Ruysbroeck

Evelyn UnderhillProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

4.0

Word count: 250K words
Chapters: 25

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Ruysbroeck by Evelyn UnderhillAuthor: Underhill, Evelyn, 1875-1941,Language: English, Class: BV: Philosophy, Psychology, Religion: Christianity: Practical theology, Worship, Release Date: Oct 27, 2011

Editor's review

This is Evelyn Underhill's English study of the medieval mystic Jan van Ruysbroeck, a public-domain ebook. Underhill was known for her work on Western mysticism, and here she examines Ruysbroeck's life, spiritual thought, and major works within the Christian mystical tradition in clear language that is both scholarly and readable. For readers interested in devotional literature, the history of Christian thought, or comparative religion, it offers an entry point into fourteenth-century religious experience in the Low Countries. The ebook makes it easy to search names and concepts and works well as supplementary material for focused reading. Note that the book involves a great deal of theological terminology and background in Latin and Middle Dutch texts, which may alienate readers without a foundation; the public-domain ebook also lacks a modern introduction and notes, so related scholarship should be used alongside it. Overall, this is a work of intellectual history suited to slow reading and note-taking.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in Christian mysticism and devotional literature
Scholars studying the history of religious thought in the fourteenth-century Low Countries
Students of comparative religion or theology, for whom it can serve as focused reference
General readers who enjoy intellectual biography and are willing to read slowly and take notes

Not a good fit for

People with no Christian theological background who just want a story
Beginners seeking a modern scholarly introduction and detailed notes
Readers of pure literary entertainment with no interest in religious topics

Reading tips

Learn about Ruysbroeck's life and the fourteenth-century religious context before starting the main text
Organize core concepts such as mystical union and the stages of spiritual life as you read
Read alongside general histories of Christian mysticism for comparison
Write a short summary after each chapter to help grasp the line of argument

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this Ruysbroeck's own work or a study of him?

It is a study by Underhill discussing Ruysbroeck's life and thought, not a translation of his own works.

Can I understand it without a theology background?

You can read it, but you will encounter many terms and background obstacles. It is best to first acquire basic knowledge of Christian mysticism and read alongside introductory materials.

Does the ebook include notes and a bibliography?

The Project Gutenberg edition is mainly a public-domain text and may retain some original notes, but it usually lacks a modern editor's introduction and a complete bibliography; you will need to find other materials for study.

Is it suitable as a course textbook?

It can serve as supplementary reading for a specialized course, but because it lacks modern notes and unified pagination, instructors usually need to provide their own reading guides and supplementary bibliography.

Comments

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About the author

Evelyn Underhill Author · British · 1875–1941

Evelyn Underhill (1875–1941) was a British Anglo-Catholic writer and scholar of mysticism, born in Wolverhampton and died in London. She devoted sustained attention to the Christian spiritual tradition and to mystical experience, and sought to make the subject accessible to ordinary readers. Her writing combines scholarly exposition with spiritual guidance: on the one hand she examined the history and theory of mysticism, and on the other she stressed the integration of the spiritual life with everyday life. Three of her works are held here, including The Life of the Spirit and the Life of To-day, Practical Mysticism: A Little Book for Normal People, and Ruysbroeck, showing that she addressed both the mystical thought of particular figures and spiritual practice for a general readership. The author of some forty books, she was one of the most influential Christian spiritual writers of the twentieth century.