The Essential Writings of Christian Mysticism

By: Bernard McGinn

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Paperback | 15 January 2007 | Edition Number 1

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This clear and comprehensive anthology, culled from the vast corpus of Christian mystical literature by the renowned theologian and historian Bernard McGinn, presents nearly one hundred selections, from the writings of Origen of Alexandria in the third century to the work of twentieth-century mystics such as Thomas Merton.

Uniquely organized by subject rather than by author, The Essential Writings of Christian Mysticism explores how human life is transformed through the search for direct contact with God. Part one examines the preparation for encountering God through biblical interpretation and prayer; the second part focuses on the mystics’ actual encounters with God; and part three addresses the implications of the mystical life, showing how mystics have been received over time, and how they practice their faith through private contemplation and public actions.

In addition to his illuminating Introduction, Bernard McGinn provides accessible headnotes for each section, as well as numerous biographical sketches and a selected bibliography.

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Preface	p. xi
Introduction	p. xiii
Foundations of Mystical Practice
Biblical Interpretation
Introduction	p. 3
Commentary on the Song of Songs	p. 6
The Life of Moses	p. 13
Sermon on Psalm 41 (Vulgate)	p. 21
Sermons on the Song of Songs 23	p. 27
Sermon 2	p. 35
Commentary on the Song of Songs	p. 41
Asceticism and Purgation
Introduction	p. 47
The Life of St. Antony	p. 49
Praktikos	p. 55
The Life of Mary of Oignies	p. 60
Purgation and Purgatory	p. 66
The Ascent of Mount Carmel	p. 72
Prayer, Liturgy, and Sacraments
Introduction	p. 79
Prayer	p. 81
Armenian Hymn No. 1	p. 86
Conferences 9 and 10	p. 89
The Third Ethical Discourse	p. 97
Vision VII	p. 102
Sermon 39	p. 105
On the Four Stages of Prayer	p. 110
The Way of the Pilgrim	p. 118
Inner and Outer Practices
Introduction	p. 123
The Philokalia, "Discourse on Abba Philimon"	p. 125
Carthusian Customs	p. 131
Spiritual Friendship	p. 135
Letters of Spiritual Direction	p. 140
The Spiritual Guide	p. 144
Mystical Itineraries
Introduction	p. 149
The Threefold Way	p. 150
The Four Degrees of Violent Charity	p. 155
The Mind's Journey into God	p. 162
The Mirror of Simple Annihilated Souls	p. 172
Sermon 39	p. 180
The Ladder of Perfection	p. 184
Aspects of Mystical Consciousness
Living the Trinity
Introduction	p. 191
On the Trinity	p. 193
The Mirror of Faith	p. 197
The Flowing Light of the Godhead	p. 202
The One Hundred and Fifty Chapters	p. 208
The Living Flame of Love	p. 213
Encountering Christ
Introduction	p. 221
Sermons on the Song of Songs 74	p. 222
Francis of Assisi and the Stigmata	p. 225
The Clock of Wisdom	p. 231
Revelations of Divine Love	p. 238
Encounters with Christ	p. 246
Love and Knowledge
Introduction	p. 251
The Golden Letter	p. 253
Sermons on the Song of Songs 83	p. 256
The Cloud of Unknowing	p. 262
Two Letters on Mystical Theology	p. 269
True Christianity	p. 276
Positive and Negative Ways to God
Introduction	p. 281
The Mystical Theology	p. 283
Two Songs of Praise	p. 290
The Granum Sinapis: Poem and Commentary	p. 293
English Poets on God in Nature	p. 298
Hymn of the Universe	p. 303
Vision, Contemplation, and Rapture
Introduction	p. 309
Contemplation in the Fathers	p. 311
Augustine on Vision and Rapture	p. 316
Dialogues 2.35	p. 324
Hymn 18	p. 327
Hildegard of Bingen as Visionary and Theorist of Visions	p. 331
Contemplation and Its Forms	p. 336
The Fire of Love	p. 341
On the Vision of God	p. 347
Autobiography	p. 353
Life	p. 357
Excerpts from The Journal	p. 360
Distress and Dereliction
Introduction	p. 365
Moral Interpretation of Job	p. 367
The Memorial	p. 374
Sermon 3	p. 379
The Dark Night of the Soul	p. 384
Story of a Soul	p. 389
Deification and Birthing
Introduction	p. 395
Deification Among the Fathers	p. 397
Birthing in Patristic and Medieval Texts	p. 402
Questions to Thalassius	p. 408
Sermon 101	p. 412
Theologia Deutsch	p. 421
Union with God
Introduction	p. 427
Homily 10	p. 430
On Loving God	p. 434
Sermon 52	p. 438
The Little Book of Enlightenment	p. 444
The Interior Castle 7.1-2	p. 451
The Spiritual Canticle	p. 460
The Treatise on the Love of God	p. 465
The Relation of 1654	p. 472
Implications of the Mystical Life
Mysticism and Heresy
Introduction	p. 481
Mystical Heresy in Early Christianity	p. 483
The Heresy of the Free Spirit	p. 489
Meister Eckhart's Condemnation	p. 495
The Condemnations of Quietism	p. 501
Francois Fenelon, Explication of the Maxims of the Saints Regarding the Interior Life	p. 509
Contemplation and Action
Introduction	p. 519
Pastoral Care 2.5	p. 521
Sermons on the Song of Songs 50	p. 525
Selections from Sermon 86	p. 529
The Cloud of Unknowing	p. 535
The Dialogue	p. 540
New Seeds of Contemplation	p. 545
A Brief Critical Bibliography on Christian Mysticism	p. 553
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

The Essential Writings of Christian Mysticism

At a Glance

Paperback

Shipping

How to return your order

Defective items

You Can Find This Book In

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