As a result of the isolation of doctrinal theology from its roots in Christian spiritual life, the relationship between spirituality and theology is often perceived to be ambiguous and uneasy.
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"McIntosh offers a fruitful avenue for overcoming the split between theology and spirituality that has emerged in contemporary Christianity. His mastery of the history of mystical theology is insightful and impressive. His hermeneutical strategy, developed both in its theoretical and practical dimensions, makes a major contribution to the recent study of mysticism." Bernard McGinn, University of Chicago
"Mystical Theology is one of the most sustained, systematic and impressive attempts at uniting spirituality and dogma, and demonstrating the necessity of this union, that I have encountered." Brian Horne, Kings College London
"The book is a sound exploration of the Christian mystical tradition. The strength of McIntosh's work is its attention to the postmodern question of the other, both human and divine. In short, McIntosh aptly shows that the mystical tradition, which has received comparatively little attention by modern theologians, can and must be an important source for postmodern thinkers. Those who are concerned to address the role of Christian theology in the postmodern age will find this book an important contribution." Timothy P. Muldoon, Mount Aloysius College, Journal of the American Academy of Religion
"This is a clearly-written and well-crafted argument for the reintegration of spirituality and theology." Michael Downey, Spirituality
From the Back Cover
Recent years have seen growing popular absorption with "spirituality" in all its forms. But as this study shows, it is largely separated from theology. Spirituality has grown more self-referential and is subverted by consumerist mentality, while theology has grown critically proficient but uneasy in speaking from or to the heart of Christian mysteries.
Through a study of exemplary writers such as Gregory of Nyssa, McIntosh recovers an understanding of the inner integrity of mystical consciousness and theological expression. The final chapters test the possibility of renewed conversation between spirituality and theology by drawing on spiritual traditions to re-think contemporary problems in Trinitarian thought, christology, and the understanding of the self. This book offers not only an analysis of spirituality and theology in the eras of their united activity, but also a hermeneutic for the theological appropriation of spirituality and a sustained argument for the renewal of mystical theology.
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Intergrity is the Key Word,
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This review is from: Mystical Theology: The Integrity of Spirituality and Theology (Challenges in Contemporary Theology) (Paperback)
Probably shows the greatest integrity of any book I've read. McIntosh shows the inseparable connection between theology and spirituality and how each depends on the other. The spiritual life as patterned after the Kerygma of Christ, participation in the Trinitarian Life, theological anthropology and the interpretation of mystical texts are some of the topics addressed. Patristic authors Denys the Areopogite, Maximus the Confessor and Augustine feature alongside medieval mystics like Eckhart and modern day scholars like Hans Urs von Balthasar. This book gives me hope for the future of modern scholarship. In my limited experience, I would also recomend 'The Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church' by Vladimir Lossky and 'The Origins of the Christian Mystical Tradition' by Andrew Louth.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Compelling Argument for the Necessity of Spirituality AND Theology,
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This review is from: Mystical Theology: The Integrity of Spirituality and Theology (Challenges in Contemporary Theology) (Paperback)
Nice constructive work to re-weave together thought and feeling, theology and spirituality, in an age fragmented by individualistic consumerism and Enlightenment dualism. McIntosh first sets out a history of mystical theology as a framework and then proceeds to consider our selves as constituted primarily by relationship, just as God is primarily constituted by relationship, not as essence or static necessity. McIntosh is appropriately critical both of "spirituality without religion" and religion without spirituality, and either one without the thought that is the appropriate expression of the impressions we constantly receive from God and from each other.
4 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Mystical Theology,
By Brian L. Hedrick (Marietta, GA USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Mystical Theology: The Integrity of Spirituality and Theology (Challenges in Contemporary Theology) (Paperback)
This is an extremely difficult book to read. It was required reading in my doctoral program, and I had great trouble getting through it. I found myself simply highlighting the parts I understood, rather than the central thoughts of the book. About the only thing I took with me from this book is explained on the back cover: we need to emphasize both the mystical nature of Christianity and sound theology, rather than favoring one over the other. It just seems that the author uses way too many words to get that concept across to the reader.
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Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
Two SS officers arrived at the door of a Carmelite convent in Holland. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
triune relationality, trinitarian relationality, trinitarian speech, mystical anthropology, mystical speech, suspended wonder, trinitarian life, divine yearning, mystical texts, trinitarian persons, incarnational christology, divine persons one, mystical consciousness, ofthe soul, mystical theology, mystical journey, mystical writers, mystical discourse, apophatic tradition, mystical encounter, spiritual texts, mystical presence, ecclesial life Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Holy Spirit, New York, Edith Stein, John of the Cross, Rowan Williams, Hans Urs von Balthasar, Meister Eckhart, Paulist Press, Simone Weil, Middle Ages, Denys Turner, Song of Songs, Andrew Louth, Cambridge University Press, Classics of Western Spirituality, Oxford University Press, Cistercian Fathers Series, Essential Sermons, God's Word, Gregory of Nyssa, Karl Rahner, Paul Ricoeur, San Francisco, William of St Thierry, The Darkness of God New!
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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Two SS officers arrived at the door of a Carmelite convent in Holland. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
triune relationality, trinitarian relationality, trinitarian speech, mystical anthropology, mystical speech, suspended wonder, trinitarian life, divine yearning, mystical texts, trinitarian persons, incarnational christology, divine persons one, mystical consciousness, ofthe soul, mystical theology, mystical journey, mystical writers, mystical discourse, apophatic tradition, mystical encounter, spiritual texts, mystical presence, ecclesial life Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Holy Spirit, New York, Edith Stein, John of the Cross, Rowan Williams, Hans Urs von Balthasar, Meister Eckhart, Paulist Press, Simone Weil, Middle Ages, Denys Turner, Song of Songs, Andrew Louth, Cambridge University Press, Classics of Western Spirituality, Oxford University Press, Cistercian Fathers Series, Essential Sermons, God's Word, Gregory of Nyssa, Karl Rahner, Paul Ricoeur, San Francisco, William of St Thierry, The Darkness of God New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 100
books:
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19
books
cite this book:
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- The Science of the Cross (The Collected Works of Edith Stein Vol. 6) (Stein, Edith//the Collected Works of Edith Stein) by Edith Stein on 6 pages
- God Matters (Continuum Icons) by Herbert McCabe on 6 pages
- The Darkness of God: Negativity in Christian Mysticism by Denys Turner on 5 pages
- Mystical Theology by Evelyn Sire on 5 pages
- The Foundations of Mysticism (Presence of God: a History of Western Christian Mysticism Vol. 1) (v1) by Bernard McGinn on 5 pages
See all 100 books this book cites
- John Macquarrie's Natural Theology: The Grace of Being by Georgina Morley on page 78, and Back Matter
- Contemplation and Compassion: The Victorine Tradition (Traditions of Christian Spirituality.) by Steven Chase on page 157, and Back Matter
- The Convergence of Theology: A Festschrift Honoring Gerald O'Collins, S.J. by Daniel Kendall on page 173, and page 190
- After the Spirit (Radical Traditions) by Rogers on page 78, and Back Matter
- Virtue and the Voice of God: Toward Theology as Wisdom by Daniel J. Treier in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
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