Bernard McGinn – författare

This clear and comprehensive anthology, culled from the vast corpus of Christian mystical literature by the renowned theologian and historian Bernard McGinn, presents nearly one hundred selections, from the writings of Origen of Alexandria in the third century to the work of twentieth-century mystics such as Thomas Merton. Uniquely organized by subject rather than by author, The Essential Writings of Christian Mysticism explores how human life is transformed through the search for direct contact with God. Part one examines the preparation for encountering God through biblical interpretation and prayer; the second part focuses on the mystics’ actual encounters with God; and part three addresses the implications of the mystical life, showing how mystics have been received over time, and how they practice their faith through private contemplation and public actions.In addition to his illuminating Introduction, Bernard McGinn provides accessible headnotes for each section, as well as numerous biographical sketches and a selected bibliography.Praise for The Essential Writings of Christian Mysticism “No one is better equipped than Bernard McGinn to provide a thorough and balanced guide to this vast literature….This is an anthology which deserves to be read not only by those who study Christian history and theology, but by believers who long to deepen their own lives of prayer and service.” -- Anglican Theological Review“Bernard McGinn, a preeminent historian and interpreter of the Christian mystical tradition, has edited this fine collection of mystical writings, organizing them thematically....McGinn offers helpful introductions to each thematic section, author and entry, as well as a brief critical bibliography on mysticism. Published in the Modern Library Classic series, this is a great value.” – Christian Century"No-one is better equipped than Professor McGinn to provide a thorough and balanced guide to this vast literature. A first-class selection, by a first-class scholar." -- Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury “This accessible anthology by the scholarly world’s leading historian of the Western Christian mystical tradition easily outstrips all others in its comprehensiveness, the aptness of its selection of texts, and in the intelligent manner of its organization.” -- Denys Turner, Horace Tracy Pitkin Professor of Historical Theology, Yale Divinity School"An immensely rich anthology, assembled and introduced by our foremost student of mysticism. Both the scholar and the disciple will find God’s plenty here." -- Barbara Newman, Professor of English, Religion, and Classics, John Evans Professor of Latin, Northwestern University"An unusually clear and insightful exposition of major texts selected by one of the greatest scholars in the field of Christian mysticism, based on his vast erudition and uniquely sensitive interpretation. Like his other books, this one too is destined to become a classic.” -- Professor Moshe Idel, Hebrew University, Jerusalem

In this first volume of the highly-acclaimed Presence of God series, Bernard McGinn explores the origins of Christian mysticism, from early Jewish apocalyptic writings to pre-Christian Greek contemplative thought; the New Testament witnesses; early Greek Patristic thought; and the contribution of early monastic practice. In Part 2, McGinn discusses Western Christian mysticism proper, with special attention to Augustine of Hippo. Of special interest is the now-influential appendix, which reviews various theoretical approaches to mysticism.

Building on the success of The Foundations of Mysticism, this second volume of McGinn’s classic The Presence of God series covers the major theoreticians of the period 500 to 1200 CE. Major figures include Gregory the Great, John Scotus Eriugena, Bernard of Clairvaux, William of St. Thierry, and Hugh of St. Victor.

The great German mystic Meister Eckhart remains one of the most fascinating figures in Western thought. Revived interest in Eckhart's mysticism has been matched, and even surpassed, by the study of the women mystics of the late13th century. This book argues that Eckhart's thought cannot be fully be understood until it is viewed against the background of the breakthroughs made by the women mystics who preceded him.

From millenarists to Antichrist hunters, from the Sibyls to the Hussites, Visions of the End is a monumental compendium spanning the literature of the Christian apocalyptic tradition from the period A.D. 400 to 1500, masterfully selected and complete with a comprehensive introduction and new preface.

In this timely and sweeping exploration, one of the greatest living historians of Christian thought traces the concept of Antichrist from its Judeo-Christian origins to the present day. Rooted in Second Temple Judaism--a period of intense religious and political disruption--Antichrist developed out of belief in malevolent angelic and human forces. McGinn demonstrates how Antichrist has often reflected the human need to comprehend the persistence of evil in the world, and examines how it has haunted popular imagination in both the form of indivuduals--such as Nero, Napoleon, and Saddam Hussein--and groups--Jews, heretics, Muslims.

The manifest strength of the medieval period has always been the ways in which particular thinkers negotiated the twin criteria of reason and faith. What seemed to the Enlightenment a weakness appears to our time as a virtuoso performance. Less well-known in the West has been the inherently interfaith and intercultural character of the discussion.This collection of essays, which originated in 1987 at a symposium titled "God and Creation: An Ecumenical Symposium in Comparative Religious Thought," is devoted to the doctrine of creation in the three Western monotheistic faiths: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. For the first time scholars from all three traditions investigate the historical and constructive aspects of this doctrine within an ecumenical environment. Several important comparative dimensions, especially on the relation between creation and emanation, have been highlighted in new ways. While some dimensions of the problematic were shared, notably the Aristotelian challenge of an eternal universe, others turn out to be specific to different traditions.

The manifest strength of the medieval period has always been the ways in which particular thinkers negotiated the twin criteria of reason and faith. What seemed to the Enlightenment a weakness appears to our time as a virtuoso performance. Less well-known in the West has been the inherently interfaith and intercultural character of the discussion.This collection of essays, which originated in 1987 at a symposium titled "God and Creation: An Ecumenical Symposium in Comparative Religious Thought," is devoted to the doctrine of creation in the three Western monotheistic faiths: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. For the first time scholars from all three traditions investigate the historical and constructive aspects of this doctrine within an ecumenical environment. Several important comparative dimensions, especially on the relation between creation and emanation, have been highlighted in new ways. While some dimensions of the problematic were shared, notably the Aristotelian challenge of an eternal universe, others turn out to be specific to different traditions.

The life and times of the most important theological work of medieval ChristendomThomas Aquinas’s Summa theologiae holds a unique place in Western religion and philosophy. Written between 1266 and 1273, it was conceived by Aquinas as an instructional guide for teachers and novices and a compendium of all the approved teachings of the Catholic Church. It synthesizes an astonishing range of scholarship, covering hundreds of topics and containing more than a million and a half words—and was still unfinished at the time of Aquinas’s death. Bernard McGinn, one of today’s most acclaimed scholars of medieval Christianity, traces the remarkable life of this iconic work, examining Aquinas’s reasons for writing it, its subject matter, and the novel way he organized it. McGinn looks at the influence of Aquinas’s masterpiece on such giants of medieval Christendom as Meister Eckhart, its ridicule during the Enlightenment, the role of the Summa in the post–Vatican II church, and the book’s enduring relevance today.

This richly interdisciplinary collection of seventeen essays by an impressive array of medievalists offers an overview of the influence of the Apocalypse on the shaping of the Christian culture of the Middle Ages. Each one focuses on some aspect of John's great visionary text, specifically analyzing its interpretation, representation, and manipulation in medieval culture, history, religion, art, and literature. The book is divided into three sections.In the first part, six scholars of medieval history and thought detail the development of interpretations of the Book of Revelation from the earliest work of Tyconius and Augustine to the Franciscan and Dominican explanations of the later Middle Ages. In the second part, six art historians discuss the visual representation of the Apocalypse in medieval art from early Christian mosaics through late medieval and early Renaissance paintings and prints, including those of Albrecht Durer. Five essays by historians and literary historians in the third section focus on the wide variety of ways in which medieval literature, liturgy, and historiography were influenced by the Apocalypse.Providing a wealth of new material, this book will enrich our understanding of some of the major themes of medieval intellectual, cultural, and religious history, and should serve as a model for future works on related topics.Contributors: David Burr, Michael Camille, Yves Christe, E. Randolph Daniel, Richard K. Emmerson, C. Clifford Flanigan, Paula Frederiksen, Ronald B. Herzman, Dale Kinney, Peter Klein, Robert E. Lerner, Suzanne Lewis, E. Ann Matter, Bernard McGinn, Karl F. Morrison, Penn Szittya, John Williams

This richly interdisciplinary collection of seventeen essays by an impressive array of medievalists offers an overview of the influence of the Apocalypse on the shaping of the Christian culture of the Middle Ages. Each one focuses on some aspect of John's great visionary text, specifically analyzing its interpretation, representation, and manipulation in medieval culture, history, religion, art, and literature. The book is divided into three sections.In the first part, six scholars of medieval history and thought detail the development of interpretations of the Book of Revelation from the earliest work of Tyconius and Augustine to the Franciscan and Dominican explanations of the later Middle Ages. In the second part, six art historians discuss the visual representation of the Apocalypse in medieval art from early Christian mosaics through late medieval and early Renaissance paintings and prints, including those of Albrecht Durer. Five essays by historians and literary historians in the third section focus on the wide variety of ways in which medieval literature, liturgy, and historiography were influenced by the Apocalypse.Providing a wealth of new material, this book will enrich our understanding of some of the major themes of medieval intellectual, cultural, and religious history, and should serve as a model for future works on related topics.Contributors: David Burr, Michael Camille, Yves Christe, E. Randolph Daniel, Richard K. Emmerson, C. Clifford Flanigan, Paula Frederiksen, Ronald B. Herzman, Dale Kinney, Peter Klein, Robert E. Lerner, Suzanne Lewis, E. Ann Matter, Bernard McGinn, Karl F. Morrison, Penn Szittya, John Williams

Mysticism in the Golden Age of Spain (1500-1650) provides the single most thorough history of the influence of Spain on Christian mysticism during the Reformation. Serious church scholars and students of church history and mysticism will make this volume an essential part of their library. It is the 7th installment in the Presence of God series, which has been acknowledged by both the review media and the academy as the most important and comprehensive series devoted to the Reformation. It is a complete treatment of the subject, including extensive notes and references. Unlike general histories that have been written about the Reformation, McGinn's volume is rich in detail and provides a fascinating and intelligent review of mysticism in early Spain.

Essays in this volume discuss the early history of the church, gnostic spirituality, monasticism, the great fathers, sosteriology, the Trinity, anthropology, grace, Christian art, the sacraments, prayer and spiritual guidance.

From the World Spirituality series, this is a broad-ranging, illustrated, scholarly treatment of core topics in Christian spirituality, focused on the Reformation and pre-Reformation periods.

The year 1200 marked a dynamic turning point in the history of Christian mysticism. New forms of religious life provided the impetus for a new mysticism whose influence continues today. This book documents the spirited dialogue between men and women that made possible the richness of mysticism in the 13th and 14th centuries.

Centuries after his work as a preacher, philosopher, and spiritual guide, Meister Eckhart remains one of the most widely-read mystics of the Western tradition. Yet as he has come to be studied more closely in recent decades, a number of different Eckharts have emerged. This volume reviews and synthesizes the diverging views of Eckhart that have been presented in recent past. For the first time, Bernard McGinn, the greatest living scholar of Western Christian mysticism, brings together in one volume the fruition of decades of reflection on these questions, offering a view of Eckhart that unites his reflections as preacher, philosopher, and theologian.

Bernard McGinn's The Presence of God series is one of the most respected histories of Christian mysticism in print today. In this new book, Bernard and Patricia McGinn draw from the series to take a closer, personal look at the mystical vision of 12 great spiritual masters living before the Reformation. What were the deep insights of these early mystics? How can we apply their wisdom to our lives today? Chapters include Hildegard of Bingen on cosmic vision, John Cassian on prayer and purity of heart, and Bernard of Clairvaux on spousal love.

The fourth volume in the universally-acclaimed The Presence of God series, The Harvest of Mysticism is a tour-de-force study of medieval German mysticism from Thomas Aquinas and his master, Albert the Great to Cardinal Nicholas of Cusa, and including Jan van Ruusbroeck, Meister Eckhart, and John Tauler.

Written by one of the great authorities on Catholic wisdom, this user friendly resource is designed as a general introduction to the 33 remarkable individuals who shaped the understanding of the Church's faith. After a brief account of the concept and development of the office of doctor ecclesiae , sketches of the lives and teachings of the influential doctors are presented in chronological order. A list of major translations of each doctor's writings for further reading is also included.

More than 25 years in the making, this magisterial volume uncovers the riches of one of the greatest periods of mystical wisdom in Christian history: the “vernacular” spirituality of the late medieval period in Europe. The compilation incorporates more than a century of new research from around the globe, demonstrating how this period gave rise to many mystical writers who remain influential even today, including Julian of Norwich, Eckhart’s follower Jan van Ruusbroec, and the inspirational doctor of the church and visionary, Catherine of Siena. With unmatched knowledge of the primary works and scholarship around the globe, this study illustrates the unique genius of each mystical teacher as well as how they build on one another’s insights to pursue a life in God’s presence. Specific types of mysticism covered include Trinitarian, late medieval Italian, renaissance, and the golden age of English mysticism.

Apocalyptism has been broadly defined as the belief that God has revealed the imminent end of the ongoing struggle between good and evil throughout history. It has been a major element in the three monotheistic religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam and extensive scholarship has been devoted to apocalyptic study during the latter half of the 20th century. With contributions from 42 scholars, this encyclopedia in three volumes provides a comprehensive survey of apocalypticism's role in Western history from its origins down to the eve of the third millennium.

Apocalyptism has been broadly defined as the belief that God has revealed the imminent end of the ongoing struggle between good and evil throughout history. It has been a major element in the three monotheistic religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam and extensive scholarship has been devoted to apocalyptic study during the latter half of the 20th century. With contributions from 42 scholars, this encyclopedia in three volumes provides a comprehensive survey of apocalypticism's role in Western history from its origins down to the eve of the third millennium.

Apocalypticism has been the source of hope and courage for the oppressed, but has also given rise, on many occasions, to fanaticism and intolerance. The essays in this volume seek neither to apologize for the extravagance of apocalyptic thinkers nor to excuse the perverse actions of some of their followers. Rather, they strive to understand a powerful, perhaps even indispensable, element in the history of Western religions that has been the source of both good and evil, and still is yet today.The Editors The Continuum History of Apocalypticism is a 1-volume, select edition of the 3-vol. Encyclopedia of Apocalypticism first published in 1998. The main historical surveys that provided the spine of the Encyclopedia have been retained, while essays of a thematic nature, and a few whose subject matter is not central to the historical development, have been omitted. The work begins with 8 articles on The Origins of Apocalypticism in the Ancient World, extending from ancient Near Eastern myth through the Old Testament to the Dead Sea Scrolls, Jesus, Paul, and the Book of Revelation. Next are 7 articles on Apocalyptic Traditions from Late Antiquity to ca. 1800 C.E., including early Christian theology, radical movements in the Middle Ages, and both Jewish and Islamic apocalypticism in the classic period.The final section, Apocalypticism in the Modern Age, includes 10 articles on apocalypticism in the Americas, in Western and Eastern Europe, and, finally, in modern Judaism and modern Islam.

Three treatises by twelfth-century Cistercians, who reflect on the human person as the image of God and capax Dei, capable of God, of being reformed to the divine Image. Of the three 'Isaac of Stella, an anonymous Cistercian, and William of Saint Thierry ' only the last discusses the nature ('the physics') of the body as well as of the soul, giving us an insight into medieval medical theory as well as to theological anthology.