East Meets West: Jewish & Christian Mysticism
	On the Kabbalah and its Symbolism by GERSHOM SCHOLEM Amazon.com Gershom Scholem, who died in 1982, remains the biggest gun in kabbalah scholarship, and On the Kabbalah and its Symbolism is perhaps his most accessible book on the subject. It contains definitive essays on the relation of the Torah to Jewish mysticism, the mythology of the kabbalah, and the place of Jewish mystics in the Jewish community. This book helped reinvigorate 20th-century Jewish studies with an awareness of the living reality of God, after the 19th century's more astringent scholarly emphasis on law and philosophy. It shows how Jewish mystics have been less concerned with adherence to orthodoxy than their Christian counterparts, and freer in their expression of the divine aspects of eroticism. Furthermore, Scholem offers great insight regarding the ways that kabbalah has not only threatened the authority of institutional religion, but also served as a source of its vitality. --Michael Joseph Gross Review "Along with Scholem's Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism, this is the standard work in its field." -- Choice "Comprises some of Scholem's most broadly conceived intellectual efforts, dealing with such universal issues as creativity and tradition, Scripture and its interpretation, religion and myth, and the nature of religious authority." -- Arthur Green, Brandeis University "Makes the intricate and fascinating world of kabbalistic symbol and myth accessible to a wider audience, rendering it in terms that are of interest to contemporary readers." -- Elliot R. Wolfson,New York University Review "Along with Scholem's Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism, this is the standard work in its field." -- Choice "Comprises some of Scholem's most broadly conceived intellectual efforts, dealing with such universal issues as creativity and tradition, Scripture and its interpretation, religion and myth, and the nature of religious authority." -- Arthur Green, Brandeis University "Makes the intricate and fascinating world of kabbalistic symbol and myth accessible to a wider audience, rendering it in terms that are of interest to contemporary readers." -- Elliot R. Wolfson,New York University Language Notes Text: English (translation) Original Language: German From the Inside Flap In On the Kabbalah and Its Symbolism, Gershom Scholem guides the reader through the central themes in the intricate history of the Kabbalah, clarifying the relations between mysticism and established religious authority, the mystics' interpretation of the Torah and their attempts to discover the hidden meaning underlying Scripture, the tension between the philosophical and the mystical concepts of God, and the symbolism employed in mystical religion. About the Author Gershom Scholem was a professor of Jewish mysticism at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem until his death in 1982. Among his most important works are Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism, The Messianic Idea in Judaism, and On the Kabbalah and Its Symbolism. Product Description: Gershom Scholem guides the reader though the central themes in the intricate history of the Kabbalah, clarifying the relations between mysticism and established religious authority, the mystics interpretation of the Torah and their attempts to discover the hidden meaning underlying Scripture, the tension between the philosophical and the mystical concepts of God, and the symbolism employed in mystical religion. "Along with Scholem's Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism, this is the standard work in its field." -- Choice "Comprises some of Scholem's most broadly conceived intellectual efforts, dealing with such universal issues as creativity and tradition, Scripture and its interpretation, religion and myth, and the nature of religious authority." -- Arthur Green, Brandeis University "Makes the intricate and fascinating world of kabbalistic symbol and myth accessible to a wider audience, rendering it in terms that are of interest to contemporary readers." -- Elliot R. Wolfson,New York University
	Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism by GERSHOM SCHOLEM A collection of lectures on the features of the movement of mysticism that began in antiquity and continues in Hasidism today. (also see above)
	The Roots of Christian Mysticism: Text and Commentary by Olivier Clement Discover the core of the Christian spiritual experience. Newman compared the early history of the Church to the opening chords of a symphony when the subjects that will later be brought out one by one are introduced all together in a concentrated burst of creativity. Here Clement takes these opening chords as a starting point for a voyage of discovery that brings us to the origins of Christian faith life and prayer as a whole. This anthology combines brilliantly chosen texts from the first seven centuries of Christianity with the author's vivid commentary to reveal the roots of Christian mysticism.
	Christian Mystics: Their Lives and Legacies throughout the Ages by Ursula King Ewert Cousins, Professor of Theology, Fordham University ...this book provides a much-needed panorama of Christian Mysticism through the ages. Michael Sells, Professor of Comparative Religions, Haverford College This is an outstanding entryway into the rich and deep world of Christian mysticism, recommended for readers of all backgrounds. Greg Tobin, former editor-in-chief of Book-of-the-Month Club, Inc., and author of The Wisdom of St. Patrick: A comprehensive, lucid, and inspiring history of the most intriguing and influential aspect of Christian spirituality. Keith J. Egan, Professor of Theology, Saint Mary's College and Adjunct Professor of Theology, Notre Dame University: With verve, clarity and brevity Ursula King brings alive the Christian Mystics. Beatrice Bruteau, author of Radical Optimism and The Easter Mysteries: This may well be the single best introduction to a continuous and living mystical tradition. Prof. Huston Smith, author of The World's Religions and Why Religion Matters: The clearest and most comprehensive introduction to its subject that I know. About the Author Ursula King is Professor of Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Bristol in England, where she directed the Centre for Comparative Studies in Religion and Gender for several years. She is also Visiting Professor in the Faculty of Theology at the University of Oslo. Besides her interest in mysticism and spirituality, she is particularly concerned with the image, status, and experience of women in the world religions, and with questions of interfaith dialogue. She has published numerous articles and books, including Spirit of Fire: The Life and Vision of Teilhard de Chardin and Women and Spirituality: Voices of Protest and Promise, and has lectured widely throughout the world. She is married, has four daughters, and lives in England. Product Description: There are many different kinds of mystics in all religions, and in recent years we have become increasingly aware of their existence and heritage. Many people today are drawn to mystics for inspiration and transformation. They offer a message of wholeness and healing, of harmony, peace, and joy; also of immense struggles fought and won. The mystical experience has found richly diverse expression during the two thousand years of Christian history and underpins all of Christian ritual and doctrine-not as a secret divine knowledge but as a deeper spirituality for all believers. By and large, however, the inspiring examples of the Christian mystics are little known. Christian Mystics 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. Beginning with major figures among the early Christians, this beautifully written book moves on to the great flowering of mysticism during the Middle Ages and the early modern period. Including a presentation of the Eastern Orthodox mystic tradition and concluding with the mystics of our time, Christian Mystics presents an inspiring history of the quest for spiritual meaning and transcendence. As a leading authority on religious history and mysticism, Ursula King uses both scholarly knowledge and her gifts as a writer to elucidate this profound story of selfless love, encompassing the great breadth and depth of the Christian mystical tradition and the problems and questions mystics face. Christian Mystics offers entrance into a deeper inner dimension that can animate and sustain the life of readers of any faith or none.
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