Description
Book SynopsisEcstasy in the Classroom analyzes the early thirteenth century theological discourse about Paul’s rapture and other modes of cognizing God. It reconstructs the perceptions of transformation and self they imply, and demonstrate their role in establishing the peculiar professional identity of scholastic theologians compared with other seers of God.
Table of ContentsAs its title suggests, this book does three things: (1) It describes the discourse about Paul’s trance and other modes of cognizing God through key questions raised by early thirteenth-century theologians; (2) It discusses the perceptions of the self implied by this discourse; (3) It suggests these questions resonate concerns of theologians regarding the nature of their academic profession. Each chapter, therefore, has accordingly three titles.
Introduction / 1
1 Why was Paul ignorant of his own state, and how do various
modes of cognizing God differ? / 23
The experiencing self and the observing self
Theology among other modes of cognizing God
2 How could Paul remember his rapture? / 59
Memory and the continuity of the self
Theology between experience and words
3 Can a soul see God or itself without intermediaries? / 81
The self as distinct from its habits and actions
Theology between experience and observation
4 Does true faith rely on anything external? / 111
The self as an ultimate source of authority
Theology between internal and external authority
5 What happens to old modes of cognition when new ones are
introduced during trance and other transitions? / 135
The self and its ability to manipulate parts of it during transitions
Theology between reasoned knowledge and simple faith
6 Can knowledge qua knowledge be a virtue? / 158
The self in society
Theology between theory and practice
Summary and Epilogue / 189
Appendix / 199
Acknowledgments / 205
Notes / 207
Bibliography / 265
Index / 291
