In the late Middle Ages, people dissatisfied with external ritualized religion began seeking an immediate, internal, personal religious experience centered on God. This shift reflected the decay of feudalism and the birth of a new society, giving rise to informal lay movements like the Beguines and Beghards, which appeared in the 12th century and flourished in the 13th–14th centuries, especially in the Rhine region. These movements developed a spirituality similar to a pantheistic vision of God and the world, challenging church hierarchy through doctrinal deviations. The resulting "Rhine mysticism" both criticized and shaped this transformation from collective-ritual to radical individual religiosity, contributing to a new European identity that emphasized individualism and emancipation.
The article examines the phenomenology of mysticism in Gerda Walther's work and the theological anthropology in Edith Stein's writings. Walther highlights key aspects of applying the phenomenological method to spiritual experience and inner experiences. Stein offers a theological anthropology that examines faith and religious experience in the context of human existence and the relationship with God, providing a conceptual basis for understanding faith's role in the modern world. The article considers their thoughts and contributions to philosophy and religious studies.