spekularisten
Spekularisten were a faction within the early Christian church, active primarily in the 4th century. The term "spekularist" derives from the Latin word "specula," meaning watchtower or lookout. They were characterized by their belief in a form of Christian mysticism that emphasized intense prayer, asceticism, and a heightened spiritual awareness, akin to a constant vigil or watch.
Their practices involved seeking direct, ecstatic experiences of the divine through prolonged periods of prayer, fasting,
The term itself was sometimes used by critics, potentially with a pejorative connotation, to describe those