Approaching Medieval English Anchoritic and Mystical Texts
Approaching Medieval English Anchoritic and Mystical Texts

Author: Dee Dyas

Publisher: DS Brewer

Published: 2005

Total Pages: 242

ISBN-13: 9781843840497

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Essays suggesting new ways of studying the crucial but sometimes difficult range of medieval mystical material. This volume seeks to explore the origins, context and content of the anchoritic and mystical texts produced in England during the Middle Ages and to examine the ways in which these texts may be studied and taught today. It foregrounds issues of context and interaction, seeking both to position medieval spiritual writings against a surprisingly wide range of contemporary contexts and to face the challenge of making these texts accessible to a wider readership. The contributions, by leading scholars in the field, incorporate historical, literary and theological perspectives and offer critical approaches and background material which will inform both research and teaching. The approaches to Middle English anchoritic and mystical texts suggested in this volume are many and varied. In this they reflect the richness and complexity of the contexts from which these writings emerged. These essays are offered aspart of an ongoing exploration of aspects of medieval spirituality which, while posing a considerable challenge to modern readers, also offer invaluable insights into the interaction between medieval culture and belief. Contributors: E.A. Jones, Dee Dyas, Valerie Edden, Santha Bhattachariji, Denis Renevey, A.C. Spearing, Thomas Bestul, Liz Herbert McAvoy, Barry A. Windeatt, Alexandra Barratt, R.S. Allen, Roger Ellis, Ann M. Hutchison, Marion Glasscoe, Catherine Innes-Parker

Essential Mystic Prayers
Essential Mystic Prayers

Author: Thomas McPherson

Publisher: Paraclete Press

Published: 2018-03-06

Total Pages: 97

ISBN-13: 1640601252

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People from all faiths and none at all find in the prayers of the mystical traditions expressions that speak to their deepest needs. Whether appealing for knowledge, seeking a sense of the love of God, or about asceticism, questions and doubts, or contemplation and action, each of these prayers (from Christian and other religious tradition sources) are vibrantly alive. Rooted in classic sources, each prayer in Essential Mystic Prayers is important, especially now, in the 21st century. This book collects some of the most beautiful of these prayers. In flame of sunrise bathe my mind, that when I wake, clear-eyed may be my soul’s desire. —Fiona Macleod, Scotland, 19th century How should the God who made heaven and earth come into me? Is there any room in me for you, my Lord, my God? —St. Augustine, Africa, 5th century Praise be to Thee, Most Supreme God, Thy Beauty do we worship, to Thee do we give willing surrender. — from Sufi morning prayers

The Oxford Handbook of Mystical Theology
The Oxford Handbook of Mystical Theology

Author: Edward Howells

Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA

Published: 2020-02-25

Total Pages: 719

ISBN-13: 0198722389

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The Oxford Handbook of Mystical Theology provides a guide to the mystical element of Christianity as a theological phenomenon. It differs not only from psychological and anthropological studies of mysticism, but from other theological studies, such as more practical or pastorally-oriented works that examine the patterns of spiritual progress and offer counsel for deeper understanding and spiritual development. It also differs from more explicitly historical studies tracing the theological and philosophical contexts and ideas of various key figures and schools, as well as from literary studies of the linguistic tropes and expressive forms in mystical texts. None of these perspectives is absent, but the method here is more deliberately theological, working from within the fundamental interests of Christian mystical writers to the articulation of those interests in distinctively theological forms, in order, finally, to permit a critical theological engagement with them for today. Divided into four parts, the first section introduces the approach to mystical theology and offers a historical overview. Part two attends to the concrete context of sources and practices of mystical theology. Part three moves to the fundamental conceptualities of mystical thought. The final section ends with the central contributions of mystical teaching to theology and metaphysics. Students and scholars with a variety of interests will find different pathways through the Handbook.

The Immediacy of Mystical Experience in the European Tradition
The Immediacy of Mystical Experience in the European Tradition

Author: Miklós Vassányi

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2017-01-19

Total Pages: 274

ISBN-13: 3319450697

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This volume examines mystical experiences as portrayed in various ways by “authors” such as philosophers, mystics, psychoanalysts, writers, and peasant women. These “mystical authors” have, throughout the ages, attempted to convey the unsayable through writings, paintings, or oral stories. The immediate experience of God is the primary source and ultimate goal of these mystical expressions. This experience is essentially ineffable, yet all mystical authors, either consciously or unconsciously, feel an urge to convey what they have undergone in the moments of rapture. At the same time they are in the role of intermediaries: the goal of their self-expression – either written, painted or oral – is to make others somehow understand or feel what they have experienced, and to lead others toward the spiritual goal of human life. This volume studies the mystical experiences and the way they have been described or portrayed in West-European culture, from Antiquity to the present, from an interdisciplinary perspective, and approaches the concept of “immediate experience” in various ways.

The Female Mystic
The Female Mystic

Author: Andrea Janelle Dickens

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2009-05-30

Total Pages: 257

ISBN-13: 0857712616

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The Middle Ages saw a flourishing of mysticism that was astonishing for its richness and distinctiveness. The medieval period was unlike any other period of Christianity in producing people who frequently claimed visions of Christ and Mary, uttered prophecies, gave voice to ecstatic experiences, recited poems and songs said to emanate directly from God and changed their ways of life as a result of these special revelations. Many recipients of these alleged divine gifts were women. Yet the female contribution to western Europe's intellectual and religious development is still not well understood. Popular or lay religion has been overshadowed by academic theology, which was predominantly the theology of men. This timely book rectifies the neglect by examining a number of women whose lives exemplify traditions which were central to medieval theology but whose contributions have tended to be dismissed as 'merely spiritual' by today's scholars. In their different ways, visionaries like Richeldis de Faverches (founder of the Holy House at Walsingham, or 'England's Nazareth'), the learned Hildegard of Bingen, Hadewijch of Brabant (exemplary voice of the Beguine tradition of love mysticism), charismatic traveller and pilgrim Margery Kempe and anchoress Julian of Norwich all challenged traditional male scholastic theology. Designed for the use of undergraduate student and general reader alike, this attractive survey provides an introduction to thirteen remarkable women and sets their ideas in context.

Hindiyya, Mystic and Criminal, 1720-1798
Hindiyya, Mystic and Criminal, 1720-1798

Author: Bernard Heyberger

Publisher: James Clarke & Company

Published: 2013-03-28

Total Pages: 340

ISBN-13: 022790172X

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In this compelling narrative, Bernard Heyberger relates the fascinating history of Hindiyya 'Ujaymi, a highly charismatic eighteenth-century mystic of sinister repute. Heyberger makes a careful study of Hindiyya's life from earliest childhood, with a detailed picture of her formative years in the eighteenth century Christian community of Aleppo, the domestic reality of which is little known, exploring the influences she would have experienced. He leads us through her spiritual development under the direction of the Jesuits, her determination to found a new religious order, and the tragic history of its collapse in a welter of paranoia and persecution. Heyberger also reveals the tensions and complex rivalries at play around Hindiyya between Rome, the Jesuits, and Eastern tribes, which were also beset by feuds and alliances. He makes extensive use of a wide variety of sources, from Hindiyya's own writings to reports from her confessors and Roman inquisitors, to shed light upon the Hindiyya affair. 'Hindiyya, Mystic and Criminal' relates the history of a woman of inflexible power of will and great charisma, who managed to move beyond the circumscribed world of her girlhood and realise what she believed to be her destiny. It will be of great interest to anyone seeking a deeper understanding of an affair which has been long obscured by contradictory reports, or to those interested in eighteenth-century Maronite Christianity and its complex interactions with the authority of Rome.

The Mystical Element of Religion
The Mystical Element of Religion

Author: Friedrich von Hügel

Publisher: Good Press

Published: 2023-12-14

Total Pages: 1118

ISBN-13:

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In 'The Mystical Element of Religion' by Friedrich von Hügel, the author delves deep into the spiritual aspect of religion, exploring the mystical experiences that transcend traditional beliefs and practices. Written in a contemplative and scholarly tone, von Hügel analyzes the mystical elements found in various religions, drawing connections between different faith traditions and highlighting the universality of mystical encounters. This groundbreaking work challenges readers to consider the profound impact of mysticism on religious thought and practice in a thought-provoking manner. Friedrich von Hügel, a renowned theologian and philosopher, was heavily influenced by his own spiritual experiences and extensive research in the field of religion. His expertise in theology and philosophy shines through in 'The Mystical Element of Religion,' showcasing his deep understanding of mystical traditions and their significance in shaping religious beliefs. Von Hügel's personal connection to the subject matter adds a unique perspective to the book, enriching the scholarly analysis with empathy and insight. For readers interested in delving into the mystical side of religion and exploring the interconnectedness of spiritual experiences across different faiths, 'The Mystical Element of Religion' is a must-read. Von Hügel's comprehensive examination of mysticism offers a profound insight into the spiritual dimension of religion, inviting readers to contemplate the transcendent aspects of faith and broaden their understanding of religious practices.

Mystical Experience and Religious Doctrine
Mystical Experience and Religious Doctrine

Author: Philip C. Almond

Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG

Published: 2015-02-06

Total Pages: 208

ISBN-13: 3110823985

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Sinceits founding by Jacques Waardenburg in 1971, Religion and Reason has been a leading forum for contributions on theories, theoretical issues and agendas related to the phenomenon and the study of religion. Topics include (among others) category formation, comparison, ethnophilosophy, hermeneutics, methodology, myth, phenomenology, philosophy of science, scientific atheism, structuralism, and theories of religion. From time to time the series publishes volumes that map the state of the art and the history of the discipline.