adam but Adam did not have female qualities before Eve was made from his rib. The church was likewise in Christ, but Christ is a HIM alone. The bible never calls God a she. This is the kabbalistic idea of SHEKINAH, the female quality of God, one of nine or ten emanations. Makes Him a homosexual deity.

Yes sir... and how many Pentecostal churches seek after and cry out for the SHEKINAH glory of God?

mfblume · #8 10-03-2011, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth

Yes sir... and how many Pentecostal churches seek after and cry out for the SHEKINAH glory of God?

I know. That has bothered me ever since I realized what SHEKINAH really refers to. It is a word found no where in the bible in Hebrew.

Dedicated Mind · #9 09-30-2011, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seekerman

You'll never be the same. You're out of the box, out of the confines and you'll never again walk in bondage.

Get ready.

interesting post seekerman, do u have any experience in this field? are u afraid to tell? I am honest with my interests and totally convinced of acts 2:38 as the initiation. I am just seeking NT parallels and deeper truths of scripture interpretation. I may come up fruitless but I believe God honors the hunger and the effort. There has got to be something more than acts 2:38 and holiness standards. I am sick of the whole scene and judgementalism of epleyites. If I'm out of the box so be it. I have faith in God. Why don't you share what you really think?

seekerman · #10 09-30-2011, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dedicated Mind

interesting post seekerman, do u have any experience in this field? are u afraid to tell? I am honest with my interests and totally convinced of acts 2:38 as the initiation. I am just seeking NT parallels and deeper truths of scripture interpretation. I may come up fruitless but I believe God honors the hunger and the effort. There has got to be something more than acts 2:38 and holiness standards. I am sick of the whole scene and judgementalism of epleyites. If I'm out of the box so be it. I have faith in God. Why don't you share what you really think?

Yes, I have personal experience and no I'm not afraid to tell....at least here on the forum.

There came a point in my life many years ago that I realized that the body of Christ was much larger and older than oneness Pentecostalism thus began my exit from the sect. I also came to the realization that others, who aren't Christians, also have had a relationship with God apart from Jesus Christ and that they also can present for my examination spiritual views which I can either reject or accept. (Now usually comes the John 14:6 reference by some).

My personal path today has it's foundation in Jesus Christ, and His revelation of God the Father, while at the same time realizing that others have deep and true spiritual experiences with God in their culture and environment also. Reading and studying their spiritual experiences, while may not have the depth of a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, nevertheless have something to say which is sometimes beneficial to an individual growing on their spiritual walk. As it is within the Christian movement, there are things taught which aren't spiritual truths but there are also spiritual truths and insights to be taught.

For example, most Protestants don't realize that in their original King James Version bible there was a group of writings included called the Apocrypha. Some considered them heresy while others viewed them as presenting spiritual truths to grow and live by. While some today would never read the Apocryphal books others would and it brings them a deeper intimacy with God. Did the writers of the Apocryphal books have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, no they didn't as the writers of the OT books didn't have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Both present spiritual truths though.

When one breaks down the walls of religion, one finds truths there were not available to them before. Conversely, those who have lived without knowing Jesus Christ, because of the wall religion has built, now can enter into a relationship with Him because the wall is no longer there keeping them out. Breach the wall, explore, examine and find the richness of God in freedom. Once freedom is tasted bondage will never be accepted again.

You'll never be the same.