Exploring Lost Dimensions in Christian Mysticism

Louise Nelstrop is a lecturer in Christian Spirituality and Director of Spirituality Programmes in Sarum College, Salisbury. Her research interests include the English Mystics, Theoretical and Philosophical approaches to Mysticism, Cistercian and Victorine Spirituality and the Emerging Church. Her recently publications include Christian Mysticism: An Introduction to Contemporary Theoretical Approaches and Evaluating Fresh Expressions: Explorations in Emerging Church with Martin Percy (eds). Simon D. Podmore is a lecturer in Systematic Theology at Liverpool Hope University. His research interests explore the interfaces between theology, philosophy, psychotherapy and the arts. His recent publications include Kierkegaard and the Self before God: Anatomy of the Abyss (2011) and Struggling with God: Kierkegaard and the Temptation of Spiritual Trial (2013).

Contents: Introduction: remembering and forgetting the mystical in contemporary theological discourse, Louise Nelstrop; The return of mysticism: the eternal return of ’the same’?, George Pattison; On reading medieval mystics today, Oliver Davies; Mysticism as a category of inquiry in the philosophies of Ernst Troeltsch and William James, Joel D.S. Rasmussen; Mysticism as a social type of Christianity? Ernst Troeltsch’s interpretation in its historical and systematic context, Johannes Zachhuber; Ignatian spirituality: the mystical within the Church, Philip Endean; Mysterium horrendum: mystical theology and the negative numinous, Simon D. Podmore; Mysticism: 'the energetic love’ of a female adventurer, Ann Loades; The body between us: towards an incarnate mysticism, Tina Beattie; Spiritual maturation and gender in Gregory of Nyssa’s ’mystical theology’, Raphael Cadenhead; Prophecy and the contemplation of history; Peter John Olivi and Hugh of St Victor, Brian FitzGerald; Prophecy and mysticism in 17th-century Britain, Sarah Apetrei; Index.