A collection of the writings of this 14th century Catalonian Carmelite formed the basis of the legendary history of the Order that forms the basis of its spirituality. The text, also known as The Book of the First Monks, was widely read across medieval Europe. Called both a spiritual masterpiece and a work of fantasy, Ribot attempts to demonstrate the Order's antiquity, its privileged place within the Church, and its unique role in Salvation History.

For Carmelites, prayer is friendship with God in a silent communion of love. By fixing our eyes on the vulnerability of Jesus and on his unrequited love for us, we are transformed. For a life permeated by closeness to him, contemplation becomes the source of action. This beautifully written book, replete with reflections on the Bible, is a spiritual companion and guide for Lent – and the rest of the year – that will introduce readers to the riches of the Carmelite tradition. It also includes questions at the end of each chapter that enable us to follow the profound and practical way of the Carmelites. ‘This book . . . [allows] the gentle light of Carmel’s wisdom to bring insight to our own dark nights.’ Margaret Silf, author and retreat facilitator ‘In a world marked by division and uncertainty . . . too many hearts are beset by lingering weakness and unhealed wounds . . . God beckons with silence . . . Father McCaffrey poignantly captures this spiritual adventure.’ Monsignor Joseph Reilly, Rector and Dean of Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology ‘Scholarly and practical, humble yet brilliant. I warmly commend it.’ Professor Peter Tyler, St Mary’s University, Twickenham, London

Eight hundred years ago, Albert of Jerusalem gave the hermit-penitents of Mount Carmel a way of life to follow. Since then, this rule has inspired and formed mystics and scholars, men and women, lay and ordained to seek the living God. In The Carmelite Tradition Steven Payne, OCD, brings together representative voices to demonstrate the richness and depth of Carmelite spirituality. As he writes, Carmelite spirituality seeks nothing more nor less than to 'stand before the face of the living God' and prophesy with Elijah, to 'hear the word of God and keep it' with Mary, to grow in friendship with God through unceasing prayer with Teresa, to 'become by participation what Christ is by nature' as John of the Cross puts it, and thereby to be made, like Thérèse of Lisieux, into instruments of God's transforming merciful love in the church and society." The lives and writings in The Carmelite Tradition invite readers to stand with these holy men and women and seek God in the hermitage of the heart. Steven Payne, OCD, of the Washington Province of Discalced Carmelite Friars, is a member of the Carmelite Friars' formation team at the Monastery of St. John of the Cross near Nairobi, Kenya, and director of the Institute of Spirituality and Religious Formation (ISRF) at Tangaza College, a constituent college of the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) in Nairobi. He is the past editor of ICS Publications and of Spiritual Life magazine and the author of several works in philosophy of religion, theology, and Carmelite spirituality. He is a member of the Carmelite Forum and of the Carmelite Institute in Washington DC, of which he is a past president. "

The Carmelites' role as one of the four great mendicant orders was not unchallenged. Originating as an association of hermits on Mount Carmel, the order experienced a dramatic transformation in the thirteenth century while its name was a reminder to origins which were obscure and its first form of religious life was diametrically opposed to the mendicant ministry. In addition the 'White Friars' were unable to find legitimization in a charismatic founder figure, unlike the Franciscans and the Dominicans. These factors led the Carmelites to create an identity finding their roots with the prophets Elijah and Elisha, who appear in texts and were represented in altar pieces and other works of art. The ten articles published in this volume address these underlying issues and deal with the order's historiography as well as its regional representation in different phases of its history. The authors are historians and art historians-some of them members of the Carmelite community-who are working as academics and specialise in the comparative history of religious orders. (Series: Vita regularis-Orders and interpretations of religious life in the Middle Ages / Vita regularis-Ordnungen und Deutungen religiosen Lebens im Mittelalter. Abhandlungen, Vol. 68) [Subject: Religious Studies, History]

Vatican II initiated lively conversations about the identity of religious orders and congregations when the council pointed out that these religious communities are divine gifts in and to the church. Keith Egan examines the nature of these charisms including, not only the original or founders’ charism, but how charisms evolve over the centuries. Special theological attention to these charisms show that they are not something but, in fact, are the dynamic presence of the Holy Spirit. This volume offers a case study the original charism of the Carmelites. The first Carmelites originated when various hermits were displaced by the armies of Saladin. These dislodged hermits sought refuge on Mount Carmel in a ravine facing the Mediterranean Sea. There, these hermits, now Carmelites, sought from Saint Albert, Patriarch of Jerusalem, a description of their life of solitude. Albert’s Formula of Life describes the original Carmelite charism as a life of prayer and contemplation. This Formula eventually became a Rule that made possible a transformation of hermits into friars. Egan is at work on a sequel that examines this radical transformation.

The Oxford Handbook of Mary offers an interdisciplinary guide to Marian Studies, including chapters on textual, literary, and media analysis; theology; Church history; art history; studies on devotion in a variety of forms; cultural history; folk tradition; gender analysis; apparitions and apocalypticism. Featuring contributions from a distinguished group of international scholars, the Handbook looks at both Eastern and Western perspectives and attempts to correct imbalance in previous books on Mary towards the West. The volume also considers Mary in Islam and pilgrimages shared by Christian, Muslim, and Jewish adherents. While Mary can be a source of theological disagreement, this authoritative collection shows Mary's rich potential for inter-faith and inter-denominational dialogue and shared experience. It covers a diverse number of topics that show how Mary and Mariology are articulated within ecclesiastical contexts but also on their margins in popular devotion. Newly-commissioned essays describe some of the central ideas of Christian Marian thought, while also challenging popularly-held notions. This invaluable reference for students and scholars illustrates the current state of play in Marian Studies as it is done across the world.

Some evangelicals perceive monasticism as a relic from the past, a retreat from the world, or a shirking of the call to the Great Commission. At the same time, contemporary evangelical spirituality desires historical Christian manifestations of the faith. In this accessibly written book Greg Peters, an expert in monastic studies who is a Benedictine oblate and spiritual director, offers a historical survey of monasticism from its origins to current manifestations. Peters recovers the riches of the monastic tradition for contemporary spiritual formation and devotional practice, explaining why the monastic impulse is a valid and necessary manifestation of the Christian faith for today's church.

The philosopher, theologian, and biblical scholar Austin Farrer (1904-1968) highlighted in his various writings the central role that images play in the interpretation of biblical writings, the construction of theological arguments, and the descriptions of the Christian spiritual life. Theologians down through the centuries have sought to revitalize the central biblical images as they addressed the pressing theological, moral, and spiritual questions of their day. A Revitalization of Images offers students the opportunity to participate in this ongoing creative engagement with ten dominant biblical images that continue to shape the church's beliefs and practices, as well as each Christian's own spiritual journey. Sound theology is rooted in Scripture, conversant with past thinkers, and engaged in the present life of the church. This dynamic directly informs Revitalization. In each chapter we begin with a biblical image that has figured prominently in the Christian theological tradition. Next we examine two prominent voices from the Christian tradition who have drawn upon the image when crafting a compelling vision of the Christian life. We then turn our attention to a contemporary thinker who has incorporated or critiqued the image in his or her own theological work. This discussion is set within the current spectrum of theological positions including orthodox, liberal, postliberal, and postmodern perspectives.

This volume explores medieval anchoritism (the life of a solitary religious recluse) from a variety of perspectives. The individual essays conceive anchoritism in broadly interpretive categories: challenging perceived notions of the very concept of anchoritic ‘rule’ and guidance; studying the interaction between language and linguistic forms; addressing the connection between anchoritism and other forms of solitude (particularly in European tales of sanctity); and exploring the influence of anchoritic literature on lay devotion. As a whole, the volume illuminates the richness and fluidity of anchoritic texts and contexts and shows how anchoritism pervaded the spirituality of the Middle Ages, for lay and religious alike. It moves through both space and time, ranging from the third century to the sixteenth, from England to the Continent and back.