This is a study of post-patristic spiritual literature, with special reference to mystical texts, models of spiritual guidance and transformation processes, as well as texts describing the charism of the founders of religious institutions.
Scientific study of historical media of expression is based on critical scrutiny of available sources and their contexts. Such a study of historical forms of spirituality entails analysis and interpretation of the 'texts' or forms of expression, which uncover spiritual processes.
The research focuses on revealing the spiritual layers of the human subject in relation to God and on key terms in the description of transformation processes.
Phenomenological descriptive analysis has three elements:
- The external form of the phenomenon is described (chronology and topography, aims an ideals, exercises and practices, forms of reflection).
- The phenomenon is placed in its socio-cultural situation, which shapes and expresses it.
- Scrutiny of the inner dimension: the transformation occurring in divine-human encounter (spiritual practices, practice of virtues, commitment to God and mystical transformation).
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