MYSTICISM AND PROPHECY
Author RICHARD WOODS
Publisher DARTON LONGMAN & TODD
ISBN 0-232-52225-1
Subtitled “The Dominican Tradition” this is an excellent short overview of the “Black Friars,” the Dominican Order. It is part of the (very good) Traditions of Christian Spirituality series of books and accomplishes what it set out to do, to introduce the reader to the origins, history and main personalities associated with the Dominicans. We all know that the word “spirituality” has become popular in these last thirty years ago. In the first chapter Richard Woods writes of what spirituality really is and then begins to concentrate on that which is particular in the endeavours of St Dominic and those who followed afterwards. Some will know of the way that mystical spirituality of the Christian kind is normally known under two main headings, and certainly within the great Dominican writers these two ways are present, the positive way of St Thomas Aquinas and the negative way as exemplified in Meister Eckhart. All monastic orders, at least in their origins, were actually attempts at the renewal of a moribund church. This is true of the Dominican order, their emphasis on meditation, community prayer, contemplation and added to them, preaching the message of the gospel(mission) to the world are the main thrusts. As we would expect there is wisdom to be found in these rich traditions where sincere seekers after God pondered, wrote, preached and lived to the glory of God. Although the beginnings of this order date back to the early 13th century and their main influential writers came from the following three centuries or so and so could be called ‘medieval’, there is a good deal that is relevant to today and could have been written in the last fifty years. Here you will read some very interesting short accounts of people like Catharine of Sienna, Savonarola, Thomas Aquinas and Jan Van Ruysbroeck. These thumbnail sketches are worth the cost of the book and the unfolding of the various emphases that they brought into the tradition. Perhaps, because I find much benefit in reading history and obviously Church history in particular, and also enjoy reading of those who sought God in years gone by I found this book both interesting and beneficial.
