“The Mystical Threat”: Persecution, Co-option and exile of the mystics — a study about Juan de La Cruz (1542-1591)
Juan de La Cruz; Mystical; Christianism; Charismatic
The present dissertation has the mystical exercise followed and teached by the Discalced Carmelite Friar Juan de La Cruz as its object, and pretend to investigate how much this influenced his persecution and incarceration. To achieve this goal an explanation of how fundamental the mystical-charismatic experience was on early christianism, how it was viewed after the religious institucionalization, generating the fundation of the monasticism and a brief overview of La Cruz´s life will be offered. Finally, on the third and last chapter an analysis of his mystical exercise as a case study will serve as parameter to understand how this practice and its teaching may have contributed for his persecution and exile.