Christian Mystics: 365 Readings and Meditations

by Matthew Fox

Spiritual maverick Matthew Fox believes that through the ages religious patriarchal hierarchy and rigidity have obscured Christianity’s most beneficial and essential those that arise out of personal, mystical experiences of the Divine. A true religious renewal, according to Fox, can arise only through the mystical dimension of faith. In Christian Mystics , he offers a wide-ranging collection of quotations from Christianity’s greatest mystics and prophets of the past two thousand years. Fox explores and celebrates the mystical path with insightful commentary on the thoughts and revelations of some of history’s greatest religious visionaries.

Genres: Spirituality, Mysticism, Religion, Nonfiction, Theology, Christianity, Christian

405 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2011

About the author

Timothy James "Matthew " Fox is an American priest and theologian. Formerly a member of the Dominican Order within the Catholic Church, he became a member of the Episcopal Church following his expulsion from the order in 1993.
Fox has written 35 books that have been translated into 68 languages and have sold millions of copies and by the mid-1990s had attracted a "huge and diverse following"

Reviews

[Phila Hoopes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came to Matthew Fox's work like many ex-Catholics, having tossed the spiritual baby out with the dogmatic bathwater and moved on to pursue Spirit through other paths. His work, particularly in Christian Mystics, has reaffirmed for me that there is worth and beauty and true inspiration even in the Christian tradition. It is found in the voices of those who speak for the people, for the earth, for the heart's direct perception of Spirit, for oneness with the Cosmos, for the strength found in darkness, silence and letting go, and for the paths of creativity and prophesying truth to power. It is found in the mysteries of human love as well as Divine love.

There is not an aspect of life that these meditations leave untouched. I found myself lifted into joy and awe...found affirmation that Spirit is present even in the darkest times...found creative inspiration and the challenge to speak my convictions. There were mornings when, reading the meditation, I was moved to tears and emerged with a heart at peace.

I have picked up many books of daily readings over the years...very few have I actually stayed with from Day 1 to Day 365. This is one of those few...and I am by far the richer for the experience.

[Tami · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christian Mystics contains a year’s worth of quotation from some of the best know Christian mystics. These individuals range from historical figures such as Thomas Aquinas and Francis of Assisi to more modern contributions from Dorothee Soelle and Nana Veary. For the most part, quotations are grouped according by author. However, there are also random entries spread throughout.

Each individual entry includes a quote followed by a bit of discussion. This discussion is an interpretation of the quote, important background, or points to ponder. The overall theme of these works is God: what is God, the connection to, and understanding of the church today.

Overall I found the collection inspiring. However, there were not any particular quotes that spoke to me. Normally, with such books, I end up scribbling notes or jotting down favourite quotes. Not so with this one.

[Zane Akers · Rating 4 out of 5]

A strong four stars to this Friends of the Library sale-find.

Far more than the tame quote-a-day calendar that I expected, Fox weaves together quotes from around thirty thinkers and writers in the mystical tradition into a carefully constructed arc leading deeper and deeper into the nature of mystical experience. The meditations after each quote serve multiple functions: they act as a kind of glue to hold the disparate thinkers' ideas together into a narrative; they offer interpretive clues to the paradoxical language often employed by mystics; they prod the reader forward; and they encourage the reader to reflect not just on the quotation, but on its application for the individual, for the community, and for society at large.

The thinkers whose works Fox quotes come from a wide range of backgrounds (from the stereotypical Medieval monk to scientists to poets to leaders of social change movements) and from a very broad range of orthodoxy (from doctors of the church to writers who have been silenced by popes). They are all thinkers from the Christian tradition, and they mostly frame their ideas in those terms, but there is a spirit of ecumenism evident in the quotes and the meditations that longs for a renewal in all the great spiritual traditions of the world, and cooperation occurring among them born out of an emphasis on their similar functions rather than a focus on the practical differences. That being said, the book contains quotes from two or three writers who, in my opinion, don't really fit the spirit of the book very well, and at least one writer (should I name names?) whose work I absolutely do not enjoy.

Besides the inclusion of those very few ill-fitting thinkers, I had only small criticisms of the book, including the fact that perhaps 365 is too many quotes (Fox belabors a few of his points), and that the book itself is a little too stylized for my taste with heavy cream colored pages, oxblood colored text, and some shenanigans with the margins to accommodate the longer texts or meditations.

All in all, a very good book, a great introductory text for a seeker who can tolerate a non-chronological, non-biography-centered approach to some of the major thinkers in Christian mysticism, as well as a valuable tool for those with a little more background in the subject who want to explore more thinkers of the tradition.

[Adam Jarvis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some parts were brilliant. Other parts were…. sketchy. Very sketchy. But, I did learn some stuff.

[Edie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Newly released audio of Matthew Fox's daily meditation on Christian mystics. I enjoyed the narration so much I looked up what else Braden Wright has narrated. The strength of this devotional is it - hopefully - inspires readers to delve deeper into the lives of the people profiled. I am not so enamored with the sheer amount of sex in the book. None of the entries themselves bother me, rather it was the volume over the course of the book. Am I prude? Maybe? I really enjoy this and have added a physical copy to my holiday wishlist. Thank you to the author, narrator, Brilliance Publishing, and NetGalley for the audioARC.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

4+ - some of the quotations were dry and some of the interpretations were just repitious. Overall, however, I found it to be refreshing - it takes spirituality out of the box people often try to put it in and expands the meaning to something that is inclusive and experiential.

[Karima · Rating 5 out of 5]

Used this book throughout 2014. Daily readings from the likes of Hildegard of Bingen, Julian of Norwich, Thomas Aquinas, Thomas Merton, Master Eckhart, Martin Luther King Jr. and more. Encourages COURAGE!

[Betsy]

Higher commentary to mystic ratio than I prefer.

[Beklan · Rating 5 out of 5]

thank you, Matthew!

Thanks to this book, I got introduced with Julian and Hildegard’s teachings. Some of the quotes of these beautiful beings made me take rather long breaks and try to digest these profound teachings..I also loved the interpretations of Matthew as they helped me go deeper..


God showed me in my palm a little thing round as a ball about the size of a hazelnut. I looked at it with the eye of my understanding and asked myself: “What is this thing?” And I was answered: “It is everything that is created.” I wondered how it could survive since it seemed so little it could suddenly disintegrate into nothing. The answer came: “It endures and ever will endure, because God loves it.” And so everything has being because of God’s love. — Julian of Norwich

[George Wallace · Rating 3 out of 5]

Always interesting to see who gets chosen for these kind of anthologies as you couldn't possibly include them all even if we could agree who deserves the label. Glad to see Dorothee Soelle and Clarrisa Pinkola Estes included here. I would have wanted to include a lot of poets here personally but I suppose you have to draw the line somewhere.

[Frodo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have wanted to read these meditations ever since the book was published, but I couldn’t maintain a disciplined practice of daily reading. I decided to read them straight through instead. Wonderful thoughts and spiritual food to digest. I will read more from the works by these prophetic voices.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent daily meditations from a wide range of Mystics. Very helpful to connect with nature and the true meaning behind Christian theology. I wish I had had exposure to the Mystics when I was younger… thing would have made so much more sense and I would have believed in myself more.

[Elizabeth Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and thought provoking.

[AL · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a really interesting collection of ideas, some felt a bit romanticized but majority of them were thought provoking, intriguing insights to read and ponder

[Truth]

Matthew Fox's new age doctrine is an incoherent mix of pluralism that holds relativity at the highest level and nothing as absolute. Finding the holes in his story won't be hard...if Christ isnt at the center as the savior for our sins ..a Red Flag should go up! This is New Age philosophy at its best:

The New Age movement is a Western spiritual movement that developed in the second half of the 20th century. Its central precepts have been described as "drawing on both Eastern and Western spiritual and metaphysical traditions and infusing them with influences from self-help and motivational psychology, holistic health, parapsychology, consciousness research and quantum physics".[2] It aims to create "a spirituality without borders or confining dogmas" that is inclusive and pluralistic.[3] It holds to "a holistic worldview,"[4] emphasising that the Mind, Body and Spirit are interrelated[1] and that there is a form of Monism and unity throughout the universe.[5] It attempts to create "a worldview that includes both science and spirituality"[6] and embraces a number of forms of mainstream science as well as other forms of science that are considered fringe.

Please proceed with caution....turn back to scripture and Christ for the Truth.

[Victoria Gaile · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book; I like the format of the daily meditation book, have some interest in Christian mystics, and am intrigued by what I've read of Fox's work.

Alas, his "commentaries" on the excerpted quotes of various mystics are little more than restatements, and the selected quotes didn't appeal to me. I gave up after a week or so of sampling the book every day.

And on a logistical note, I expected 365 readings to be labelled by month and day, not by day number. Sheesh, I had to do math in order to figure out which entry corresponded to today's date.

[Phil Calandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Christian Mystics" is a compendium of short essays, readings, and meditations of mystics, philosophers, and religious leaders. Following each reading is an analysis and summary by the author of how the reading may apply to your own life. In summary, many of the readings are inspirational especially those of Meister Eckhart, Thomas Merton and Julian of Norwich. There were also essays of other less known mystics and philosophers which were equally as thought provoking and inspirational that the reader may want to pursue. I would highly recommend this book.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

I give this book props for helping me grok the divine energy of the Trinity. That's why I give it three stars. That's not an easy nut to crack. However, I ditched it because some of the mystics he quoted read more like theologians than proclaimers of mystical wisdom. Not to say people can't be both, just - heck, I couldn't understand Kant without help and I couldn't quite get that stuff either. Plus I found the author's political/social interpretation of the quotes intrusive.