Studies in 26, 393-413. doi: 10.2143/SIS.26.0.3180817 © 2016 by Studies in Spirituality. All rights reserved.

Book notices

The intention of these book notices is very simple: to draw attention to new spirituality books that could be of interest to readers of Studies in Spirituality. Henk Rutten, the librar- ian and information manager of the Titus Brandsma Institute, lists about 50 titles with short descriptions. They are not meant to be comprehensive and in-depth book reviews.

Anderson, Elizabeth, Andrew Radford, & Heather Walton (Eds.), Modernist Women Writers and Spirituality: A Piercing Darkness, [S.l.]: Palgrave Macmillan, 2016, 256 pages, ISBN: 9781137530356 (Hb.); 9781137530363 (Eb.). Concentrating on female modernists specifically, this volume examines spiritual issues and their connections to gender during the modernist period. Scholarly inquiry sur- rounding women writers and their relation to what Wassily Kandinsky famously hoped would be an ‘Epoch of the Great Spiritual’ has generated myriad contexts for closer analysis including: feminist , literary and religious history, psychoanalysis, queer and trauma theory. This book considers canonical authors such as Virginia Woolf while also attending to critically overlooked or poorly understood figures such as H.D., Mary Butts, Rose Macaulay, Evelyn Underhill, Christopher St. John and Dion Fortune. With wide-ranging topics such as the formally innovative poetry of Stevie Smith and Hope Mirrlees to Evelyn Underhill’s mystical treatises and correspondence, this collec- tion of essays aims to grant voices to the mostly forgotten female voices of the modern- ist period, showing how spirituality played a vital role in their lives and writing. Elizabeth Anderson is impact research fellow at the University of Stirling. Andrew Rad- ford is a lecturer in Anglo-American Literature in the School of Critical Studies at the University of Glasgow. Heather Walton is professor of Theology and Creative Practice and co-director of the Centre for Literature, Theology and the Arts at the University of Glasgow.

Ashley, James Matthew, Take Lord and Receive All My Memory: Toward an Anamnestic , Milwaukee, WI: Marquette University Press, 2015 (The Père Marquette Lec- ture in Theology; 2015), 116 pages, ISBN: 9781626005020. This book explores the possibility of looking at the Christian spiritual life as a journey in which the way one remembers is gradually transformed, culminating in a union of memories with memory. It does so partly in response to the need to remember correctly, both as individuals and as a society, both joyful events worthy of celebration, and atrocities that require lamentation and repentance. The book suggests that map- ping such an anamnestic mysticism draws on key themes on memory from the pre- modern tradition, provides a helpful perspective on the Ignatian ideal of contemplation in action, and, finally, can help us remember Christian martyrs such as Oscar Romero.

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J. Matthew Ashley is professor and chair of the Department of Theology at the Univer- sity of Notre Dame.

Beavis, Mary Ann, Christian Goddess Spirituality: Enchanting , [S.l.]: Rout- ledge, 2015 (Gender, Theology, and Spirituality; 18), 194 pages, ISBN: 9781138936881. This monograph focuses on ‘Christian Goddess Spirituality’ (CGS), the phenomenon of (mostly) women who combine Christianity and Goddess Spirituality, including Wicca/. Mary Ann Beavis’s study provides ethnographic data and analysis on the lived of CGS practitioners, drawing on interviews of over 100 women who self-identify as combining Christianity and Goddess spirituality. Although CGS also has implications for Goddess Spirituality and related traditions (e.g., Neopa- ganism, Wicca), here, CGS is considered primarily as a phenomenon within Christian- ity. However, the study also shows that the fusion of Christian and Goddess spirituali- ties has had an impact on non-Christian feminist spirituality, since Goddess-worshippers have often constructed Christianity as the diametrical opposite and enemy of the - dess, to the point that some refuse to admit the possibility that CGS is a valid spiritual path, or that it is even possible. In addition, biblical, Jewish and Christian images of the divine such as , Shekhinah, the Virgin Mary, and even Mary Magdalene, have found their way into the ‘Pagan’ Goddess pantheon. Mary Ann Beavis is professor at St. Thomas More College, the University of Saskatch- ewan, Canada, and is founding editor of the Journal of and Popular Culture.

Bingemer, Maria Clara, Simone Weil: Mystic of Passion and Compassion, Cambridge: The Lutterworth Press, 2015, 166 pages, ISBN: 9780718894269 (Pb.); 9780718844523 (Eb. PDF). A reflection on the life and thought of the French philosopher and mystical thinker Simone Weil, exploring her spiritual convictions from a Christian theological perspec- tive. Simone Weil reflects on the life, work, and legacy of an exceptional and enigmatic woman: the philosopher and French Jewish mystic of the same name. In a Europe where authoritarian regimes were dominant and heading, in a sinister manner, toward WWII, this woman of fragile health but indomitable denounced the contradictions of the capitalist system, the brutality of Nazism, and the paradox of bourgeois thought. At the same time, her spiritual journey was one of zeal and sorrow – that of a true mystic – but her radical intransigence and passion for freedom kept her from actually approaching the institutional church. Curious and insatiable, she wanted to experience, in the flesh, the suffering of society’s least fortunate and the truths of other . Maria Clara Bingemer is full professor of Systematic Theology at the Pontificia Univer- sidade Católica de Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Boyce-Tillman, June, Experiencing Music – Restoring the Spiritual: Music as Well-Being, Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang, 2016 (Music and Spirituality; 2), 401 pages, ISBN: 9783034319522. This book concerns an examination of the totality of the musical experience with a view to restoring the within it. It starts with an analysis of the strands in the land- scape of contemporary spirituality. It examines the descriptors spiritual but not religious,

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and spiritual and religious, looking in particular at the place of narratives in vari- ous . These strands are linked with the domains of the musicking experi- ence: Materials, Expression, Construction and Values. The book sets out a model of the spiritual experience as a negotiated relationship between the musicker and the music. It looks in detail at various models of musicking drawn from music therapy, ethnomusi- cology, musicology and cultural studies. It examines the relationship between Christian- ity and music as well as examining some practical projects showing the effect of various Value systems in musicking, particularly in intercultural dialogue. It finally proposes an ecclesiology of musical events that includes both orate and literate traditions and so is supportive of inclusive community

Bugyis, Eric, & David Newheiser (Eds.), Desire, Faith, and the Darkness of God: Essays in Honor of Denys Turner, Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press, 2015, 480 pages, ISBN: 9780268022426 (Pb.); 9780268075989 (Eb.). In the face of religious and cultural diversity, some doubt whether Christian faith remains possible today. Critics claim that religion is irrational and violent, and the loudest defenders of Christianity are equally strident. In response, this volume explores the uncertainty essential to Christian commitment; it suggests that faith is moved by a desire for that which cannot be known. This approach is inspired by the tradition of Christian , which argues that language cannot capture divine tran- scendence. From this perspective, contemporary debates over God’s existence represent a dead end: if God is not simply another object in the world, then faith begins not in abstract certainty but in a love that exceeds the limits of knowledge. The essays engage classic Christian thought alongside literary and philosophical sources ranging from Pseudo-Dionysius and Dante to and Jacques Derrida. Building on the work of Denys Turner, they indicate that the boundary between and Christian thought is productively blurry. Instead of settling the stale dispute over whether religion is rationally justified, their work suggests instead that Christian life is an ethical and political practice impassioned by a God who transcends understanding. Eric Bugyis is lecturer in Religious Studies at the University of Washington at Tacoma. David Newheiser is a postdoctoral research fellow at the Australian Catholic University.

Chalmers, Joseph, Elisabeth Hense, Veronie Meeuwsen, & Esther van de Vate (Eds.), Maria Petyt – a Carmelite Mystic in Wartime, Leiden/Boston: Brill, 2015, XII, 292 pages, ISBN: 9789004291874 (Eb.); 9789004291867 (Pb.). Based on the discovery of an unknown Latin manuscript, this work provides surprising new information about the seventeenth century Flemish mystic Maria Petyt (1623- 1677) who wrote many letters to her spiritual director, of St. Augustine. The book contains a transcription of the (unfortunately partly damaged) manuscript, an English translation of it, and several articles opening up new horizons concerning the life and spirituality of Maria Petyt and her historical and religious backgrounds. The authors characterize Maria Petyt as a self-confident spiritual daughter with a strong political mission, a zealous figure fighting side by side with Louis XIV for the catholic victory during the Dutch War, and as one who lived and profoundly understood the spirituality of Teresa of Avila.

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Coats, Curtis, & Monica M. Emerich (Eds.), Practical Spiritualities in a Media Age, London etc.: Bloomsbury Academic, 2016, 275 pages, ISBN: 9781474223171 (Eb. Epub); 9781474223188 (Eb. PDF); 9781474223164 (Hb.). We live in a media age where technologies become the sites and sources of our practices and beliefs, including those deeper values that guide decisions about how we should live. This work explores how and why media become the site and source of spiritual expressions that address the mundane or everydayness of our lives. Including interna- tional case studies and essays from leading scholars such as Stewart Hoover and Graham Harvey, the book examines the ways and the places in which people have employed media and information technologies to weave spiritual meaning throughout the demands and pastimes of their lives. Topics range from food and sex to spiritual tour- ism. In doing so, the volume takes up a call from Paul Heelas’ seminal work, Spiritu- alities of Life, to provide more examples, more richness and more depth to the variety of spiritual practices that exist in late modernity. Curtis Coats is assistant professor of Communication Studies, Co-director of Film Studies, Millsaps College, USA. Monica Emerich is president of Groundwork Com- munications & Research, based in the USA, and an instructor in the Sustainable Prac- tices Program, at the University of Colorado-Boulder, USA.

Dagli, Caner K., Ibn Al-’Arabi and Islamic Intellectual Culture: From Mysticism to Philoso- phy, [S.l.]: Routledge, 2016 (Routledge Sufi Series; 18), 168 pages, ISBN: 9781138780019. Ibn al-’Arabi († 1240) was one of the towering figures of Islamic intellectual history, and among Sufis still bears the title of al-shaykh al-akbar, or ‘the greatest master’. This volume traces the history of the concept of ‘oneness of being’ (wahdat al-wujud) in the school of Ibn al-’Arabi, in order to explore the relationship between mysticism and in Islamic intellectual life. It examines how the conceptual language used by early mystical writers became increasingly engaged over time with the broader Islamic intellectual culture, eventually becoming integrated with the latter’s common philosophical and theological vocabulary. It focuses on four successive generations of thinkers (Sadr al-Din al-Qunawi, Mu’ayyad al-Din al-Jandi, ’Abd al-Razzaq al-Kashani, and Dawud al-Qaysari), and exam- ines how these ‘philosopher-mystics’ refined and developed the ideas of Ibn al-’Arabi. Through a close analysis of texts, the book clearly traces the crystallization of an influential school of thought in Islamic history and its place in the broader intellectual culture. Caner K. Dagli, associate professor of Religious Studies at the College of the Holy Cross, is a specialist in Sufism, , interfaith dialogue, and Quranic studies.

Dhiman, Satinder, & Joan Marques (Eds.), Spirituality and Sustainability, Cham, Swit- zerland: Springer International Publishing, 2016, 262 pages, ISBN: 9783319342351 (Eb.); 9783319342337 (Hb.). This book aims to examine sustainability and spirituality philosophically with as the balancing force. The goal is to reveal the important intersection between sustainabil- ity and spirituality by using spirituality as the invisible guiding hand in the quest for sustainability. The editors and contributors examine old social and economics dilemmas from a new perspective in order to provide alternative approaches to economic and social development. The enclosed contributions cover a broad range of topics such as sustainable

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development and human happiness, contemporary spirituality, environmental ethics and responsibility, and corporate social responsibility. In addition, the title features real-world case studies and discussion questions that inspire self-reflection and theoretical and empirical deliberation in academic courses and business seminars. Contemporary approaches to economic and social development have failed to address humankind’s abiding need for spiritual growth. For material development to be sustainable, spiritual advancement must be seen as an integral part of the human development algorithm. Satinder Dhiman, PhD, EdD, currently serves as a professor of Management and as the associate dean, chair, and director of the MBA Program at Woodbury University’s School of Business in Burbank, California. Joan Marques, PhD, EdD, serves as assistant dean of Woodbury University’s School of Business, chair and director of the BBA Pro- gram, and professor of Management.

Feldmeier, Peter, Christian Spirituality: Lived Expressions in the Life of the Church, Win- ona, MN: Anselm Academic, 2015, 317 pages, ISBN: 9781599826356. The author weaves together historical, theological, and experiential anecdotes and informa- tion to produce a portrait of the diverse spiritual traditions that have come to bear on Christianity through the lived witness of Christian believers. The term spirituality is often used ambiguously. Bookstores have sections dedicated to ‘spiritual texts’, which include everything from tips for improving one’s business acumen and marital communication to translations of ancient tantric poetry and primers on the discernment of spirits. Given this diversity, what does spirituality actually mean – especially for the Christian tradition? With instructive chapter introductions, review and discussion questions at the conclusion of each topic, a robust bibliography, and a straightforward chronological method, Christian spir- ituality makes the diverse topic of spirituality at once comprehensive and accessible.

Gan, Peter Chong-Beng, Dialectics and the Sublime in Underhill’s Mysticism, Singapore: Springer, 2015, X, 243 pages, ISBN: 9789812874849 (Eb.); 9789812874832 (Hb.). This book represents a study of Evelyn Underhill’s premier work on mysticism, using Hegel’s dialectics and Kant’s theory of the sublime as interpretive tools. It especially focuses on two prominent features of Underhill’s text: the description of the mystical life as one permeated by an intense love between the mystic and infinite , and the detailed delineation of stages of mystical development. Given these two features, the text lends itself to a construction of a valuable discourse predicated on dialecticism, sublim- ity, and mysticism. The book also articulates a number of insights into the content and of the writings of Christian mystics. Peter Gan is an academic in the Philosophy and Civilization Section of the School of Humanities at Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang.

Gillespie, Vincent, Short History of Medieval English Mysticism, London: I. B. Tauris, 2015, 256 pages, ISBN: 9781780763385 (Hb.). England has one of the richest and most distinctive histories of medieval mystical experi- ence in all Europe. Resonant echoes of that history linger at places like Walsingham and Norwich.The shrine of the Holy House, destroyed at the , became one of the leading pilgrimage centres of the Christian west. It emerged out of the visions of

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Richeldis de Faverches, an eleventh-century Saxon noblewoman, who believed she had been instructed by the Virgin to build in Walsingham a replica of Nazareth’s famous hut of the nativity. Twenty miles away in Carrow, a village just outside Norwich’s city walls, the solitary anchorite Julian later explored her own profound intimations of in her sensuous Revelations of Divine Love. Both women were moved profoundly to change their lives through a direct sense of personal encounter with the transcendent. They exemplify many religious and spiritual figures in England who claim to have experienced the mystery of God through ascetic discipline and contemplative longing. The author here introduces some of the greatest mystics of English history: Julian; Ailred of Riev- aulx; poetic visionary Richard Rolle; the anonymous author of The Cloud of Unknowing; charismatic Margery Kempe; and Walter Hilton. He places these enigmatic but always fascinating thinkers in the wider context of medieval Christian contemplation.

Goud, Johan (Ed.), Door Woorden Gekust: Talen van de Liefde, Zoetermeer: Uitgeverij Klement, 2016, 176 pages, ISBN: 9789086871667. This book is about languages of love. How appropriate the plural ‘languages’ is, is evident from the multicolored contributions included. In the history of Western thought and poetry we find many and various proposals for languages of love. They have been proposed by philosophers, theologians and writers from Plato to Hannah Arendt, Paul to , from Sappho to James Joyce. In this book they meet: philosophers who examine the rela- tionship between love and knowledge, theologians who analyze the meaning of the biblical statement ‘God is love’, literary men and women who are scouts of the intimate and who develop new languages of love. The fourteen contributions in this book are divided into two sections of seven chapters each: Literary and Theological & Philosophical.

Henley, Dave S., The of Enlightenment: A Cognitive Theory of Spirituality, Ropley: John Hunt Publishing, 2015, 162 pages, ISBN: 9781785350382 (Pb.); 9781785350399 (Eb.). Enlightenment is a special kind of knowledge or insight that lifts the malaise of every- day life. But what exactly is it? This book offers a definitive logical account for the modern mind of the kind of knowledge that spiritual enlightenment provides, doing justice both to logic and to spirituality. Zen and the Tao have expressed the mystical nature of enlightenment by contradictions and riddles; it is shown here that the reason enlightenment must be mystical in this way is that it is complementary to logic, express- ing changes in the very nature of our understanding. It is this that makes our life magically switch from the existentially meaningless to one of profound meaning. For this switch to not be mystical, our desolation would have to already be solvable in terms of our current conceptions – which is precisely what often seems impossible for us. This work should appeal both to the believer and the sceptic, by revealing the special rela- tionship between spiritual enlightenment and Logic. Not only does it use logic to clar- ify what is meant by enlightenment, but it simultaneously shows how the mystical nature of enlightenment clarifies when and when not to use logical reasoning. Dave S. Henley specialized academically in the theoretical study of Logic. Initially pur- suing a career in computer research on the logical theory of databases, he later published original research on the philosophy of mathematics and the nature of information.

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Hollywood, Amy M., Acute Melancholia and Other Essays: Mysticism, History, and the Study of Religion, New York, NY: Columbia University Press, 2016 (Gender, Theory, and Religion), 416 pages, ISBN: 9780231156431 (Hb.); 9780231156448 (Pb.); 9780231527439 (Eb.). This work deploys spirited and progressive approaches to the study of and the . Ideal for novices and experienced scholars alike, the vol- ume makes a forceful case for thinking about religion as both and practice, in which traditions marked by change are passed down through generations, laying the groundwork for their own critique. Through a provocative integration of medieval sources and texts by Jacques Derrida, Judith Butler, Talal Asad, and Dipesh Chakrabarty, this book redefines what it means to engage critically with history and those embedded within it. Amy Hollywood is the Elizabeth H. Monrad Professor of Christian Studies at Harvard Divinity School.

Horwitz, Daniel M., A and Jewish Mysticism Reader, Philadelphia/Lincoln: Jewish Publication Society/University of Nebraska Press, 2016 (Jps Anthologies of Jew- ish Thought), 612 pages, ISBN: 9780827612563 (Pb.); 9780827612877 (Eb. Mobi); 9780827612884 (Eb. PDF). An annotated anthology of the most important Jewish mystical works, this volume is designed to facilitate teaching these works to all levels of learners in adult education and college classroom settings. The author’s insightful introductions and commentary accompany readings in the Talmud and Zohar and writings by Ba’al Shem Tov, Rav Kook, Abraham Joshua Heschel, and others. The author’s introduction describes five major types of Jewish mysticism and includes a brief chronology of its development, with a timeline. He begins with biblical prophecy and proceeds through the early mys- tical movements up through current beliefs. Chapters on key subjects characterize mys- tical expression through the ages, such as Creation and deveikut (‘cleaving to God’); the role of Torah; the erotic; inclinations toward good and evil; magic; prayer and ritual; and more. Later chapters deal with Hasidism, the great mystical revival, and twentieth- century mystics, including Abraham Isaac Kook, Kalonymous Kalman Shapira, and Abraham Joshua Heschel. A final chapter addresses today’s controversies concerning mysticism’s place within Judaism and its potential for enriching the religion. Daniel M. Horwitz is chapel rabbi at Congregation Beth Yeshurun, Houston, Texas. He is a teacher at the Akiba Academy of Beth Yeshurun and the Houston Melton Adult Mini-School.

Hunt, Hannah, A Guide to St. Symeon the New Theologian, Eugene, OR: Cascade Books, 2015 (Cascade Companions), XIX, 130 pages, ISBN: 9781625641168 (Pb.); 9781625641168 (Eb. Epub). This work is an accessible guide to one of the great mystical writers of the Eastern Christian tradition. His impassioned writings bring to life the monasticism of the Byzantine Empire at the end of the tenth century. The author’s succinct analysis of his life, times, and work draws from his homilies, hymns, and other writings to show his unique contribution to the spiritual life. The book details his development as a monk (shaped by the guidance and example of the Studite monk Symeon Eulables), his con-

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flicts with the church authorities, and his inspiration of pupils such as Nicetas Stetha- tos, who later wrote a biography of his master. The author places St. Symeon’s convic- tion that only direct experience of God’s divine light confers authority in the context of his work as an abbot and spiritual father. Other aspects of his theology – such as the importance of tears, visions of light, and obedience to one’s spiritual father – are also assessed. An indication of further reading, indices, and a comprehensive glossary of unfamiliar terms make this an invaluable addition to the field.

Jones, Richard H., Philosophy of Mysticism: Raids on the Ineffable, Albany, NY: SUNY Press, 2016, XVIII, 420 pages, ISBN: 9781438461199. This work is a comprehensive study of the philosophical issues raised by mysticism. Mystics claim to experience reality in a way not available in normal life, a claim which makes this phenomenon interesting from a philosophical perspective. The author’s inquiry focuses on the skeleton of beliefs and values of mysticism: knowledge claims made about the nature of reality and of human beings; value claims about what is sig- nificant and what is ethical; and mystical goals and ways of life. The author engages language, , , science, and the . Methodo- logical issues in the study of mysticism are also addressed. Examples of mystical experi- ence are drawn chiefly from Buddhism and Advaita , but also from Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and Daoism.

Kachappilly, Kurian (Ed.), Mysticism without Bounds: Essays from the International Conference on Mysticism – Human Transcendence, Economic Life, Medical , New Delhi: Christian World Imprints, 2015, XII, 286 pages, ISBN: 9789351480648. This book explores the interdisciplinarity as a way of naming the phenomenon of cross- ing-over boundaries that mysticism makes possible. Scientists and researchers reveal that certain common grounds do exist among the various forms of consciousness, scattered among the world’s religions, , sciences, , and art forms. The dis- covery of such points of convergence among religions, sciences, and philosophies on ‘mysticism’ is intellectually very exciting and it holds out the possibility of creating a new worldview in which these disciplines would be seen as distinct yet complementary ways of exploring the same underlying reality. The present volume ignites an awareness about ‘Mysticism’ embracing various realms of human thought, like – Timelessness with Time, Everyday Spirituality, Human Transcendence, Economic Life, Medical Materialism, Yogic Interpretation, Mystical Enthusiasm, Psychology, Contemporary Scientific Views, and Theology. The book is a collection of keynote/research papers presented at the International Conference ‘Mysticism without Bounds’ (MwB). Dr. Kurian Kachappilly is professor of Philosophy and Religion at the DVK, Bangalore, India; and associate director, Research Centre, Christ University, Bangalore, India.

Kane, Paula M., Sister Thorn and Catholic Mysticism in Modern America, Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 2015, 328 pages, ISBN: 9781469626581 (Pb.); 9781469607603 (Hb.); 9781469607610 (Eb.). One day in 1917, while cooking dinner at home in Manhattan, Margaret Reilly (1884- 1937) felt a sharp over her heart and claimed to see a crucifix emerging in blood

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on her skin. Four years later, Reilly entered the convent of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd in Peekskill, New York, where, known as Sister Mary of the Crown of Thorns, she spent most of her life gravely ill and possibly exhibiting Christ’s wounds. In this portrait of Sister Thorn, the author scrutinizes the responses to this American stigmat- ic’s experiences and illustrates the surprising presence of mystical phenomena in twen- tieth-century American Catholicism. Drawing on accounts by clerical authorities, ordi- nary Catholics, doctors, and journalists – as well as on medicine, anthropology, and gender studies – the author explores American Catholic mysticism, setting it in the context of life after World War I and showing the war’s impact on American Christian- ity. Sister Thorn’s life, she reveals, marks the beginning of a transition among Catholics from a devotional, Old World piety to a newly confident role in American society. Paula M. Kane is associate professor and John and Lucine O’Brien Marous Chair of Catholic Studies at the University of Pittsburgh.

Kelly, Patrick M. (Ed.), Youth Sport and Spirituality: Catholic Perspectives, Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press, 2015, VIII, 308 pages, ISBN: 9780268012359. Unsportsmanlike behavior by student athletes or parents at youth sporting events hap- pens with regularity these days. Much recent research reveals that young people are dropping out of sport at alarming rates due to the often toxic elements in the culture of youth sports. The timely, innovative essays in Youth Sport and Spirituality present a wide-ranging overview that draws on resources from Catholic spiritual and theological traditions to address problems such as these, as well as opportunities in youth sport in the United States. The book consists of two sections. In the first, prominent scholars in philosophy, psychology, theology, and spirituality reflect on how youth sport contributes to the integral development of the person and his or her grasp of spiritual values. The second half of the book consists of chapters written by coaches, athletic directors, and specialists working with youth coaches. These practitioners share how their approaches to working with youth in sport contribute to the integral development of their players and their openness to transcendent values. The essays examine coaching as ministry, youth sport and moral development, and how parents can act as partners in youth sports, among other topics. The book will interest coaches, athletic directors, and youth ministers in Catholic elementary and high schools in parish settings, as well as under- graduate and graduate students in education who are preparing to teach in Catholic schools. Patrick Kelly, SJ, is associate professor of Theology and Religious Studies at Seattle University.

Lachance, Paul, & Pierre Brunette (Eds.), The Earliest Franciscans: The Legacy of Giles of Assisi, Roger of Provence, and James of Milan, New York: Paulist Press, 2015 (Classics of Western Spirituality), XVII, 118 pages, ISBN: 9780809106158. Brings to light the contributions of little-known, early members of the order and identi- fies their impact on Franciscan spirituality through their words and deeds, as well as the spiritual values of the growing Franciscan tradition. Much to Francis’s dismay, his early mendicant movement was marred by conflict between the Spirituals, with their radical interpretation of extreme poverty, and those of a more liberal bent. This volume focuses

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on three main figures among the Spirituals, contemporaries of Francis: Giles of Assisi, Roger of Provence, and James of Milan, presenting a selection of their writings and bring- ing them vividly to life with insightful commentaries on their lives, works, and influence. Paul Lachance, OFM, taught Franciscan Spirituality and Mysticism at the Chicago Theological Union (he died in July 2011). Pierre Brunette, OFM, has lectured in France, Africa, Madagascar, and Peru.

Liere, Franciscus Anastasius van, & Franklin T. Harkins (Eds.), Interpretation of Scrip- ture: Practice – A Selection of Works of Hugh, Andrew and Richard of St Victor, Peter Comestor, Robert of Melun, Maurice of Sully and Leonius of Paris, Turnhout: Brepols Publishers, 2015 (Victorine Texts in Translation: , Theology and Spirituality from the Abbey of St Victor; 6), 563 pages, ISBN: 9782503553122 (Hb.). Thanks to the pathbreaking work of Beryl Smalley more than a half century ago, today we recognize the central place of the so-called School of Saint Victor in the history of biblical exegesis. By the mid-twelfth century, the abbey had gained a reputation for solid Christian teaching, with an emphasis on biblical studies and history. This volume contains commentaries and examples of biblical exegesis by Hugh and Andrew of Saint Victor, Sermons by Richard of Saint Victor and Maurice of Sully, the Quaestiones in divina pagina by Robert of Melun, Richard’s invective against judaizers, De Emmanuele, and a poetic paraphrase of Ruth by Leontius of Saint Victor, encompassing the broad range of biblical exegetical practice at the abbey. Frans van Liere is professor of History at Calvin College; Franklin T. Harkins is associ- ate professor of Historical Theology and Church History at Boston College.

Magee, Glenn Alexander (Ed.), The Cambridge Handbook of Western Mysticism and Esotericism, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2016, 575 pages, ISBN: 9780521509831. Mysticism and esotericism are two intimately related strands of the Western tradition. Despite their close connections, however, scholars tend to treat them separately. Whereas the study of Western mysticism enjoys a long and established history, Western esoteri- cism is a young field. This work examines both of these traditions together. The volume demonstrates that the roots of esotericism almost always lead back to mystical tradi- tions, while the work of mystics was bound up with esoteric or preoccupations. It also shows why mysticism and esotericism must be examined together if either is to be understood fully. Including contributions by leading scholars, this volume features essays on such topics as , , magic, , Kabbalism, Renais- sance Hermetism, Freemasonry, , numerology, Christian , , and much more.

McCullough, James, & David Brown, Sense and Spirituality: The Arts and Spiritual Formation, Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2015, 146 pages, ISBN: 9781625649218 (Pb.). There is growing interest in the relationship between the arts and Christian faith. Much has been written about the arts and theology and the place of the arts in church life. Not as much has been written, however, about how the arts might actually advance

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spiritual formation in terms of the cumulative effect of religious experience and inten- tional practices. This book provides a modest step forward in that conversation, a con- versation between theological and practical theology. Understanding aesthet- ics as ‘the realm of sense perception’ and spiritual formation as ‘growing capacities to participate in God’s purposes,’ the author suggests how these dynamics can mutually enhance each other, with the arts as an effective catalyst for this relationship. The author proposes an analysis of artistic communication and explores examples from music, poetry, and painting, which render theoretical proposals in concrete terms. James McCullough is an adjunct instructor at Lindenwood University.

Muratori, Cecilia, The First German Philosopher: The Mysticism of Jakob Böhme as Inter- preted by Hegel, Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands, 2015 (International Archives of the History of Ideas Archives Internationales d’Histoire des Idées; 217), 346 pages, ISBN: 9789401773393 (Eb.); 9789401773386 (Hb.). This book investigates Hegel’s interpretation of the mystical philosophy of Jakob Böhme (1575-1624), considered in the context of the reception of Böhme in the 18th and 19th centuries, and of Hegel’s own understanding of mysticism as a philosophical approach. The three sections of this book present: the historical background of Hegel’s encounter with Böhme’s writings; the development of two different conceptions of mysticism in Hegel’s work; and finally Hegel’s approach to Böhme’s philosophy, dis- cussing in detail the references to Böhme both in published writings and manuscripts. According to Hegel, Böhme is ‘the first German philosopher’. Combining historical reconstructions and philosophical argumentation, this book guides the reader through an important phase in , and ultimately into an inquiry about the relationship between mysticism and philosophy itself. Cecilia Muratori is a research fellow in the Department of Italian, University of War- wick.

Nelstrop, Louise, & Bradley B. Onishi (Eds.), Mysticism in the French Tradition: Erup- tions from France, Farnham, Surrey, England/Burlington, VT: Ashgate, 2015 (Contem- porary Theological Explorations in Christian Mysticism), XVII, 295 pages, ISBN: 9781472439390 (Hb.). In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries secular French scholars started re-engag- ing with religious ideas, particularly mystical ones. This work introduces key philo- sophical undercurrents and trajectories in French thought that underpin and arise from this engagement, as well as considering earlier French contributions to the development of mysticism. Filling a gap in the literature, the book offers critical reflections on French scholarship in terms of its engagement with its mystical and apophatic dimensions. A multiplicity of factors converge to shape these encounters with mystical theology: fem- inist, devotional and philosophical treatments as well as literary, historical, and artistic approaches. The essays draw these into conversation. Bringing together an international and interdisciplinary range of contributions from both new and established scholars, this book provides access to the melting pot out of which the mystical tradition in France erupted in the twenty-first century, and from which it continues to challenge theology today.

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Louise Nelstrop is director of Spirituality Programmes at Sarum College, Salisbury and a college lecturer at St Benet’s Hall, Oxford. Bradley B. Onishi is currently ­visiting assistant professor of Religion and Humanities at Rhodes College, Memphis, TN, USA.

O’Connell, Patrick F. (Ed.), Thomas Merton: Early Essays, 1947-1952, Athens, OH: Cistercian Publications (published by Liturgical Press), 2015 (Cistercian Studies Series; 266), XXII, 168 pages, ISBN: 9780879072667 (Pb.); 9780879074968 (Eb.). This volume gathers together twelve essays that Thomas Merton wrote for various jour- nals between 1947 and 1952, the years that saw the publication of his best-selling autobiography The Seven Storey Mountain, his ordination to the priesthood, and his initial appointment as spiritual and intellectual guide of the young monks at the Abbey of Gethsemani. The essays, most of which have never been reprinted, focus above all on aspects of the contemplative life but also consider the spiritual dimensions of literature and the social implications of Christian life. Issued to coincide with the one hundredth anniversary of his birth in 2015, this collection brings to fruition at long last Merton’s own original plan of publishing these essays as a group and so makes available a previ- ously little recognized and underutilized resource for understanding and appreciating a crucial transitional phase in his life as both monk and writer. Patrick F. O’Connell is professor of English and Theology at Gannon University in Erie, Pennsylvania.

Opoku, John Kwaku, Spirituality and Healing: Impacts on the Akan of Ghana, Maas- tricht: Shaker Publishing, 2016, 207 pages, ISBN: 9789042304413. This study is aimed at examining connections between healing and spirituality among the Akan in Ghana, and to identify changes in traditional healing since the introduc- tion of western-based healing practices. With this purpose, the research improves health care by resurging and re-instating indigenous spiritual meanings to healing and the work of traditional healers which has for many years aided the promotion of holistic health among the Akan people. Significantly, the research intensifies the relevance of spirituality in both traditional and modern healing, even as modern healers (conven- tional medicine) seem to dominate general health care delivery in Ghana. The research revealed that Akan spirituality is inseparable from traditional medicine and is a con- scious phenomenon in modern medicine as well. It establishes the fact that healing is both a physical and spiritual activity. Significantly, the study revealed that Akan spiritu- ality enhances coping and quality of life during illness; it is a source of identity, mean- ing, purpose, hope and transcendence, and can mitigate the uncertainties of illness.

Orlov, Andrei A., Divine Scapegoats: Demonic Mimesis in Early Jewish Mysticism, Albany, NY: SUNY Press, 2015, XVI, 336 pages, ISBN: 9781438455846 (Eb.); 9781438455839 (Hb.); 9781438455822 (Pb.). This work is a wide-ranging exploration of the parallels between the heavenly and the demonic in early Jewish apocalyptical accounts. In these materials, antagonists often mirror features of angelic figures, and even those of the Deity himself, an inverse cor- respondence that implies a belief that the demonic realm is maintained by imitating

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divine reality. The author examines the sacerdotal, messianic, and creational aspects of this mimetic imagery, focusing primarily on two texts from the Slavonic pseude- pigrapha: 2 Enoch and the Apocalypse of Abraham. These two works are part of a very special cluster of Jewish apocalyptic texts that exhibit features not only of the apocalyp- tic worldview but also of the symbolic universe of early Jewish mysticism. The Yom Kippur ritual in the Apocalypse of Abraham, the divine light and darkness of 2 Enoch, and the similarity of mimetic motifs to later developments in the Zohar are of particu- lar importance in the author’s consideration. Andrei A. Orlov is professor of Judaism and Christianity in Antiquity at Marquette University.

Pansters, K., & A. Plunkett-Latimer (Eds.), Shaping Stability: The Normation and For- mation of Religious Life in the Middle Ages, Turnhout: Brepols, 2016 (Disciplina Monas- tica; 11), 285 pages, ISBN: 9782503566955. This volume examines the efforts of medieval religious communities and orders to bring stability to the dynamic complexity of organized religious life. By focusing on legislative structures and normative documents (rules, customaries, constitutions), the authors address not only such matters as the meaning of these texts and the motivations behind them, but also the evolving conditions of their production and use, the internal politics of institutional change, and the reality of ‘precept not practice’. These papers thus present spiritual principles and social practices in their historical and functional contexts, confront normative programs with formative processes, and explain distinctive modes and models of life within the broader landscape of medieval organized religion. Krijn Pansters is lecturer in Church History and Spirituality at Tilburg University (School of Theology, Franciscan Study Center) and research associate at the University of Leuven (KU Leuven, Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies). Abraham Plunkett- Latimer is a PhD candidate in Medieval History at the University of Toronto.

Prevot, Andrew L., Thinking Prayer: Theology and Spirituality Amid the Crises of Moder- nity, Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press, 2015, XI, 432 pages, ISBN: 9780268038458 (Pb.); 9780268089917 (Eb.). In this book, the author presents a new, integrated approach to Christian theology and spirituality, focusing on the centrality of prayer to theology in the modern age. His clear and in-depth analysis of notable philosophical and theological thinkers’ responses to modernity through the theme of prayer charts a new spiritual path through the crises of modernity. The author offers critical interpretations of Martin Heidegger, Hans Urs von Balthasar, Jean-Louis Chrétien, Johann Baptist Metz, Ignacio Ellacuría, and James Cone, among others, integrating their insights into a constructive synthesis. He explains how doxological and contemplative forms of prayer help one avoid dangers associated with metaphysics, including , conceptual idolatry, and the concealment of dif- ference. He considers the powerful impact that the prayers of oppressed peoples have on their efforts to resist socioeconomic and racialized violence. The book upholds modern aspirations to critical freedom, while arguing that such freedom can best be preserved and deepened through prayerful interactions with the infinite freedom of God. Through- out, the book uncovers the contemplative dimensions of postmodern phenomenology

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and liberation theology and suggests how prayer shapes liberative ways of thinking (the- ology) and living (spirituality) that are crucial for the future of this crisis-ridden world. Andrew Prevot is assistant professor of Theology at Boston College.

Rinallo, Diego, Linda Scott, & Pauline Maclaran (Eds.), Consumption and Spirituality, [S.l.]: Routledge, 2016 (Routledge Interpretive Marketing Research), 272 pages, ISBN: 9781138224537 (Pb.); 9780415889117 (Hb.). This book sheds light on the consumption of spiritual products, services, experiences, and places through state-of-the-art studies by leading and emerging scholars in interpre- tive consumer research, marketing, sociology, anthropology, cultural, and religious stud- ies. The collection brings together fresh views and scholarship on a cultural tension that is at the centre of the lives of countless individuals living in postmodern societies: the relationship between the material and the spiritual, the sacred and the profane. The book examines how a variety of agents – religious institutions, spiritual leaders, market- ers and consumers – interact and co-create spiritual meanings in a post-disenchanted society that has been defined as a ‘supermarket of the soul’. This work examines not only religious organizations, but also brands and marketers and the way they infuse their products, services and experiences with spiritual meanings that flow freely in the circuit of culture and can be appropriated by consumers even without purchase acts. From a consumer perspective, the book investigates how spiritual beliefs, practices, and experiences are now embedded into a global consumer culture. Rather than condemn- ing consumption, the chapters in this book highlight consumers’ agency and the crea- tive processes through which authentic spiritual meanings are co-created from a variety of sources, local and global, and sacred and profane alike. Diego Rinallo is an assistant professor of Marketing at Università Bocconi, Milan. Linda Scott is DP world chair for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Oxford. Pauline Maclaran is professor of Marketing and Consumer Research at Royal Holloway, University of London.

Ritari, Katja, Pilgrimage to Heaven: Eschatology and Monastic Spirituality in Early Medi- eval Ireland, Turnhout: Brepols, 2016 (Studia Traditionis Theologiae; 23), 230 pages, ISBN: 9782503565392 (Pb.). This book focuses on the expectation of the Judgment and the in early medi- eval Irish monastic spirituality. It has been claimed that in the Early Middle Ages, Christianity became for the first time a truly otherworldly religion and in monastic spirituality this otherworldly perspective gained an especially prominent role. In this book, the author explores the role of this eschatological expectation in various sources, including hagiography produced by the monastic familia of St Columba, the sermons of St Columbanus, the Navigatio sancti Brendani portraying St Brendan’s sea voyages, and the vision attributed to St Adomnán about Heaven and Hell. One recurrent image used by the Irish authors to portray the Christian path to Heaven is the image of pere- grinatio, a life-long pilgrimage. Viewing human life in this perspective inevitably influ- enced the human relationship with the world making the monastic into a pilgrim who is not supposed to get attached to anything encountered on the way but to keep con- stantly in mind the end of the journey.

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Dr Katja Ritari is a docent of Study of Religions at University of Helsinki and a research fellow at the Helsinki Collegium of Advanced Studies.

Robinson, Jonathan, In No Strange Land: The Embodied Mysticism of Saint Philip Neri, Kettering, OH: Angelico Press, 2015, 308 pages, ISBN: 9781621381341. This book illuminates the richness of mysticism – in the life of Philip Neri – as an ‘experience of the activity of God’. The life of the Apostle of Rome demonstrates that it is primarily people, not arguments, that reveal the mysteries of God. Philip’s experi- ence of God, his mysticism, was given him for the sake of others. Furthermore, that experience itself was embodied; that is to say awakened, nourished, and brought to fruition within the religious tradition into which he was born, and from which he lived – in particular the Church of Florence and Rome, with its own particular appropriation of Christianity. It is this sacramental life that places mysticism beyond the merely private and esoteric, and allows for the mystic, in Newman’s phrase, ‘to use this world well’. The author traverses biographical, historical, and theological domains as he examines the nature of experience, the roles of knowledge and love in prayer, and the primacy of grace in the accomplishment of salvation. This work is a contribution to Renaissance biography, historical theology, and the study of mysticism. Jonathan Robinson is the founder and superior of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri in Toronto.

Seyed-Gohrab, Asghar, Soefisme: Een Levende Traditie, Amsterdam: Prometheus – Bert Bakker, 2015, 224 pages, ISBN: 9789035142749 (Pb.); 9789035142985 (Eb.). In this book the author shows how Islamic mystics, since the eighth century, searched for the essence of the divine by eliminating everything that stands between God and man. It turns out to be a search for the essence of what makes us human. The of Islam, Sufism, is an internalization of faith. Sufis have set out to prove, over the centuries, how it is possible to come to a personal relationship with God. The debates about this subject provide insight into the way traditionally, but also today, even the most sacred laws and beliefs within Islam are dissected and subjected to critical analysis. Sufism is thus diametrically opposed to the conservative orthodoxy that relies solely on the letter of the faith. Asghar Seyed-Gohrab is associate professor of Middle Eastern Studies at Leiden University.

Shipley, Morgan, Psychedelic Mysticism: Transforming Consciousness, Religious Experiences, and Voluntary Peasants in Postwar America, Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2015, XII, 281 pages, ISBN: 9781498509091 (Hb.); 9781498509107 (Eb.). Concerned with scholarly, popular, and religious backdrops that understand the con- nection between psychedelics and mystical experiences to be devoid of moral concerns and ethical dimensions – a position supported empirically by the rise of acid fascism and psychedelic cults by the late 1960s – this volume traces the development of sixties psychedelic mysticism from the deconditioned mind and of Aldous Huxley, to the sacramental ethics of Timothy Leary, Richard Alpert, and Ralph Metzner, to the altruistic religiosity practiced by Stephen Gaskin and The Farm.

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Building directly off the pioneering psychedelic writing of Huxley, these psychedelic mystics understood the height of psychedelic consciousness as an existential awareness of unitive oneness, a position that offered worldly alternatives to the maladies associated with the postwar moment (e.g., vapid consumerism and materialism, lifeless conform- ity, unremitting racism, heightened militarism). In opening a doorway to a common world, the author locates how psychedelics challenged the coherency of Western moder- nity by fundamentally reorienting postwar society away from neoliberal ideologies and toward a sacred understanding of reality defined by mutual coexistence and responsible interdependence. Morgan Shipley is visiting assistant professor in Religious Studies at Michigan State University.

Sholl, Robert, & Sander Van Maas, Contemporary Music and Spirituality, Aldershot, Hampshire: Ashgate Publishing, 2016, 364 pages, ISBN: 9781409440581. The flourishing of religious or spiritually-inspired music in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries remains largely unexplored. The engagement and tensions between and tradition, and institutionalized religion and spirituality are inherent issues for many composers who have sought to invoke spirituality and Other- ness through contemporary music. This book provides a detailed exploration of the recent and current state of contemporary spiritual music in its religious, musical, cul- tural and conceptual-philosophical aspects. At the heart of the book are issues that consider the role of secularization, the claims of modernity concerning the status of art, and subjective responses such as faith and experience. The contributors provide a new critical lens through which it is possible to see the music and thought of Cage, Ligeti, Messiaen, Stockhausen as spiritual music. The book surrounds these composers with studies of and by other composers directly associated with the idea of spiritual music (Harvey, Gubaidulina, MacMillan, Pärt, Pott, and Tavener), and others (Adams, Birtwistle, Ton de Leeuw, Ferneyhough, Ustvolskaya, and Vivier) who have created original engagements with the idea of spirituality. Robert Sholl teaches at the Royal Academy of Music and at the University of West London. Sander van Maas is assistant professor of Musicology at the University of Amsterdam.

Sjöberg, Sami, The Vanguard Messiah: Lettrism between Jewish Mysticism and the Avant- Garde, Berlin: De Gruyter, 2015 (Europäisch-Jüdische Studien – Beiträge; 21), 210 pages, ISBN: 9783110424522 (Eb. PDF); 9783110424683 (Eb. Epub); 9783110427790 (Hb.); 9783110424539 (Pb. + Eb.). The book is the first systematic and elaborate study of the role of the Jewish tradition in the avant-garde movement of lettrism. It rewrites the history of lettrism from the viewpoint of Judaism, and shows that the intellectual legacy of the Jewish tradition in the twentieth century is not confined to philosophy, literature, and literary criticism, but extends into the domains of avant-garde art and poetry. In recent years the role of religion in the avant-garde has begun to attract scholarly interest. The present volume focuses on the work of the Romanian Jewish poet and visual artist Isidore Isou (1925-

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2007) who founded the lettrist movement in the 1940s. The Jewish tradition played a critical part in the Western avant-garde as represented by lettrism. The links between lettrism and Judaism are substantial, yet they have been largely unexplored until now. The study investigates the works of a movement that explicitly emphasises its vanguard position while relying on a medieval religious tradition as a source of radical textual techniques. It accounts for lettrism’s renunciation of mainstream traditions in favour of a subversive tradition, in this case Jewish mysticism. The religious inclination of lettrism also affects the notion of the avant-garde. The elements of the Jewish tradition in Isou’s theories and artistic production evoke a broader framework where religion and experi- mental art supplement each other.

Souza, Marian de, Jane Bone, & Jacqueline Watson (Eds.), Spirituality across Disciplines: Research and Practice, [S.l.]: Springer, 2016, XVII, 352 pages, ISBN: 9783319313788 (Hb.); 9783319313801 (Eb.). This book collects multiple disciplinary voices which explore current research and per- spectives to discuss how spirituality is understood, interpreted and applied in a range of contexts. It addresses spirituality in combination with such topics as Christian mysti- cism, childhood and adolescent education, midwifery, and sustainability. It links spir- ituality to a variety of disciplines, including cognitive neuroscience, sociology, and psy- chology. Finally, it discusses the application of spirituality within the context of social work, teaching, health care, and occupational therapy. A final chapter provides an ana- lytical discussion of the different voices that appear in the book and offers a holistic description of spirituality which has the potential to bring some unity to the meaning, expression and practice of spirituality across a variety of disciplines as well as across cultural, religious and secular worldviews. Marian de Souza is an honorary associate professor at Federation University, Ballarat, Australia and an honorary fellow at Australian Catholic University. She is also chair of the International Association for Children’s Spirituality. Jane Bone is involved in research in the area of early childhood education in Australia (and formerly in New Zealand). Jacqueline Watson is an honorary university fellow with the College of Social Sciences and International Studies, University of Exeter, and a visiting fellow with the School of Education and Lifelong Learning, University of East Anglia.

Souza, Marian de, Spirituality in Education in a Global, Pluralised World, [S.l.]: Rout- ledge, 2016 (Routledge Research in Education; 160), 170 pages, ISBN: 9781317619130 (Eb.); 9781317619123 (Eb.); 9781138804746 (Hb.). A particular problem associated with international research in the field of spirituality and education is the reluctance of scholars to agree on what spirituality means, with numerous descriptions increasing ambiguity and reducing the impact of research in the discipline. This book argues that it is important to understand spirituality as a unifying concept that has the potential to be meaningful in its application to the lives of children and young people in areas of learning and wellbeing. Chapters show why and how spiritual learning should be addressed across the curriculum, with implications for the design of learning programs and environments.

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Streib, Heinz, & Ralph W. Hood Jr (Eds.), Semantics and Psychology of Spirituality: A Cross-Cultural Analysis, Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing, 2016, XV, 694 pages, ISBN: 9783319212456 (Eb.); 9783319212449 (Hb.). This book examines what people mean when they say they are ‘spiritual’. It looks at the semantics of ‘spirituality’, the visibility of reasons for ‘spiritual’ preference in biogra- phies, in psychological dispositions, in cultural differences between Germany and the US, and in gender differences. It also examines the kind of biographical consequences that are associated with ‘spirituality’. The book reports the results of an online-ques- tionnaire filled out by 773 respondents in Germany and 1113 in the US, personal interviews with a selected group of more than 100 persons, and an experiment. Based on the data collected, it reports results that are relevant for a number of scientific and practical disciplines. It makes a contribution to the semantics of everyday religious lan- guage and to the cross-cultural study of religion and to many related fields as well, because ‘spirituality’ is evaluated in relation to personality, mysticism, well-being, reli- gious styles, generativity, attachment, biography and atheism. The book draws attention to the – new and ever changing – ways in which people give names to their ultimate concern and symbolize their experiences of transcendence.

Tanner, Jesse F., Dialogical Transformation: Exploring Avenues of Interreligious Dialogue as a Practice Promoting Spiritual Growth, Leuven; Paris; Bristol, CT, 2016 (Studies in Spir- ituality Supplements 25), VIII, 154 pages, ISBN: 9789042932579. In the midst of growing religious plurality and diversity, interreligious dialogue has been an increasingly prominent response to this situation. The present project analyzes the history and significance of interreligious encounter, particularly in the U.S. American context but with implications that go beyond this setting. Focus is placed on the her- meneutical character of dialogue and its transformative power, examining what trans- formation means primarily through the lenses of philosophical . The transformation that arises from interfaith encounter involves a realized experience of truth disclosure. This of growth is elucidated as transformation by integration, incorporating elements of the other into one’s own religious identity. This involves a renewal, expansion, and enhancement of understanding. For further illustration, the Buddhist and Christian traditions and their soteriological frameworks for transforma- tion are explored. It is argued that interreligious dialogue, as a religious practice, engen- ders and supports the liberating transformation present in each religious worldview. Jesse Tanner is professor of Scriptural and Religious Studies at Unity Institute and Sem- inary (Unity Village, Missouri).

Walach, Harald, : The Next Step Towards Enlightenment, Cham, Swit- zerland: Springer International Publishing, 2015 (Studies in Neuroscience, Conscious- ness and Spirituality; 4), VII, 216 pages, ISBN: 9783319093451 (Eb.); 9783319093444 (Hb.). This book discusses spirituality as an emerging scientific topic from a historical perspec- tive, with extensive discussion of the mind-body problem and of scientific concepts of consciousness. While the book focuses on the Western tradition of ‘Enlightenment’, it also implicitly addresses the double meaning of the term, with the Eastern tradition

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describing it as ‘a state of true knowledge, which is an important goal on an individual’s spiritual path’ and the Western tradition seeing it as ‘the collective process of getting rid of narrow-minded dogmas and concepts’. The book is based on a simple yet challeng- ing premise: Science has not gone far enough in the scientific process of going from a collective mind tied up in dogmatic teachings to a truly free mind that, seemingly, freed itself from bondage and restrictions. The book shows that science, and with it our whole Western culture, has to incorporate spirituality if it is to realize this goal of enlightenment. If that is done, and it can only be done by many individuals actually practicing spirituality, this will also lead to the individual type of enlightenment. Prof. Dr. Dr. Harald Walach is a German psychologist, medical researcher, and histo- rian and philosopher of science. He is currently director of the Institute of Transcultural Health Sciences at the European University Frankfurt (Oder), Germany.

Weidmann, Clemens (Ed.), Augustinus Sermones Selecti [Augustine: Selected Sermons], Berlin/Boston: De Gruyter, 2015 (Corpus Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum Latinorum; 101), VI, 238 pages, ISBN: 9783110336641 (Eb. PDF); 9783110333992 (Hb.); 9783110336658 (Pb. + Eb.). Modern scholars have neglected some of the sermons of (354-430 AD) because they considered them inauthentic. This volume argues in favor of the authenticity of more than ten of these sermons, and for the first time, presents them in a critical edition. In addition, several sermons previously known to be authentic are presented for the first time in a complete version.

Wiethaus, Ulrike, German Mysticism and the Politics of Culture, New York, NY: Lang, 2015 (American University Studies; 303), X, 235 pages, ISBN: 9781433108877 (Hb.); 9781453908518 (Eb.). Probing deeply into texts by and about prominent Christian mystics, religious authors, and saints, German Mysticism and the Politics of Culture challenges the reader to rethink the medieval past as a contemporary presence. This ‘presence of the past’ shapes memory of place, valorizes the trope of ecstatic sexual union as death, and continues the religious marginalization of female voice and authority. The chapters focus on the works and lives of Hadewijch, Marie d’Oignies, Dionysius of Ryckel, Heinrich Seuse, Margarete Ebner, St. Elisabeth, Hrotsvit of Gandersheim, and the stigmatic Therese Neumann. Part One of the volume examines the dynamics of cultural memory and forgetting as they relate to issues of sexuality, female authority, and national politics; Part Two explores themes of love and death, erasure and displacement. Medieval Chris- tian mysticism, the author argues, cannot be narrated as a story of great cultural accom- plishment but, rather, as a fundamentally agonistic scenario shaped by actors whose impact still affects us today. Ulrike Wiethaus is currently professor in the Department of Religion with a joint appointment in American Ethnic Studies at Wake Forest University.

Zank, Michael, & Ingrid L. Anderson (Eds.), The Value of the Particular: Lessons from Judaism and the Modern Jewish Experience. Festschrift for Steven T. Katz on the Occasion of His Seventieth Birthday, Leiden: Brill, 2015 (Supplements to the Journal of Jewish

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Thought and Philosophy; 25), XII, 379 pages, ISBN: 9789004292680 (Hb.); 9789004292697 (Eb.). In this tribute to Steven T. Katz on the occasion of his seventieth birthday, the editors present sixteen original essays written by senior and junior scholars in comparative reli- gion, philosophy of religion, modern Judaism, and theology after the Holocaust, fields of inquiry where Steven Katz made major contributions over the course of his distin- guished scholarly career. The authors of this volume, specialists in Jewish history, espe- cially the modern experience, and Jewish thought from the Bible to Buber, offer theo- retical and practical observations on the value of the particular. Contributions range from Tim Knepper’s reevaluation of the ineffability discourse to the particulars of the Settlement Cookbook, examined by Nora Rubel as an American classic. Michael Zank is professor of Religion at Boston University where he also serves as the director of the Elie Wiesel Center for Judaic Studies. Ingrid Anderson is a lecturer in the College of Arts and Sciences and an affiliate of the Elie Wiesel Center for Judaic Studies at that University.

Zarrabi-Zadeh, Saeed, Practical Mysticism in Islam and Christianity: A Comparative Study of Jalal Al-Din Rumi and Meister Eckhart, [S.l.]: Routlegde, 2016 (Routledge Sufi Series; 17), XIX, 270 pages, ISBN: 9781138100121 (Hb.). This book offers a comparative study of the works of the Sufi-poet Jalal al-Din Rumi (1207-1273) and the practical teachings of the German Dominican, Meister Eckhart (c1260-1327/8). Rumi has remained an influential figure in Islamic mystical discourse since the thirteenth century, while also extending his impact to the Western spiritual arena. However, his ideas have frequently been interpreted within the framework of other mystical, philosophical, or religious systems. Through its novel approach, this book aims to reformulate Rumi’s practical mysticism by employing four methodological principles: a) mysticism is a coherent structure with mutual interconnection between its parts; b) the imposition of alien structures to interpret any particular mysticism dam- ages its inward coherency; c) practical mysticism consists of two main parts, namely practices and stages; and d) the proper use of comparative methodology enables a deeper understanding of each juxtaposed system. Eckhart’s speculative mysticism, which differs from and enjoys similarities with the love-based mysticism of Rumi, provides a ‘mirror’ that highlights the special features of Rumi’s practical mysticism. Such comparison also allows a deeper comprehension of Eckhart’s practical thought. Offering a critical exami- nation of practical mysticism, this book is a valuable resource for students and scholars of Islamic studies, comparative mysticism, and the intellectual history of Islam. Saeed Zarrabi-Zadeh is assistant professor of Islamic Studies at the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Erfurt, Germany.

Zas Friz de Col, Rossano, Transforming Spirituality: Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of “Studies in Spirituality”, Leuven; Paris; Bristol, CT, 2016 (Studies in Spirituality Supple- ments 27), XII, 736 pages, ISBN: 9789042933323. In the 25 years of its existence, Studies in Spirituality has been an attentive observer of the significant changes that have taken place in the field of spirituality. During this period, research in spirituality shifted not only towards the centre of theological

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reflection, it has also responded to a culture that sought to go beyond the boundaries of theology, on the one hand, and to the experience of globalisation on the other. In this volume, Rossano Zas Friz De Col S.l., professor of Spirituality at the Institute of Spirituality of the Pontifical Gregorian University (Rome), presents a list of thirty- one articles previously published in Studies in Spirituality, which, from his perspective, merit reprinting. The reader will find a collection revolving around spiritual transfor- mation as their center. The reprinted articles are preceded by a reflection on twenty-five years of Studies in Spirituality, in which professor Zas Friz decribes how Studies in Spir- ituality brings spiritual transformation into focus today, and how to understand that transformation in the present globalized world.

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