Ruysbroeck

Unique Elements Historical Context Detailed 20th Century Historical Map An Absolute Literary Masterpiece by Evelyn Underhill Ruysbroeck is a biography of 14th-century Flemish mystic John of Ruysbroeck by Evelyn Underhill. Ruysbroeck, an ordained priest, spent several years in Brussels before retreating to the Sonian Forest, where he wrote many of his surviving works. He is well known for developing the spiritual ladder of Christian accomplishment and its three stages of progression: active life, inner life, and contemplative life. Unlike so many other mystics, he believed that the soul could find God on its path but would not unify with God, retaining its own individuality. Despite his mysticism, Ruysbroeck could sometimes be a traditionalist, writing passionately in support of past Church norms. Ruysbroeck is an excellent profile of the man regarded by many to be the greatest of all mediaeval Catholic mystics. It is a very accessible and exhaustive exploration of his life and writings. EVELYN UNDERHILL (1875 1941), a British writer of prose and poetry, was a fellow of King's College for Women and King's College and was the first woman to speak to the priesthood in the Church of England. In addition, she was a familiar figure in British civic life between the wars, thanks to her radio appearances and term as editor of the political journal The Spectator. Concerning the Inner Life and Radiance: A Spiritual Memoir were among the more than 30 works she wrote (several under the alias John Cordelier).