Lutheran Mysticism Sources
Over the last four years (yeesh, how has it been four years already?), I've been writing a book about a spiritual awakening experience that I had when I was 17 and how I slowly came to understand myself as a mystic, particularly as a Lutheran mystic. Let me tell you, finding mystical sources to be able to locate my story within my Lutheran heritage was not easy. In case any of you are interested, I'll keep a running list of the sources that I've found helpful.
In my research, I've found that Luther was certainly deeply influenced by mysticism, but pushed mysticism in a new direction. In the decades after Luther, mysticism was seen as too "catholic" and minimized within the tradition.
In no particular order:
- Mysticism in the Reformation 1500-1650 Part I: The Presence of God Vol. 6, A History of Western Christian Mysticism by Bernard McGinn, (C) 2016, A Herder and Herder Book, Crossroad Publishing Company, New York
- Theology of the Heart: The Role of Mysticism in the Theology of Martin Luther by Bengt R. Hoffman, (C) 1998, Kirk House Publishers, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- The Theologia Germanica of Martin Luther, translated by Bengt Hoffman, (C)1980, Paulist Press, New York
- "Simul Gemitus et Raptus: Luther and Mysticism," Heiko A Oberman, The Reformation in Medieval Perspective, 1971
- Christ Present in Faith: Luther's View of Justification, Tuomo Mannermaa, (C) 2005, Fortress Press, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- "On the Freedom of a Christian" by Martin Luther
Lutheran Mystics
- Martin Luther
- Johann Arndt (True Christianity, etc.)
- Jacob Boehme (The Way to Christ, etc.)
- Emanuel Swedenborg (True Christian Religion, etc.)
