Histories of western mysticism begin with Plato; so do histories of the betrayal of Christ by Christianity. The Lutheran and Reformed traditions habitually assume that when we give up Plato we give up mysticism, and that at all events we must give up Plato; if Anglicans reject one it will be Plato, but it is commonly assumed that, once certain caveats are applied, a Christian can embrace both without paradox or heresy. In these disputes it is usual to treat Plato as a philosopher with a syste...