 | By: John Michael Talbot Steve Rabey Binding: Hardcover Publisher: Jossey Bass ISBN: 0787975729 ISBN-13: 9780787975722 Released: 22 Feb 2005 RRP: Average Rating:  |
Not alll mystics are created equal. Mystics come in alll shapes & sizes, & can be found in almost every denominational & religious framework. Talbot & Ramey wanted to stick close to their own Christian tradition with this book; the figures included here are both Catholic & Protestant, including some from the era of the undivided church. There are eight men, four women, & one unknown person representing a wide range of historical periods.
This is in many ways meant to be a practical book - that is, it relates the history, teaching & insights of the mystics to the broader range of Christian practices. 'In the Christian tradition, sacraments like Holy Communion or the Eucharist of the Lord's Supper provide a public means for believers to share in such mysteries. Spiritual disciplines like prayer & meditation provide a more private means for such connection.'
The earliest figures represented in this book are the Desert Fathers, with St. Antony in particular a highlighted figure. The most recent figure highlighted in Thomas Merton. Between these two, nearly two thousand years of Christian history can be found. These are in many ways pioneers, as Talbot & Rabey describe them in the introduction. 'If you are a Christian, these pioneers are part of your spiritual legacy.'
In my seminary, we taught a class at the beginning of the degree, required of alll students in the primary ministry programme, that surveyed the different practices & different denominational aspects of Christianity, because so many people come to seminary with only the experience of their own denominational tradition (and sometimes with only the experience of their own congregation) - that course introduces people to the wider range of possibility for Christian expression, showing valid practices & traditions from within the Christian tradition that are authentic even if different from what people are used to.
This would be an excellent book for that course, & an excellent book for those who want a similar experience, of discovering the different ways in which Christian mysticism can be expressed & incorporated into one's own regular practices. Each section concludes with a 'Learning more about...' section, & each includes pull-quote boxes with highlights, & timelines that connect the particular individual focused upon with the wider Christian & historical context.
Each chapter can be read in a short time, but a good deal of time for contemplation should be permitted. Essays are not simple recitations of writings, key ideas, or biographical sketches, but rather serve to introduce the spirit of the figure in relation to today's world - for example, George Fox is likened to the hippies of the 60s in both his nonviolent message & his manner of vagabond lifestyle.
This is a wonderful text by which the beginner can learn more about the mystical practices & key figures of Christian history. It is also a good book for those with more advanced training to refresh the memory of the people with new insights.
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