SOURCE: "Simul Gemitus et Raptus: Luther and Mysticism," in The Dawn of the Reformation: Essays in Late Medieval and Early Reformation Thought, T. & T. Clark Ltd, 1986, pp. 126–34.

Below, Oberman outlines approaches to studying Luther and mysticism, and discusses Luther's own understanding of the role of mysticism in faith.

"We will deal with that material than which none is more sublime, none more divine, and none more difficult to attain …" Jean Gerson¹

"That [mystical] rapture is not the passageway [to God]." Martin Luther²

1. introduction

It cannot be our task to determine whether Luther is to be regarded as a mystic. For an empathie biographer it is interesting that Luther himself testifies to the highest degree of mystical experience when he writes: "once I was carried away (raptus fui) to the third heaven."³ Yet, in complete accordance with a widespread concern and hesitancy almost monotonously expressed in late medieval pastoral...