Review:
"What dawns on you as you progress through McGinn's magisterial retrieval of fourteenth and fifteenth century developments in "mystical theology" is how seriously Ruusbroec, Catherine of Siena, Julian of Norwich and a host of lesser figures have to be taken as theologians. Much more than a history of western Christian mysticism, this volume calls for and supplies a major revaluation of theology in the late medieval Christian church." Dr. Denys Turner, Professor of Religion at Yale Divinity School."
"McGinn's "Varieties" is an astonishing achievement. No one will approach religious and mystical teaching in the late middle ages (1300-1550) quite the same again. The broadest and richest account of Dutch mystical writers, a vision of Italian mystical writing that puts Catherine of Siena alongside Marsilio Ficino and Christian kabbalists, a fresh approach to famed English writers (Rolle, Julian, the Cloud author) fitting them into a larger religious world all this in one volume, with serious attention to thought and theology, a close reading of texts, generous citation of vernacular originals, and weighty bibliographies. It is hard to imagine one person even attempting it, but McGinn has done it." John Van Engen, University of Notre Dame"
"Bernard McGinn has enriched the knowledge of our spiritual tradition as no other work in recent memory has done." Thomist"
"McGinn's Varieties is an astonishing achievement. No one will approach religious and mystical teaching in the late middle ages (1300-1550) quite the same again. The broadest and richest account of Dutch mystical writers, a vision of Italian mystical writing that puts Catherine of Siena alongside Marsilio Ficino and Christian kabbalists, a fresh approach to famed English writers (Rolle, Julian, the Cloud author) fitting them into a larger religious world all this in one volume, with serious attention to thought and theology, a close reading of texts, generous citation of vernacular originals, and weighty bibliographies. It is hard to imagine one person even attempting it, but McGinn has done it." John Van Engen, University of Notre Dame"
About the Author:
Bernard McGinn is one is of the greatest living authorities on Catholic historical theology. The Naomi Shenstone Donnelly Professor (Emeritus) of historical theology and history of Christianity at the University of Chicago, McGinn holds a Ph.D. from Brandeis University and an S.T.L. from the Pontifical Gregorian University. McGinn has lectured on and written extensively about the history of apocalyptic thought and recently has focused his attention on the fields of spirituality and mysticism. His current long-range project is a seven-volume history of Christian mysticism in the West called The Presence of God.
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