Eschatology and Mysticism in Sebastian Frank: An Analysis of the Thought Structure of Protestant Spiritualism

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The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between eschatology and mysticism in the thought of Sebastian Franck, and thereby to clarify the thought structure of Protestant spiritualism represented by Franck. Research was conducted by compacting the two texts of Chronica, Zeytbuch vnd Geschychtbibel(1st ed. 1531; 2nd ed. 1536) and those of Paradoxa (1st ed. 1534; 2nd ed.1542), so as to shed light on the subtle and significant shift in Franck's attitude toward eschatological expectations.Almost the entirety of the academic year 2003-2004 was spent on the intensive reading and interpretation of the original texts written in the fruhneuhochdeutsche Sprache (Early New High German), which were really hard to decipher In the early September of 2004, I went to Germany to carry out field trips and on-site research. While settling a temporary residence in the city of Munich, I paid visits to Donauworthm Augsburg, Ulm, Strasbourg, and Basel, cities where Frank had lived once. During my stay in Munich, I also conducted a bibliographical research by making full use of the library of the University of MunichThe results of research have been worked out into two journal articles: "The Basic Thought of Sebastian Franck" (Theology in Japan, vol. 42, September 2003, pp. 36-57) and "Eschatology and Mysticism in Sebastian Franck" (Journal of Humanities, vol.30, March 2005, pp. 35-70)The main point of the findings of research is that Frank's spiritualism, though it uses such ideas as resembling Stoic pantheism and/or Neo-Platonic dualism, is distinct from these; it is rather a special kind of Christian mysticism that is based on the Biblical eschatological view of history.