Pauline Mysticism in the Spiritual Teaching of John of Dalyatha

Abstract

This article explores the major influence of Pauline mysticism on the spiritual teaching of John of Dalyatha, an eighth-century Syriac monk. It first presents the essential features of Saint Paul’s spirituality, focused on the “new life in Christ” and intimate union with Him, which underpin the Christian mission. In his Spiritual Letters and Homilies, Dalyatha makes abundant use of Pauline language and expresses deep admiration for the Apostle, calling him “Blessed Paul,” “Great Paul,” “Revealer of Mysteries,” or “Philosopher of the Spirit.”
John develops key Pauline themes such as “anticipated resurrection,” the prayer of the heart (“Abba, Father”), and spiritual formation in the Pauline manner. For Dalyatha, Saint Paul is the model of authentic spiritual experience, whose authority legitimizes and universalizes his own mystical experience, firmly rooted in the living tradition of Syriac spirituality.