Early Christian Mystics

The McGinns draw from the Presence of God series to take a closer, personal look at the mystical vision of 12 great spiritual masters living before the Reformation. 12 illustrations.

"Ursula King's Christian Mystics offers a distinctive perspective on spirituality. The author presents the Christian mystical tradition through short biographies of its great figures, biographies which are highly readable without oversimplifying the ideas of these great figures. This is an outstanding entryway into the rich and deep world of Christian mysticism, recommended for readers of all backgrounds." - Michael Sells (Professor of Comparative Religions, Haverford College).

This brief, accessibly written volume introduces key figures, texts, and themes of the mystical tradition and shows how and why the mystics can speak to the church today. Jason Baxter, an expert educator and storyteller, explains that the mystical tradition offers a more robust understanding of God than our current shallow conceptions. Featuring engagement with primary sources and suitable for use in a variety of courses, this book argues that the mystics have much to say to contemporary Christians searching for authentic modes of spirituality.

As Matthew Fox notes, when an aging Albert Einstein was asked if he had any regrets, he replied, “I wish I had read more of the mystics earlier in my life.” The 365 writings in Christian Mystics represent a wide-ranging sampling of these readings for modern-day seekers of all faiths — or no faith. Fox is uniquely qualified to comment on these profound, sometimes startling, often denounced insights. In 1998, this longtime member of the Dominican Order was silenced by Cardinal Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict, for his Creation Spirituality, an ecumenical teaching that embraces gender justice, social justice, and eco-justice. The daily readings he shares here speak to the sacredness of the earth, awe and gratitude, darkness and shadow, compassion and creativity, sacred sexuality, and peacemaking.

From divine visions to self-tortures, some strange mystical experiences have shaped the Christian tradition. Full of colourful detail, this book examines the mystical experiences that have determined the history of Christianity.

This is a short, accessible analysis of Christianity that focuses on its social and cultural diversity as well as its historical dimensions.

An anthology of excerpts and scriptures from a diverse selection of Christian mystics such as Francis of Assisi, Meister Eckhart, Julian of Norwich, Teresa of Avila, Thomas Merton, Bede Griffiths, and many others. The Christian mystics are a treasure of Western civilization, yet they remain little known. Andrew Harvey’s anthology confronts us with the mystics in their own words to show us how well they serve, even now, as guides for the spiritual life—and to challenge preconceived ideas about the path of Christianity. The selections here represent all eras of the Christian tradition as well as an amazing range of people who have embodied it. This book is part of the Shambhala Pocket Library series. The Shambhala Pocket Library is a collection of short, portable teachings from notable figures across religious traditions and classic texts. The covers in this series are rendered by Colorado artist Robert Spellman. The books in this collection distill the wisdom and heart of the work Shambhala Publications has published over 50 years into a compact format that is collectible, reader-friendly, and applicable to everyday life.