--- product_id: 52648740 title: "A Course in Christian Mysticism" price: "R672" currency: ZAR in_stock: true reviews_count: 9 url: https://www.desertcart.co.za/products/52648740-a-course-in-christian-mysticism store_origin: ZA region: South Africa --- # A Course in Christian Mysticism **Price:** R672 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** A Course in Christian Mysticism - **How much does it cost?** R672 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.co.za](https://www.desertcart.co.za/products/52648740-a-course-in-christian-mysticism) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description A Course in Christian Mysticism [Merton OCSO, Thomas, Sweeney, Jon M., McGregor, Michael N.] on desertcart.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. A Course in Christian Mysticism Review: Invaluable Insights into Merton's Gethsemani - If you have ever wondered what it would have been like to be a monk in formation at Gethsemani Abbey during Thomas Merton's tenure, this book will give you a pretty good idea of what his instruction would have consisted. It also gives the reader a sense of Merton's own practices and dispositions in his exercise of monastic spirituality. The book consists of thirteen conferences Merton presented to monks in training. Most of the conferences are short, reflecting the Trappist tradition of intellectual simplicity, and cover a wide range of monastic authorities. The Alexandrian tradition, Cappadocian Fathers, Dionysian theology, and Saint Augustine are presented in an orderly fashion. Somewhat lesser known mystics (but equally important) include Evagrius and Maximus the Confessor. Of course, Merton discusses his own Benardian tradition and his long interest in Carmelite mysticism. These conferences are probably the longest in the book and may require more than one sitting to read. Merton's presentations are erudite and insightful. He clearly had a good grasp of Christianity as a lived experience and knew what to emphasize in mystical theology to benefit the young charges under his care. The reader will also get a sense of Merton's own spiritual life in reading the material, as I doubt he would have passed on untried and untested wisdom. His literary training is clear in his heavy reliance on scripture and God as Word. The biblical text is an essential foundation for the mystical life. Merton does not shy away from traditional "Bridal Mysticism" and discusses at considerable length Saint Bernard's commentaries on the Song of Songs. Many of the conferences support the apophatic tradition and the rigors of ascetical life, seeking the purification of the soul, but Merton carefully avoids gnostic dualism, providing considerable direction on the notion of "theoria physike," which asserts the inherent goodness of the material world. While his monastic spirituality is essentially interior, Merton is never so abstract to exclude activity in the phenomenal world. The senses and their analogs as spiritual senses receive more discussion than I expected. It is clear Merton had some experience with liminal empiricism, a borderland in the soul that includes the senses and passions, requiring the transformation of base activities to more sublime and pnuematic engagements. Merton places a strong emphasis on the inner workings of the Holy Spirit and a communion of wills (man and God's) that requires abandoning ego for a Christ-like identity. Probably, the one thing that impressed me the most about Merton's conferences was his sense of balance. Merton never goes half-cocked into extremes. To borrow a term from Chinese philosophy, it is a perspective of "the mean," a sensible "pivot," permitting a broad embrace of nature and reality. Psychology and metaphysics exist in harmony, seeking a transformation of affectivity and moral character. Merton's understanding of mysticism is almost obsessively anti-Quietist. Passive, certainly, but never a dead weight. Though entirely contemplative in its dynamic, it is never divorced from activity or permits the "really-real" to founder in dissociation. This book is highly recommended. Review: Excellent Course! - Merton offers a course that is concise, clear, and much needed. Mysticism means many things to many people. Here Merton offers a great overview of mysticism from the Christian tradition. Valuable to see the distinctions and differences between various saints who have walked these paths before us. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #124,087 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #38 in Christian Monasticism & Asceticism (Books) #67 in Mysticism Christian Theology #136 in Mysticism (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars (140) | | Dimensions | 5.5 x 0.5 x 8.5 inches | | ISBN-10 | 0814645089 | | ISBN-13 | 978-0814645086 | | Item Weight | 10.5 ounces | | Language | English | | Print length | 256 pages | | Publication date | July 31, 2017 | | Publisher | Liturgical Press | ## Images ![A Course in Christian Mysticism - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71oFan5ulaL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Invaluable Insights into Merton's Gethsemani *by J***. on September 19, 2017* If you have ever wondered what it would have been like to be a monk in formation at Gethsemani Abbey during Thomas Merton's tenure, this book will give you a pretty good idea of what his instruction would have consisted. It also gives the reader a sense of Merton's own practices and dispositions in his exercise of monastic spirituality. The book consists of thirteen conferences Merton presented to monks in training. Most of the conferences are short, reflecting the Trappist tradition of intellectual simplicity, and cover a wide range of monastic authorities. The Alexandrian tradition, Cappadocian Fathers, Dionysian theology, and Saint Augustine are presented in an orderly fashion. Somewhat lesser known mystics (but equally important) include Evagrius and Maximus the Confessor. Of course, Merton discusses his own Benardian tradition and his long interest in Carmelite mysticism. These conferences are probably the longest in the book and may require more than one sitting to read. Merton's presentations are erudite and insightful. He clearly had a good grasp of Christianity as a lived experience and knew what to emphasize in mystical theology to benefit the young charges under his care. The reader will also get a sense of Merton's own spiritual life in reading the material, as I doubt he would have passed on untried and untested wisdom. His literary training is clear in his heavy reliance on scripture and God as Word. The biblical text is an essential foundation for the mystical life. Merton does not shy away from traditional "Bridal Mysticism" and discusses at considerable length Saint Bernard's commentaries on the Song of Songs. Many of the conferences support the apophatic tradition and the rigors of ascetical life, seeking the purification of the soul, but Merton carefully avoids gnostic dualism, providing considerable direction on the notion of "theoria physike," which asserts the inherent goodness of the material world. While his monastic spirituality is essentially interior, Merton is never so abstract to exclude activity in the phenomenal world. The senses and their analogs as spiritual senses receive more discussion than I expected. It is clear Merton had some experience with liminal empiricism, a borderland in the soul that includes the senses and passions, requiring the transformation of base activities to more sublime and pnuematic engagements. Merton places a strong emphasis on the inner workings of the Holy Spirit and a communion of wills (man and God's) that requires abandoning ego for a Christ-like identity. Probably, the one thing that impressed me the most about Merton's conferences was his sense of balance. Merton never goes half-cocked into extremes. To borrow a term from Chinese philosophy, it is a perspective of "the mean," a sensible "pivot," permitting a broad embrace of nature and reality. Psychology and metaphysics exist in harmony, seeking a transformation of affectivity and moral character. Merton's understanding of mysticism is almost obsessively anti-Quietist. Passive, certainly, but never a dead weight. Though entirely contemplative in its dynamic, it is never divorced from activity or permits the "really-real" to founder in dissociation. This book is highly recommended. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Excellent Course! *by L***T on July 3, 2025* Merton offers a course that is concise, clear, and much needed. Mysticism means many things to many people. Here Merton offers a great overview of mysticism from the Christian tradition. Valuable to see the distinctions and differences between various saints who have walked these paths before us. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ A Scholarly Survey of Christian Mysticism *by M***N on May 7, 2023* Here Merton shows his intellectual prowess as both a researcher and teacher. These lectures cover the history of the Christian mystical tradition from its nascent beginnings, and highlight the major theological pillars that emerged from it over time. Academic in time and sometimes dry, it is nonetheless a treasure trove of knowledge and insight from one of the best Christian minds of the 20th Century. I thoroughly enjoyed it. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.co.za/products/52648740-a-course-in-christian-mysticism](https://www.desertcart.co.za/products/52648740-a-course-in-christian-mysticism) --- *Product available on Desertcart South Africa* *Store origin: ZA* *Last updated: 2026-04-23*