The Cambridge Companion to Christian Mysticism is a multi-authored interdisciplinary guide to the study of Christian mysticism, with an emphasis on the third through the seventeenth centuries. The book is thematically organized in terms of the central contexts, practices and concepts associated with the mystical life in early, medieval and early modern Christianity. This book looks beyond the term 'mysticism', which was an early modern invention, to explore the ways in which the ancient terms 'mystic' and 'mystical' were used in the Christian tradition: what kinds of practices, modes of life and experiences were described as 'mystical'? What understanding of Christianity and of the life of Christian perfection is articulated through mystical interpretations of scripture, mystical contemplation, mystical vision, mystical theology or mystical union? This volume both provides a clear introduction to the Christian mystical life and articulates a bold new approach to the study of mysticism.
• Multi-authored by leading scholars • Interdisciplinary - includes work by scholars in religious studies, theological studies, history, English literature, comparative literature, Spanish literature, German studies and art history • The organization of the material is different to any other introduction to the study of Christian mysticism, focusing on key terms derived from early, medieval and early modern Christian texts
Contents
Introduction Amy Hollywood and Patricia Z. Beckman; Part I. Contexts: 1. Early monasticism Douglas Burton-Christie; 2. Song, experience, and the book in Benedictine monasticism Amy Hollywood; 3. New religious movements in medieval western Europe Walter Simons; 4. Early modern reformations Edward Howells; Part II. Key Terms: 5. Apophatic and cataphatic theology Andrew Louth; 6. Lectio divina E. Ann Matter; 7. Meditatio/meditation Thomas Bestul; 8. Oratio/prayer Rachel Fulton Brown; 9. Visio/vision Veerle Fraeters; 10. Raptus/rapture Dyan Elliott; 11. Unio mystica/mystical union Bernard McGinn; 12. Actio et contemplatio/action and contemplation Charlotte Radler; Part III. Contemporary Questions: 13. Latin and the vernaculars Barbara Newman; 14. Transmission Sara S. Poor; 15. Writing Charles M. Stang; 16. The body and its senses Patricia Dailey; 17. Mysticism and visuality Jeffrey Hamburger; 18. Emotions Fiona Somerset; 19. Authority Mary Frohlich; 20. Gender Alison Weber; 21. Sexuality Constance Furey; 22. Time and memory Patricia Dailey.
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