Mysticism in the Golden Age of Spain (1500–1650). Volume 6, Part 2 of The Presence of God: A History of Western Christian Mysticism by Bernard McGinn (review)

I am quite sure of not having been alone in my waiting with great anticipation for the publication of this volume. Bernard McGinn's multi-volume history of Western Christian mysticism—The Presence of God—has long been recognized as foundational for those who study its subject. The release of this volume covering the Golden Age of Spain might be seen as of particular importance, given that it addresses figures often regarded as paradigmatic for Western Christian mysticism: Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross. Given this, McGinn sets out two interrelated objectives in the book's preface. The first is to challenge the view that these figures represent the peak of Christian mysticism for all times and places. The second is to show that, even within Spanish mysticism, Teresa and John are but two of a number of diverse voices that deserve consideration. In McGinn's words, he seeks to contribute to a "contemporary recognition of the symphonic nature of the Christian mystical tradition," in which there is "a renewed and deeper appreciation of Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross, as well as of the many other Spanish mystics of early modernity, and of their place both in the mysticism of Spain's Golden Age and in the wider mystical tradition" (ix). I believe McGinn accomplishes both of these objectives; in doing so, he makes an important contribution to our under-standing of Christian mysticism.

The book begins with an introduction outlining the religious culture of Catholicism in the Golden Age of Spain. Chapter 1 addresses aspects of the early stages of Spanish mysticism, including female visionaries, the prayer of recollection, and the mystical heresy of the Alumbrados. Chapters 2, 3, and 4 are dedicated to the three most prominent voices in sixteenth-century Spanish mysticism: Ignatius of Loyola, Teresa of Avila, and John of the Cross. The chapters on Teresa and John are preceded by a brief introduction on the history of the Carmelite order. Chapter 5 discusses a variety of other figures in Spanish mysticism during this time, including Carmelites and mystics from other religious orders. This chapter also includes appendices on mysticism in Portugal and Spanish America during this period.

This volume contributes to an understanding of Christian mysticism in two ways. The first is by providing a comprehensive survey of the subject of Spanish mysticism in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Each chapter functions as an accessible and detailed introduction to its respective subject. In his treatment of mystical figures, McGinn includes their biographies, discussion of theological foundations and cultural factors important to their work, and abundant references to the texts they authored. This last feature is especially noteworthy. McGinn quotes liberally from the primary texts he is considering. The reader thus gets a specific sense of the mysticism of each figure being addressed, hearing it in the mystic's own voice. I finished the book with the sense that if I were to read just one thing as an introduction to the mysticism of Ignatius of Loyola or Teresa of Avila or John of the Cross, it would be the applicable chapter from this volume.

The second way this book contributes to an understanding of Christian mysticism is in its methodology and consideration of thematic issues. McGinn clearly demonstrates that, while Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross may well be the most recognized voices in Spanish mysticism, they do not exist in isolation. He thus situates Teresa and John within a comprehensive view of this tradition. He describes how the early stages of Spanish mysticism included publication of a "mystical handbook" that consisted of "an anthology of mystical texts on methodical prayer" (6–7). He also shows how later Carmelites contributed to "the creation of 'mysticism...