John Wesley, eighteenth century Church of England priest and founder of Methodism, was strongly influenced by the works of Roman Catholic mystics early in his ministry. These writings shaped his widely known doctrine of Christian perfection or entire sanctification. The mystics inspired Wesley to advocate for a lofty spiritual goal that he believed to be attainable in this life. In time, however, he developed many contentions with extremes as well as some particulars found in the mystical tradition. Beginning in 1749, Wesley began to publish his Christian Library—a fifty-volume compilation of abridged works that he believed to be among the best writings on practical divinity that had been published in English. Among this vast collection, he incorporated two works originally written in Spanish including a sampling of Letters by Juan de Ávila and the Spiritual Guide by Miguel de Molinos. This book examines Wesley’s editing of these works as a way of evaluating Wesley’s theology in comparison and contrast with Spanish mysticism. In particular, this book serves as a comparative study among these authors on matters of theological authority, self-knowledge and epistemology, soteriology, spiritual growth, suffering and divine withdrawal, prayer, meditation, contemplation, and the spiritual goal.

Psalms in the Early Modern World is the first book to explore the use, interpretation, development, translation, and influence of the Psalms in the Atlantic world, 1400-1800. In the age of Reformation, when religious concerns drove political, social, cultural, economic, and scientific discourse, the Bible was the supreme document, and the Psalms were arguably its most important book.The Psalms played a central role in arbitrating the salient debates of the day, including but scarcely limited to the nature of power and the legitimacy of rule; the proper role and purpose of nations; the justification for holy war and the godliness of peace; and the relationship of individual and community to God. Contributors to the collection follow these debates around the Atlantic world, to pre- and post-Hispanic translators in Latin America, colonists in New England, mystics in Spain, the French court during the religious wars, and both Protestants and Catholics in England. Psalms in the Early Modern World showcases essays by scholars from literature, history, music, and religious studies, all of whom have expertise in the use and influence of Psalms in the early modern world. The collection reaches beyond national and confessional boundaries and to look at the ways in which Psalms touched nearly every person living in early modern Europe and any place in the world that Europeans took their cultural practices.

Scholars have identify Juan de Ávila (1499-1569) as the author of a distinctively judeoconverso spirituality. However, there are no comprehensive studies that seriously take into account his background. The present work seeks to analyze his spirituality against its proper early-modern Spanish background.

Redefines musical analysis for a period that marks the beginnings of composition as we know it now.

This book offers an account of the sacred music written by Alessandro Scarlatti (1660-1725) in Rome, a city where the composer lived and worked for many years throughout his career. Using archival research, Luca Della Libera provides an overview of Scarlatti’s life and activities in Rome, addresses his connections with the institutions and patrons of the city, and analyses his Roman repertoire in comparison to the sacred music of other contemporary composers, demonstrating its unique characteristics. An appendix includes transcriptions of the archival sources connected with Scarlatti’s activity in Rome. The first major publication in English to address the sacred music repertoire of one of the major composers of the Italian Baroque, this book offers new insights into Scarlatti’s work and a valuable resource for researchers in musicology and early modern studies.

An innovative, scholarly introduction to the distinctive and enigmatic Christian liturgy of early medieval Iberia.

The most learned of the Latin Fathers, Saint Jerome had an eventful life, spending time as a hermit, becoming a priest, serving as secretary to Pope Damasus I and later establishing a monastery at Bethlehem. His most ambitious achievement was his Latin translation of the Bible, the Vulgate, based on a Hebrew version, rather than the Septuagint. He believed that mainstream Rabbinical Judaism had rejected the Septuagint as invalid scriptural texts, due to Hellenistic mistranslations. Jerome’s numerous biblical, ascetical, monastic and theological works went on to have a profound influence in the early Middle Ages. Delphi’s Ancient Classics series provides eReaders with the wisdom of the ancient world, with both English translations and the original Latin texts. This eBook presents Jerome’s collected works, with illustrations, introductions and the usual Delphi bonus material. (Version 1) * Beautifully illustrated with images relating to Jerome's life and works * Features the collected works of Jerome, in both English translation and the original Latin * The complete Vulgate, in both English translation (Douay-Rheims), Latin and a separate Dual text * Excellent formatting of the texts * Easily locate the sections you want to read with individual contents tables * Includes Jerome's rare treatises * Provides a special dual English and Latin text, allowing readers to compare the sections and verses paragraph by paragraph — ideal for students * Features two bonus biographies * Ordering of texts into chronological order and literary genres Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to explore our range of Ancient Classics titles or buy the entire series as a Super Set CONTENTS: The Translations The Life of Paulus the First Hermit (c. 375) (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers edition, 1893) The Dialogue against the Luciferians (379) The Perpetual Virginity of Blessed Mary (383) The Life of Saint Hilarion (390) The Life of Malchus, the Captive Monk (391) De Viris Illustribus (393) Against Jovinianus (393) To Pammachius against John of Jerusalem (c. 397) Apology for himself against the Books of Rufinus (402) Against Vigilantius (406) Against the Pelagians (417) Commentary on Daniel (c. 417) (Translated by Gleason L. Archer translation) Prefaces Letters Latin Vulgate: The Old Testament (Douay-Rheims Version, Challoner Revision) Latin Vulgate: The New Testament The Latin Texts List of Latin Texts The Dual Texts Dual Latin and English Texts The Biographies Saint Jerome (1911) Saint Jerome (1913) by Louis Saltet Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to browse through our range of exciting titles