Essential Books on Christian Mysticism

After many requests, Dr. Carlos Eire shares a reading list with our listeners.

Great classic introductions:

Evelyn Underhill,  Mysticism: A foundational, comprehensive survey of the mystical path.

The Cambridge Companion to Christian Mysticism, edited by Amy Hollywood & Patricia Beckman): An excellent collection of essays

Understanding Mysticism, ed. Richard Woods: Excellent essays of all the foundational scholarly interpreters of mysticism. Including the following:

David Knowles, “What Is Mysticism?”

Louis Bouyer, “Mysticism: An Essay on the History of the Word”

Margaret Smith, “The Nature and Meaning of Mysticism"

Evelyn Underhill, “The Essentials of Mysticism”

Edward Howells: "Mysticism and the Mystical: The Current Debate"

R. C. Zaehner, Mysticism Sacred and Profane: an Inquiry Into Some Varieties of Praeternatural Experience: A classic

More recent introductions

Stephen Clarke, From Athens to Jerusalem: The Love of Wisdom and the Love of God

Olivier Clément, The Roots of Christian Mysticism 

John Macquarrie, Two Worlds Are Ours: An Introduction to Christian Mysticism

Carl McColman, The New Big Book of Christian Mysticism: An Essential Guide to Contemplative Spirituality

Great historical - analytical surveys:

Louis Bouyer, et. al., A History of Christian Spirituality, 3 volumes: an older classic survey

Vol. 1 The Spirituality of the New Testament and the Fathers

Vol. 2 The Spirituality of the Middle Ages

Vol. 3 Orthodox Spirituality and Protestant and Anglican Spirituality

Bernard McGinn, The Presence of God: A History of Western Christian Mysticism:

A monumental multi-volume series that explores the development of mysticism across different historical periods and theological contexts. 

Vol. 1 The Foundations of Mysticism: Origins to the Fifth Century

Vol. 2 The Growth of Mysticism: Gregory the Great Through the 12 Century

Vol. 3 The Flowering of Mysticism: Men and Women in the New Mysticism: 1200-1350

Vol. 4 The Harvest of Mysticism in Medieval Germany: 1300-1500

Vol. 5 The Varieties of Vernacular Mysticism: 1350–1550

Vol. 6.1 Mysticism in the Reformation: 1500-1650

Vol. 6.2 Mysticism in the Golden Age of Spain: 1500-1650

Vol. 6.3 The Persistence of Mysticism in Catholic Europe 1500-1675

Vol. 7 The Crisis of Mysticism: Quietism in Seventeenth-Century Spain, Italy, and France

Bernard McGinn, Modern Mystics: An Introduction (not part of the Presence of God series, but a an essential complement to all of its volumes)

Short surveys 

Harvey Egan, Introduction to Christian Mysticism

Steven Fanning, Mystics of the Christian Tradition

William Harmless, Mystics

Richard Rohr, The Naked Now: Learning to See as the Mystics See

Focus on the corporeal dimension of mysticism:

Montague Summers, The Physical Phenomena of Mysticism

Herbert Thurston, The Physical Phenomena of Mysticism

Focus on Practice:

The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection

Thomas Keating, Open Mind, Open Heart

Martin Laird, Into the Silent Land: A Guide to the Practice of Contemplation

                      An Ocean of Light: Contemplation, Transformation, and Liberation

                     A Sunlit Absence: Silence, Awareness, and Contemplation

Thomas Merton,  New Seeds of Contemplation

                         Contemplative Prayer

Anthologies of Christian mystical texts:

The Essential Writings of Christian Mysticism, edited by Bernard McGinn

Christian Spirituality: The Classics, edited by Arthur Holder

Light from Light: An Anthology of Christian Mysticism, edited by Louis Dupré

Suggestions for approaching the subject gradually

First step: Read a brief modern guide like that of Harmless or Fanning to get context before diving into the mystical texts. 

Second step: Dive into short excerpts from mystical texts in an anthology such as those listed above 

Third step: Pair theoretical texts (like Underhill) with devotional texts (like Brother Lawrence or Merton) and entire mystical texts (like the Cloud of Unknowing or The Interior Castle). 

Fourth step: Dive into the great surveys (like McGinn), and explore mystical texts from different eras and traditions.

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