Poer, Gender and Christian Mysticism [Paperback]

A well-known theologian challenges perceived notions of mysticism in relation to power and gender.Men of power defined and controlled who should be recognized as a mystic in Western Christianity; women were pointedly excluded. This book is the first to take issues of gender seriously, and to use them in a deconstructive approach to Christian mysticism.Men of power defined and controlled who should be recognized as a mystic in Western Christianity; women were pointedly excluded. This book is the first to take issues of gender seriously, and to use them in a deconstructive approach to Christian mysticism.In Western Christianity, the mystic was seen as having direct access to God, and therefore great authority. Dr. Jantzen discusses how men of power defined and controlled who should count as a mystic, and thus who would have power: women were pointedly excluded. The modern philosophical assumption that mysticism is essentially about intense subjective experiences is misguided. This book is the first on the subject to take issues of gender seriously, and to use them as a point of entry for a deconstructive approach to Christian mysticism.1. Feminists, philosophers and mystics; 2. Mystics, martyrs and honorary males; 3. The mystical meaning of scripture; 4. Mystical theology and the erotic other; 5. 'Cry out and write': mysticism and the struggle for authority; 6. The visions of virgins: spirituality and sexual control; 7. Heretics and witches; 8. The language of ineffability; 9. Conclusion: mysticism and modernity; References; Index. ...an important contribution to understanding the nature of the history of mysticism as impacted by gender and social power struggles. Highly recommended. The Reader's Review Both historically and philosophically, this compelling, massively documented study is a superlative contribution to medieval, religious, and feminist studies. Choice Jantzen's book offers a strong and convincing critique of the category of mysticism as it has belB