Mystics of the Church

Mystics of the Church
Author: Evelyn Underhill
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
Total Pages: 260
Release: 2002-07-08
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1725205750

Evelyn Underhill's classic book on mysticism shows not only the historic development of Christian mysticism and its influence on the Church, but gives a deep insight into the spiritual growth of the individual mystics, their struggles, achievements and influence. Covering the whole development of the Christian Church from St. Paul to the present century, the author illustrates the differing backgrounds and approach of many of the great mystics such as St. Augustine of Hippo, whose writings helped to create the Church's understanding of its mystical character; and St. Francis of Assisi, whose example proved an inspiration to many. The book gives much more than an opportunity to "meet" the great mystics: it also provides a framework for the analysis of true mysticism and false, contrasting Catherine of Sienna, a girl of the people whose transcendental mysticism benefited many in an age of ecclesiastical degradation, with the well-born and beautiful Madame Guyon, whose excesses brought mysticism into disrepute. Evelyn Underhill illuminates the whole of her subject by drawing attention to the differences of approach that can bring mortals along the road to the divine, from the zealous militancy of a Loyola to the passivity of the Quietists. This absorbing study by one of the great writers on mysticism covers every aspect of the subject and gives a clear understanding of the mystics' world in writing that is both informative and stimulating.

The Big Book of Christian Mysticism

The Big Book of Christian Mysticism
Author: Carl McColman
Publisher: Broadleaf Books
Total Pages: 322
Release: 2021-11-16
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1506485766

In popular usage, "mysticism" typically refers to New Age or Eastern forms of spirituality. However, the mystical tradition is also an important component of the Christian tradition. At its heart--and much like its expression in other faith traditions--Christian mysticism is an ancient practice that incorporates meditation, contemplation, worship, philosophy, the quest for personal enlightenment, and the experience of Divine presence. This volume is a comprehensive introduction and guide to Christian mysticism. It is a big book about a big possibility: the hope of achieving real, blissful, experiential unison with God. Among the topics covered here are a general introduction to mysticism, the Bible and mysticism, the history and types of Christian mysticism, biographical sketches of leading Christian mystics, and practical instructions about practicing mysticism today. This is a breathtaking work that explores a form of spirituality that has changed lives over the course of 2,000 years. Learning about Christian mysticism and how it has been articulated through the centuries will prove inspirational for today's seekers, regardless of the faith tradition. "The mystic is not a special kind of person; every person is a special kind of mytic." --William McNamara

Monks and Mystics

Monks and Mystics
Author: Brandon Withrow
Publisher: History Lives
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2005-11-20
Genre: Children's literature
ISBN: 9781845500832

Read about Gregory the Great, Boniface, Charlemagne, Constantine, Methodius, Vladimir, Anselm of Canterbury, Bernard of Clairvaux, Francis of Assisi, Thomas Aquinas, Catherine of Sienna, John Wyclif and John Hus.

Mystics of the Christian Tradition

Mystics of the Christian Tradition
Author: Steven Fanning
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 300
Release: 2005-06-29
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 1134590989

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.

The Life of Mary As Seen by the Mystics

The Life of Mary As Seen by the Mystics
Author: Raphael Brown
Publisher: TAN Books
Total Pages: 227
Release: 1991-11
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0895559544

A masterpiece that combines the visions of four great Catholic mystics into one coherent story on the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Based primarily on the famous revelations of Ven. Anne Catherine Emmerich and Ven. Mary of Agreda, it also includes many episodes described in the writings of St. Bridget of Sweden and St. Elizabeth of Schenau. To read this book, therefore, is to share in the magnificent visions granted to four of the most priviledged souls in the history of the Church. In complete harmony with the Gospel story, this book reads like a masterfully written novel. It includes such fascinating details as the birth and infancy of Mary, her espousal to St. Joseph and her Assumption into Heaven where she was crowned Queen of Heaven and Earth. For young and old alike, The Life of Mary As Seen by the Mystics will forever impress the reader with an inspiring and truly unforgettable understanding of the otherwise unknown facts concerning Mary and the Holy Family.

He and I

He and I
Author: Gabrielle Bossis
Publisher: Pauline Books and Media
Total Pages: 354
Release: 2019-02-05
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0819834394

In this timeless spiritual classic, readers share in the profound and touching experience of Gabrielle Bossis, a French nurse and playwright, as she hears the inner voice of Jesus in the core of her being. Recorded in her diary from 1936 to 1950, their tender exchanges capture Jesus’s enduring presence in our daily lives, his insistence on serving others with kindness, and his encompassing love for humanity—and show that ordinary men, women, and children can experience an intimacy with Christ.

A Year With the Mystics

A Year With the Mystics
Author: Kathryn Jean Lopez
Publisher:
Total Pages: 404
Release: 2019-09-17
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9781505109047

There's so much noise. Everything can seem like a distraction. Distraction, in fact, seems our oxygen. When was the last time you saw people talking on an elevator? We seem to plug in everywhere. We have earphones and screens and don't evenlook up, never mind find time for silence. Our hearts need quiet. How are we ever going to pray otherwise? How could we ever possibly know God's love and will, and the truth about ourselves and the world without resting in Him? Resting in Him. What does that even mean? In A Year with the Mystics, popular National Review journalist and commentator Kathryn Jean Lopez, who writes and speaks frequently about faith and public life, and prayer and the Church, offers readers a tour of the magnificent variety of mystical writing in the heart of the Church. Featuring reflections from both household and contemporary names like Saint John Paul II, Mother Teresa and Edith Stein, as well as titanic historic figures such as St. Catherine of Siena and John of the Cross. The words of these holy men and women of prayer are presented in accessible doses ideal for daily prayer amidst the seemingly all-consuming busy-ness of life. Each page is an invitation to enter more deeply into the life of faith. What does the road to union with God look like? What is a dark night? What is true love of the Trinity? What is this Church as bridegroom business? Mysticism is not some foreign and remote life of prayer for poets and saints in heaven; rather, it is the call for every Christian to draw more deeply and profoundly from the heart of Christ in prayer. A Year with the Mystics is a tour, a retreat, and a love story in which God seeks you out. With the small commitment of a few minutes a day to prayer with mystic saints and other holy ones, you will be making time for communication and peace in the heart of the Trinity. Your faith will grow and you will see that the life of a contemplative in the world can be yours; it can become for you the air you breathe and a wellspring of renewal in your life as a Catholic, rooted in the sacraments. This beautiful Premium UltraSoft gift edition features two-tone sewn binding, ribbon marker, gold edges, and designed interior pages.

Christian Mystics

Christian Mystics
Author: Carl McColman
Publisher: Broadleaf Books
Total Pages: 290
Release: 2021-11-16
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1506485774

Christian Mystics: 108 Seers, Saints and Sages celebrates the many types of mystics, visionaries, wisdom keepers, and non-dualists whose spiritual insight and perceptive teachings have illuminated the Christian tradition for the past two thousand years. Looking at 108 mystics from Biblical times to the present day, this user-friendly guide shows how the spiritual masters of the western tradition provide a variety of paths into the transforming heart of God. Everyone needs teachers and companions to guide and nurture us in developing rich interior lives -- as we seek to respond to the beatifying, deifying love of God. The mystics, whose legacy includes sublime poetry, fascinating autobiographies, and potentially life-changing teachings, can help anyone find greater love, purpose, and a deeper sense of God's presence. But the mystics are not a uniform bunch, which is why this book is such an essential guide to their lives, wisdom, and essential teachings. Carl McColman, author of The Big Book of Christian Mysticism, organizes the mystics into nine categories: visionaries, confessors, lovers, poets, saints, heretics, wisdom keepers, soul-friends, and unitives. By profiling twelve examples of great mystics and spiritual teachers in each category, the book can help you to learn more about the mystics, and identify those whose writings will be most valuable to you as you pursue your own adventure of falling ever more deeply in love with God.All of the most famous Christian mystics are profiled here: figures like Teresa of çvila, Meister Eckhart, Julian of Norwich, John of the Cross, Evelyn Underhill, Thomas Merton, and anonymous masters like the authors of classics like The Cloud of Unknowing or The Way of a Pilgrim. But the book also will introduce you to many lesser known (but truly wonderful) mystical geniuses, such as Beatrice of Nazareth, Gregory of Narek, and Coventry Patmore. Nor does the book shy away from living (or recently living) mystics: visionaries such as Howard Thurman, Sara Grant, Kenneth Leech, and Bruno Barnhart are all included.This informative volume will appeal to those who buy religious reference books and anyone interested in Christian mysticism or western spirituality. But it's more than just a history book or an encyclopedia: Christian Mystics: 108 Seers, Saints and Sages is a curated celebration of western spiritual wisdom, making it accessible for all seekers today.

Station to Station

Station to Station
Author: Gary Jansen
Publisher: Loyola Press
Total Pages: 111
Release: 2017-01-11
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0829444599

An imaginative way to pray the Stations of the Cross every day of the year. “As Jansen walks with us from station to station, he points us from pain toward love and hope, toward strength and endurance, toward transformation.” —Jessica Mesman Griffith, from the introduction Throughout the centuries, Christians have asked, “Why is there suffering?” or, on a more personal level, “Why am I suffering?” Answers abound, but none are likely to suffice or satisfy. A far more helpful question might be, “How should I respond to suffering?” And the answer to that question, believes Gary Jansen, can be found by looking closely at the Passion of Jesus. In Station to Station, Jansen uses the scriptural Way of the Cross to focus our minds and hearts on Jesus’ anguish and death. Walking through each station, we see the unique ways in which Jesus responded to suffering, and we are challenged to react similarly in our own struggles. Furthermore, through various Ignatian exercises, Jansen encourages us to imaginatively pray our way through the stations and to gradually respond more as Jesus would when we are weighed down by life’s burdens. Whether you are bearing your own cross or helping someone else carry theirs, Station to Station will show you how Christ’s character in the midst of suffering can, with time and prayer, become your character too.