MysticsOxford University Press, 2007 M12 19 - 336 pages Mystics are path-breaking religious practitioners who claim to have experience the infinite, word-defying Mystery that is God. Many have been gifted writers with an uncanny ability to communicate the great realities of life with both a theologian's precision and a poet's lyricism. They use words to jolt us into recognizing ineffable mysteries surging beneath the surface of our lives and within the depths of our hearts and, by their artistry, can awaken us to see and savor fugitive glimpses of a God-drenched world. In Mystics, William Harmless, S.J., introduces readers to the scholarly study of mysticism. He explores both mystics' extraordinary lives and their no-less-extraordinary writings using a unique case-study method centered on detailed examinations of six major Christian mystics: Thomas Merton, Bernard of Clairvaux, Hildegard of Bingen, Bonaventure, Meister Eckhart, and Evagrius Ponticus. Rather than presenting mysticism as a subtle web of psychological or theological abstractions, Harmless's case-study approach brings things down to earth, restoring mystics to their historical context. Harmless highlights the pungent diversity of mystical experiences and mystical theologies. Stepping beyond Christianity, he also explores mystical elements within Islam and Buddhism, offering a chapter on the popular Sufi poet Rumi and one on the famous Japanese Zen master Dogen. Harmless concludes with an overview of the century-long scholarly conversation on mysticism and offers a unique, multifaceted optic for understanding mystics, their communities, and their writings. Geared toward a wide audience, Mystics balances state-of-the-art scholarship with accessible, lucid prose. |
Contents
3 | |
Thomas Merton | 19 |
Bernard of Clairvaux | 41 |
Hildegard of Bingen | 59 |
Bonaventure | 79 |
Meister Eckhart | 107 |
Evagrius Ponticus | 135 |
Rumi | 159 |
D333gen | 189 |
Text Community Experience | 225 |
Abbreviations | 271 |
Notes | 275 |
315 | |
337 | |
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Common terms and phrases
al-Din Arberry argued ascetic Bernard of Clairvaux biblical birth Bonaventure Buddha Buddha-nature Buddhist Cassian CCCM century Ch’an chapter Chittick Christ Christian mystical Christian mystical tradition Cistercian claim classic contemplation Cousins desert fathers dharma disciples Divan divine Do¯gen Dögen enlightenment essay eternal Evagrius Ponticus Evagrius’s experiential Franciscan God’s hearers heart Hildegard of Bingen Holy human Islam Itin James’s John journey Katz ko¯an language Latin light Masnavi McGinn medieval meditation Meister Eckhart Merton mind monastery monastic monk mystical communities mystical experience mystical texts mystical theology one’s original Paulist Press person poems pope practice Praktikos prayer Predigt religion religious Rumi Rumi’s says scholars Scivias scriptures sense sermons Shams Shöbögenzó Sinkewicz Song soul soul’s speak spiritual spoke Sufi Sufism Tanahashi teaching theologian things Thomas Merton trans translation union University Press vision William James words writings York zazen Zen master