The Growth of Mysticism: Gregory the Great Through the 12 Century (The Presence of God) (v. 2) [Paperback]

Bernard McGinn (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1996 | Series: The Presence of God (Book 2)

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.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In his first volume, The Foundations of Mysticism, McGinn traced the development of Christian mysticism in the West from its earliest expressions to its fifth-century forms. This second book in a planned four-volume study guides the reader on a spectacular tour of the landscape of Christian mysticism as it evolves from 500 C.E. to 1200 C.E. After exploring the cultural forces that allowed the early medieval growth of mystical traditions, the volume examines the unique contributions of Pope Gregory the Great, John Scotus Erigena and such great contemplatives as Bernard of Clairvaux. McGinn demonstrates brilliantly that, while mysticism often arose out of the monastic emphasis on order and charity, the medieval Christian mystical tradition finds its true life in the variety of its expressions. A seminal study from the leading authority on Christian mysticism.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

This second of a projected four volumes on the history of mysticism in Western Christianity, by which the author means Roman and later also Protestant mysticism, covers the period from A.D. 500 to 1200. (The first volume, The Foundations of Mysticism, Crossroad, 1991, covers the period from the Apostolic Age to about A.D. 500.) Rather than including survey-style all the writers of the period, McGinn thoroughly discusses outstanding theoreticians: Gregory the Great, John Scottus Eriugena, Bernard of Clairvaux, William of St. Thierry, and Hugh of St. Victor. But this approach can make historical trends hard to discern. A case in point: there is little discussion of the early, substantial impact of Islamic mysticism on Western Christianity. This rather scholarly text is recommended for academic libraries and public libraries with strong religion collections.
James F. DeRoche, Alexandria, Va.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 648 pages
• Publisher: The Crossroad Publishing Company (November 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0824516281
• ISBN-13: 978-0824516284
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #678,962 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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