Power, Gender and Christian Mysticism by Grace M Jantzen

Power, Gender and Christian Mysticism by Grace M Jantzen

In the western Christian tradition, the mystic was seen as having direct access to God, and therefore great authority. In this study, 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. This makes her book of special interest to those in gender studies and medieval history. Its main argument, however, is philosophical. Because the mystical has gone through many social constructions, the modern philosophical assumption that mysticism is essentially about intense subjective experiences is misguided. This view is historically inaccurate, and perpetuates the same gendered struggle for authority which characterises the history of western christendom. This book is the first on the subject to take issues of gender seriously, and to use these as a point of entry for a deconstructive approach to Christian mysticism.

'The first major study of Christian mysticism to utilise a deconstructionist approach, Power, Gender and Christian Mysticism illuminates the meaning of gendered rhetoric in the writings of major male 'mystics' from Plato to Dionysus to EckhartMost importantly, through a 'deeper' reading of female mystics and visionaries (often ignored - and sometimes silenced) Grace Jantzen has allowed these women to speak eloquently. Her inescapable conclusion is that we can no longer speak of 'Christian Mysticism,' but of 'Christian Mysticisms', and of these not as intense, private experiences, but as manifesting sets of social relations and representations. This is a scholarly, but at the same time most readable and entertaining work, and I recommend it strongly.' Philip C. Almond, University of Queensland

Jantzen, Grace M.: - Grace Jantzen, an internationally-renowned feminist philosopher of religion, was Professor of Religion, Culture and Gender at Manchester University from 1996 until her death from cancer 10 years later, at the age of 57. She wrote a number of books, including Becoming divine: towards a feminist philosophy of religion.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780521479264
ISBN 10	0521479266
Title	Power, Gender and Christian Mysticism
Author	Grace M Jantzen
Series	Cambridge Studies In Ideology And Religion
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Cambridge University Press
Year published	1995-11-16
Number of pages	404
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.