EBOOK Origins of the Christian Mystical Tradition:From Plato to Denys

Scholars of the patristic era have paid more attention to the dogmatic tradition        in their period than to the development of Christian mystical theology. Andrew Louth        aims to redress the balance. Recognizing that the intellectual form of this        tradition was decisively influenced by Platonic ideas of the soul's relationship to        God, Louth begins with an examination of Plato and Platonism. The discussion of the        Fathers which follows shows how the mystical tradition is at the heart oftheir        thought and how the dogmatic tradition both moulds and is the reflection of mystical        insights and concerns. This new edition of a classic study of the diverse influences        upon Christian spirituality includes a new Epilogue which brings the text completely        up to date.