Culture | Thinking outside the God complex

Are mystics kooks or valuable disrupters?

A realist’s refreshing take on mysticism

Christ and the Loving Soul, Illustration from Simon Critchley On Misticism
Photograph: Courtesy of Profile Books

The travails of Christina the Astonishing, a Belgian Christian in the 12th century, were astonishing indeed. At her funeral, Christina, just 21 years old, revived and levitated. She then fled into the wild, ate rubbish and drank her own (virgin) breast milk. Or so it was claimed.

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This article appeared in the Culture section of the print edition under the headline “Thinking outside the God complex”

From the January 11th 2025 edition

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