Mysticism 0and Cosmic Christology in the Deutero-Pauline Letters

Abstract

This article investigates the development of mysticism and cosmic Christology in the Deutero-Pauline letters, focusing on Ephesians and Colossians, in comparison with the authentic letters of the apostle Paul. Drawing on methodologies from the field of Religious Studies and historical-critical exegesis, it discusses the criteria of authenticity and the theological differences between the authentic Pauline epistles and the Deutero-Pauline writings. Using Gershom Scholem’s concept of mysticism and Mircea Eliade's notion of cosmic Christology, the study highlights the transition from a visionary, charismatic, and eschatological religious experience to an institutionalized spirituality, mediated by the Church and structured around Christ exalted as the head of the cosmos and the universal Christian community. The article points out that the metaphor of the body of Christ, originally associated with local charismatic communion, is reinterpreted in the Deutero-Pauline letters as an expression of a hierarchical and cosmic ecclesiology. It concludes that this reconfiguration reflects a shift from apocalyptic expectation to a theology of Christ’s continuous and ordering presence in the universe, marked by ecclesial consolidation and the liturgical integration of mystical experience.