Customer Reviews

The Scale of Perfection (Middle English Texts)

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Walter Hilton's massive undertaking (the first thorough treatment of ascetic theology in the English language) is as rewarding for those today as in his own era - and a careful reading makes one realise that he was treating many of the same difficulties we would find in our own time. This is by no means light reading, but the lawyer's mind, theologian's precision, and pastoral father's homely charm are a winning combination. (How can anyone resist one who, after giving an explanation of sin so with the lawyer's accuracy that one nearly searches for the section on plea bargaining, then tenderly reassures his reader that God is most generous with forgiveness or "heaven would be much too empty?)I would recommend it (if not require it) of anyone with an interest either in ascetic theology or fourteenth century England.

Author Peter Ackroyd (The Life of Thomas More) says that Hitlton's "Scale of Perfection" and Kempas'"Imitation of Christ" are part of the broad tradition of late medieval Christian piety. Both books played a central part of Thomas More's life. Scale of Perfection is concerend with the active Chrictian life in the world. Hilton also wrote a volume entitled "The Mixed Life."

For those serious about growing in the spiritual life, Walter Hilton is a must. Not everything will speak to every person but there is much to be gained from a slow, careful, and prayerful reading.

Hilton has a LOT to say to the 21st century and is well worth reading - not bad for a book from the late 1300s. This edition is a scan of a 1908 publication of an 1870 translation - if you are adept at reading English of this era, not a problem, but English has changed in the past 140 years. Quality not bad for the first half: if you want an affordable way to see what Hilton has to say to today's reader, this may be the version for you. Second half, scan quality goes down - my copy has 6 pages illegible and others marginal - annoying if you want to seriously study and apply Hilton's work to your life; if so look for a more recent translation and pay the extra bucks to get a clean copy.