Two Worlds Are Ours: An Introduction to Christian Mysticism

by John MacQuarrie

In this masterful historical survey, theologian John Macquarrie demonstrates how Christians, especially the great mystics, have experienced at their own "radiant core" the love and presence of God. The word mysticism evokes ecstatic visions, asceticism, and esoteric teaching. Yet, the author maintains, mystics are better thought of as people who exhibit common human curiosity, long to explore religious mystery, and ultimately find a deep personal relationship with God. Macquarrie discusses in detail the ten common traits of mysticism before tracing two millennia of Christian mysticism. He mainly allows the mystics to speak for themselves, but he is also particularly insightful about the greatest individuals of the tradition - from Paul to the patristic Platonists to the classic medieval mystics to a host of twentieth-century exemplars.

Genres: Religion, Spirituality

287 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

John Macquarrie FBA TD was a Scottish-born theologian and philosopher. Timothy Bradshaw has described Macquarrie as "unquestionably Anglicanism's most distinguished systematic theologian in the second half of the twentieth century."

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a lovely book but didn't say much. Just a quick run down of the major Christian mystics in history. Didn't get too deep into either mysticism or what the mystics themselves were about. A quick encyclopedia that might lead one to other writings, but in itself not very filling.

[Katrinka · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hard to give this one a rating. It's a good peremptory exploration of Christian mysticism, but what seems like the author's being stuck in what I can only call old-fashioned attitudes (re: gender, "dangers" of straying from orthodoxy) really dilutes the work's palatability as a whole.