“As this comment indicates, I am assuming that this volume is going to assume a key place in the literature on this vast subject.” (Ecclesiastical History, 1 January 2014)
“Julia Lamm has assembled a valuable collection of forty articles by leading scholars in this treasury of studies of (mainly) Christian mysticism. A lengthy and expert introduction by Lamm leads to the first section: five articles on “Themes in Christian Mysticism.” (The Catholic Historical Review, 1 January 2014)
“Together they open a rich world of creative, inspired writing to contemporary students and fellow scholars. Summing Up. Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates and above; general readers.” (Choice, 1 September 2013)
“The Wiley-Blackwell Companion remains a treasure-trove of scholarship that will delight anyone interested in the academic conversation around Christian mysticism.” (Carl McColman, 24 May 2013)
“There is much to praise about this book, from its well-judged contents to the beautiful presentation and typeface. This is a must-have for any library, and for any student or disciple of the mystical tradition.” (Church Times, 24 May 2013)
“The result is a compelling and engaging volume drawing on the best of recent cutting-edge scholarship, and providing insights into an ancient but important Christian tradition.” (Eastern Christian Books, 17 December 2012)
“The past quarter century has seen an unprecedented outpouring of studies on mysticism, both in Christianity and in other religious traditions. While welcome, this proliferation of literature can also induce confusion―in the midst of so much to read, what will be most helpful for the general reader, and even enlightening for the specialist? The Wiley-Blackwell Companion to Christian Mysticism does much to mitigate this problem. In this volume we have a superior survey of the course of Christian mysticism presented by excellent scholars in no less than forty-two essays. The coverage of the main themes and the historical development is impressive, the scholarship is sound, the balance among the sections and treatments is admirable. This Companion will set the standard for the study of Christian mysticism for years to come.”―Bernard McGinn, University of Chicago
From the Inside Flap
In the past two decades, interest in mysticism has grown hugely, both in the academic world and in the popular imagination. The Wiley-Blackwell Companion to Christian Mysticism presents a comprehensive and engaging account of the origins and evolution of Christian mysticism right up to the current day, discussing the mystics, their texts, and the movements they inspired.
The volume brings together a team of distinguished scholars who provide a rich synthesis of historical figures and texts, important themes in mysticism (for example, gender, scripture, and heresy), and theoretical perspectives (for example, neuroscience, literary criticism, and interreligious dialogue) in relation to Christian mysticism, problematizing and testing the categories of “mysticism” and “mystic.” The result is a compelling and engaging volume drawing on the best of recent cutting-edge scholarship, and providing insights into an ancient but important Christian tradition.
From the Back Cover
In the past two decades, interest in mysticism has grown hugely, both in the academic world and in the popular imagination. The Wiley-Blackwell Companion to Christian Mysticism presents a comprehensive and engaging account of the origins and evolution of Christian mysticism right up to the current day, discussing the mystics, their texts, and the movements they inspired.
The volume brings together a team of distinguished scholars who provide a rich synthesis of historical figures and texts, important themes in mysticism (for example, gender, scripture, and heresy), and theoretical perspectives (for example, neuroscience, literary criticism, and interreligious dialogue) in relation to Christian mysticism, problematizing and testing the categories of “mysticism” and “mystic.” The result is a compelling and engaging volume drawing on the best of recent cutting-edge scholarship, and providing insights into an ancient but important Christian tradition.
About the Author
Julia A. Lamm is Associate Professor of Theology at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. She is a recipient of an Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship for research at the Academy of Sciences in Berlin. She is also the author of The Living God: Schleiermacher’s Theological Appropriation of Spinoza (1996) and co-editor of a forthcoming volume on Schleiermacher, The Christmas Dialogue and Other Selections, for the Classics of Western Spirituality series. She has also published articles on Julian of Norwich.
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