Christian Mystics: Their Lives and Legacies Throughout the Ages

by Ursula King

Introduces sixty men and women whose great devotion and mystical relation to God transformed the times in which they lived and continues to affect our search for spirituality today. †

Genres: Christianity, Theology, Christian, History, Religion, Philosophy, Mysticism

Paperback

First published September 1, 2001

Reviews

[Peter Helm · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the earlier mystics and medieval mystics. The modern mystics were more complicated, verging on syncretism. The author is definitely coming from a pluralistic and egalitarian perspective. At the same time, she did a great job of explaining each mystic within their own context and explained the tensions they experienced and felt. She has a good knowledge of differences between Christian sects.

There some good things worth retrieving from the mystical tradition and some things worth leaving behind. This book helped me get a better impression of the history of mysticism within the Christian tradition.

[Mel Bossa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll try to review soon. A very good picture of Christian Mysticism through time.

[Kenneth · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been a while since I've encountered a hard-to-put-down book, and a non-fiction at that. But Ursula King's Christian Mystics: Their Lives and Legacies Throughout the Ages (2001) was a providential find that placed in clearer focus the major strands of topics and themes that constitute mysticism and mystical theology, especially within the Christian tradition, inclusive of Roman Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant denominations. King's scholarly yet lucid writing felt like a detective novel or an exercise of investigative journalism into the kernels of mysticism from the Ancient, Medieval, Modern and even contemporary times. She reveals to the reader of the 21st century that the search for God, the Uncreated Being, the Divine Spark, the Undivided One, the Ground of our soul is still vibrantly felt by all peoples across ages and continent (and even faith!). Through an appeal to history, King lays bare that the corporeal and incorporeal, the material and the spiritual dimensions of reality are two sides of the same coin, and that living in contact with both provides us, searchers of the Divine, a richer, fuller, and more meaningful life when at times the all-too-mundane rips human existence apart making us forgetful that reality and life, and all things in between these two are intimately connected than how they initially seem to appear. A must read for those seeing something "beyond" the ordinary.

[Rosalee · Rating 1 out of 5]

Her intro reeks of feminism, specifically THEIR goddess adoration by stating:
"Christian mystics have experienced God in countless ways. . .as the Ultimate Godhead or Ground of Being, as God who is father but also mother. . ."
I stopped reading and decided that the rest of her book would be bogus also

Jesus spoke of His Father, and the helper He would send, the Holy Spirit
NOWHERE is there a 'mother' in the Trinity
God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit NOT mother 'god' as this writer apparently believes
in her intro
NO Christian mystic would claim such rubbish
THEY cannot leave it alone and in this case, she contaminates even CHRISTIAN mysticism
with her heresy
However, she is NOT alone. An earlier book I borrowed had same goddess element to it
I returned it to the library also
Finally,
I just checked her bio and this popped up 'feminist theology'
so guess my estimate is correct

[Jacci · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm glad I read this book although it was pretty dry. And I still wonder what makes a mystic. The author summarizes with, "To be a mystic means to perceive the Divine amidst the ordinariness of life, to pierce through the multiple veils of our experience and reach the true heart of reality." Many people have mystical experiences, including me, but that alone does not make one a mystic. Or, is it only in retrospect that we can look back at a person's life and judge them a mystic? Is it because of their visions, their writings, or some lifelong commitment to God. Perhaps it is all three coming together. I imagine those men and women profiled in the book did not consider themselves mystics. So, there is a legacy of mystics to look up to and I enjoyed learning about them. I'm still trying to figure out what it means for my own life.

[Jonathan Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book immensely. It was a good introduction to Christian mysticism, as it has been lived through the ages. It encouraged me to look further into this way of life, to see what spiritual growth I may experience.

[Lilly Pittman · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great overview of the mystics, but often portrays them positively, instead of also pointing out some of their controversial habits or theological positions.

[Adam Zuwerink · Rating 3 out of 5]

A comprehensive overview of different Christian Mystics over the centuries, but it's a very dry, textbook-style recitation of facts that was best suited for a high schooler doing a term paper before Wikipedia existed.

[Ivan Granger · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not a book of poetry, but highly recommended if you want a brief survey of important visionaries and trends within the sometimes hidden history of Christian mysticism. Francis of Assisi, Hildegard von Bingen, the Beguines, Meister Eckhart, Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross, Brother Lawrence, Jacob Boehme, Symeon the New Theologian, and many others. The author of this book has done a nice job of balancing history with spirituality. This little book makes an excellent introduction to depths of the Christian tradition that are too often overlooked.

[John Laliberte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great historical overview of the Christian Mystics from the time of Jesus. Doesn't go too deep on any one of the mystics, just enough to give you the insights and breathe that these saints who opened so may doors for us contemporaries. As always, Thomas Merton was a high point.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great summary. I felt the author did a good job about quickly presenting the details about different mystics without imposing her view. Highly recommend this book as an intro to spiritual gifts in the Christian church throughout the ages.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

An accessible introduction and overview: not more and not less. This book details (in very brief form) the lives of some of the most notable Christian mystics of the past two thousand years and may be the perfect jumping off point for a deeper dive into the mystical tradition.

[Genie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would say good for what it does, which is an overview. To be fair, that is also what she said she would do. Perhaps it is a food thing that it leaves the reader wanting to know more...

[Daniel Bates · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overview of the major christian mystics.

[Big H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Informational and a quick read. I like how there are mystics featured from all different branches of Christianity.

[Libby King · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think there is some very interesting information here but very difficult reading if not an "expert" already in the field.