Mystery of God, Mystery of Christ

Ysabel de Andia spent the majority of her theological career as a researcher at the Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS), and has also directed one of its research divisions. Her major works include Homo Vivens, on Irenaeus, Henosis: L'Union à Dieu, on Dionysios the Areopagite, for which she was awarded a Doctorat d'État, and more recently La Voie et le voyageur.

One of the most credible ways of speaking about God in a secularised society is one in which God is approached as a mystery. This wonderful book by Ysabel de Andia shows that such an approach leads to insight into the interfaces between different religions. It also shows that it is precisely through a careful analysis of these interfaces that the specificity and beauty of the individual religions becomes crystal clear. I think this study is an exceptionally good contribution to interreligious dialogue and to a better understanding of what exactly religion entails.

• Foreword, by Andrew LouthAbbreviationsPart I: Mystery1 The Mystery of Christ According to Saint PaulIntroduction: Mystery and the MysteriesThe Meaning of Mystery in the Old TestamentThe Pauline EpistlesConclusion: The Mystery and Pauline MysticismAnnexe: Use of the Term 'Mystery' in the Old and New Testaments2 The Mystical Meaning of ScriptureIntroduction: The Inner Mysteries (Interiora Mysteria)The Letter and the SpiritThe Gospel and Its Actors: The 'Mysticism of Jesus'Conclusion: 'The Bread of the Word'3 Nuptial Mysticism: The Song of SongsIntroduction: The Language of LoveThe Song of Songs and Its CommentariesThe Unus Spiritus and Cistercian MysticismConclusion: A Mysticism - Scriptural, Nuptial and TrinitarianPart II: Mystagogy4 Mystery and MystagogyIntroduction: The Paschal Mystery The Holy Mysteries and the Deification of ManSign and Mystery - from Mystèrion to SacramentumConclusion: The Mysteries and the Mystery of Our Faith5 The Bridal ChamberIntroduction: Look! The Bridegroom Is Coming!Baptism: The Nuptial Bath of the ChurchThe Bridal ChamberThe 'Beginning of Mysteries': Water and BloodThe Wedding FeastConclusion: Bridal, Sacramental and Ecclesial Mysticism6 Baptism and TrinityIntroductionBaptism: Confession of the Trinity and Sign of UnityBasil: Community of Glory and WorshipGregory of Nazianzus: Unity and TrinityConclusion: The Illumination of Baptism and 'God Is Light'7 The Trinity and IndiaIntroduction: The Trinitarian Theology of Jules Monchanin (1895-1957)The One and the Many: Plato's ParmenidesUnity and TrinityMysticism of the TrinityConclusionAnnexe: Hymn to the Trinity by Brahmabandhav Upadhyaya8 The Perfect SacrificeIntroduction: The Cross, the Heart of the MysteryTo Offer Sacrifice and to Offer Oneself in Sacrifice: The Two CovenantsSacrifice in Ancient IndiaConclusion: Sacrifice in Ancient India and ChristianityAnnexe: Hymn to Puru?a (Puru?a-Sukta)Part III: Mysticism9 Negative Theology and Mystical TheologyIntroduction: The Way of Negation (Via Negationis), Europe and AsiaThe Mystical Theology of Pseudo-Dionysius the AreopagiteDarkness and EcstasyAffirmative Theology and Negative TheologyBeyond EverythingConclusion: The Dionysian Inheritance10 To Suffer Divine Things (Pati Divina): The Mystical ExperienceIntroduction: Pati DivinaSuffering, Passion, PassivityThe Taste of Wisdom: ExperienceThe Gift of Wisdom and ConnaturalityConclusion11 Passive, Loving KnowledgeSuffering, Passivity and the Passion of LoveMystical Theology According to John of the CrossThe Sense of Presence12 The Heart, the Centre and the SelfThe Spirit and the Heart The Centre of the SoulThe Self (Atman)13 Christian and Non-Christian MysticismDefinitions of MysticismNatural and Supernatural MysticismComparative MysticismHenri de Lubac: 'Mysticism and Mystery'Conclusion: Mystery and MysticismConclusion: Mystery - Mystagogy - MysticismFrom Mystery to MysticismMystagogy: Mysterium FideiNegative Theology and Mystical TheologyChristian MysticismRetractationesWord and SilenceBibliographyIndex of Names Cited