Teresa of Avila

by Rowan Williams

Together with her contemporary and friend, John of the Cross, Teresa of Avila represents the highest point of Catholic spiritual writing in the troubled age of the Reformation and Counter-Reformation. She is also one of the founding figures of modern Spanish literature. Her vivid descriptions of her experiences in prayer have long made her an object of intense interest to psychologists of religion. This work makes use of historical research on Teresa and her society and provides an introduction to all her major works. It shows Teresa as more than just a chronicler of paranormal states of consciousness. She emerges as a genuine theologian in her own right, with a powerful contribution to make to contemporary understanding. Above all, Teresa is chiefly concerned to develop a model of Christian life as friendship with God, a God who abandons status and dignity for the sake of human beings. In this book, Rowan Williams also shows how all Teresa's major writings concentrate on this incarnation theme. In a final chapter he argues that Christian mysticism is itself deeply misunderstood unless it is seen within an incarnation framework.

Genres: Theology, Biography, Christian, Christianity, Religion, Nonfiction, History

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

Rowan Douglas Williams, Baron Williams of Oystermouth, is an Anglican bishop, poet, and theologian. He was Archbishop of Canterbury from December 2002-2012, and is now Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge and Chancellor of the University of South Wales.

Reviews

[Trey Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

At once lucid and dense.

[Ephrem Arcement · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is at once a commentary on Teresa's major works and an interpretation. As a commentary, Williams steadily works his way through the material offering helpful, and often insightful, amplification of the text. As an interpretation, Williams more deftly penetrates the thought, life, and theological world of the great Spanish mystic. The final chapter, in particular, illuminates Teresa in a way I've seldom encountered before. Williams knows the deep tradition of contemplative, mystical Christianity (and other world religions as well), and clears up quite a bit of confusion about Teresa the mystic. If nothing else, read this chapter!

[Marty · Rating 3 out of 5]

After an excellent intro, situating Teresa in her historical, cultural and ecclesiastical contexts, and a promise to reveal the saint's work in light of them, Williams then undertakes a prolonged, beat-by-beat summary of three of her main works, without a flash of insight or even enlivened prose - seriously, AI could have written the bulk of this book - culminating in a brilliant-but-dense digression on the definition of mysticism, and a shockingly short, inconclusive return to the themes of the introduction.

[Michael Swanson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This text was the first I had encountered Teresa. Archbishop Williams writes a mostly accessible overview of Teresa’s life and three of her most influential works: The Foundations of Her Life, The Way of Perfection, and The Interior Castle. Recommended for seminarians, but may be a tad dense for those without much exposure to lengthy theological discourse.

[Stephan vanOs · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good useful introduction to the life and spirituality of Teresa of Avila. The chapters on the historical and cultural background of Teresa were very well written. Other chapters were more hard work, particularly the chapter on the Interior Castle but worth persisting with all the same.

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am keen on noticing how great a role historical context plays in how we interpret the world. Teresa lived centuries ago in Spain. Her theology is shaped by that time and place, but it also transcends her context.
Her life identifies points of tension between Christianity and the society of her day. She is not about reforming society; rather, she creates communities that live by her understanding of the Gospel, thus putting a standing question to the idea that the existing forms of social belonging are inevitable. She stands firmly in the Christian tradition but alerts it to unfinished business "and prevents it being too ready to suppose it has mastered its own resources".

[Ros]

A friend recently gave me a medallion of St Teresa - may not have been this one - that re-kindled my interest in Teresa of Avila. I enjoyed the book, gave a lot of background knowledge re: the life and times in which Teresa of Avila lived as well as giving very helpful chapters on the books that St Teresa has read. It has given me a better understanding of St Teresa and now I need to go back to reading her books! A readers work is never done!

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good review and explanation of St Teresa's writings - the background was very useful, the contemporary applications offered less so.

[Lynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really helpful introduction to the life and works of Teresa. Excellent chapters on the Way of Perfection and the Interior Castle. Useful general comments at the end about mysticism.

[Kate Davis · Rating 2 out of 5]

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