Art and Mysticism ─ Interfaces in the Medieval and Modern Periods

From the visual and textual art of Anglo-Saxon England onwards, images held a surprising power in the Western Christian tradition. Not only did these artistic representations provide images through which to find God, but mystical writing, from the early medieval period onwards, is also filled with images of God as artisan crafting a cosmos that likewise refracts and reflects His glory. This collection of essays introduces the currents of thought and practice that underpin this artistic engagement with Western Christian mysticism, and explores the continued link between art and theology.

The book features contributions from an international panel of leading academics, and is divided into four sections. The first three sections investigate the interplay between the arts and mysticism from three key vantage points. The final section then offers theoretical and philosophical considerations of mystical aesthetics.

The purpose of the volume is to explore this rarely considered yet crucial interface between art and mysticism. It is therefore, an important and illuminating collection of scholarship that will appeal to scholars of Theology and Christian mysticism as much as those who study the Arts and Art History.

Louise Nelstrop is Director of Spirituality Programmes at Sarum College, UK, and a College Lecturer at the University of Oxford, UK. Her research focuses on Christian mysticism and practical theology. She has published a number of books and research articles on the English Mystics. Additionally, she is co-convenor (along with Simon D. Podmore) of the Mystical Theology Network.

Helen Appleton is Tutor and Lecturer at the University of Oxford, UK. Her research interests include pre- and post-conquest English literature and its links with faith. She has published in these areas in various journals and edited collections.