Visions Of God: Four Medieval Mystics and Their Writings
Armstrong (History of God, LJ 9/15/93) draws on her personal experience and studies as a Roman Catholic nun to excerpt and translate the writings of four 14th-century English mystics: Richard Rolle of Hampole, the unknown author of The Cloud of Unknowing, Walter Hilton, and Dame Julian of Norwich. They were the first to express the mystical position in the English vernacular (Middle English) and had considerable influence on the development of Western mysticism. Although their influence in England was cut short by the Protestant Reformation, making their writings available in this form does provide a balance to the unfavorable view of English religious life at that time given by Chaucer and Langland. There is a brief introduction to Christian mysticism and a summary of each mystic's teaching in the context of what little is known of his or her life. A good introduction to Christian mystical writings for the educated public.Eugene O. Bowser, Univ. of Northern Colorado, GreeleyCopyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.