Spirituality and Mysticism: A Global View


BOOK REVIEW

Spirituality and Mysticism: A Global View. By James A. Wiseman. New York: Maryknoll, 

Orbis Books, 2006. 242pp.

Globalization is a reality that has profoundly changed our world.  John Paul II once stated, 

"Globalization, a priori, is neither good nor bad. It will be what people make of it."1  

Accordingly, globalization and its consequences will be shaped by human choice and action. 

The negative side of globalization has cast its shadows through a deteriorating effect on the 

environment and an alarming persistence of poverty in various nations of the world. It also 

sets off an era of cultural and religious warfare, not only through the battlefields, but also 

through the media and economics. Yet on the positive side, it can enable us to break down 

cultural, ethnic, and religious barriers and brings us into increased human understanding and 

solidarity. 

To provide guidance for students of spirituality, who live in a society of religious pluralism in

this age of globalization, James A. Wiseman wrote the book "Spirituality and Mysticism: A 

Global View" with attention to the global context in which the study of Christian spirituality 

is done. He refers globalization to its positive sense which is "a growing sense of 

interconnectedness among all peoples and nations on earth, facilitated by rapid means of 

communication that promote a sharing of ideas and a broadening of intellectual and 

emotional horizons."2 Even though the focus of the book is specifically on Christian 

spirituality, Wiseman also wants to "offer examples of how some have done the dialogue 

with persons of other persuasion."3 As a result he repeatedly presents the pieces of history 

that show Christianity, since the beginning, has had a continuing history of living "in peace 

with their religiously diverse neighbors."4

This relatively short and readable book has ten chapters. The first chapter is a fine treatment 

of the various issues concerning the definition of terms, Christian spirituality and mysticism. 

Particularly informative is Wiseman's presentation of a theological methodology, inspired by 

Lonergan, for interpreting and understanding the subject of spirituality.

The second chapter is a sketchy outline of the spirituality of the biblical authors and the 

different forms of exegesis, which have been foundational in guiding understanding and 

explaining spiritualities. Wiseman's attempt to cover a colossal amount of material in one 

chapter however seems to be problematic. Yet, he shows his genius in employing the biblical 

story of Abraham as a lens through which the history of biblical spirituality is examined. 

Besides, he adopts David Tracy's schema dividing biblical interpretation into three 

paradigms: pre-modern, modern, and post-modern. As a result he appropriately recognizes 

the contributions of feminist biblical scholars, such as Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza, and at 

the same time he sensibly includes the poignant works of Elie Wiesel in the long tradition of 

biblical interpretation.

In chapters three through seven, Wiseman presents a superb synopsis of the history of 

Christian spirituality from the early beginning of Christian martyrs, through patristic era, to 

the medieval age. Not only the most important and familiar figures in Christian spirituality's 

history such as Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Anthony of Egypt, Augustine of Hippo, 

Gregory of Nyssa or Thomas Aquinas are presented but influential figures in the East like 

Ephraim the Syrian, Gregory Palamas, Nicephorus and, most interestingly, important women,

such as Perpetua, Felicity, Macrina, Syncletica (a desert mother), and Frankish woman 

Dhuoda  are included as well. 

Writing a short book with so much material to cover, Wiseman creatively pairs the historical 

figures with contemporary ones. Thus Lutheran spirituality is treated through the writings of 

both Luther and Martin Dietrich Bonhoeffer; Ignatian spirituality is discussed through the 

writings of Ignatius of Loyola and Karl Rahner; similarly the Book of Common Prayer is 



considered with Evelyn Underhill's works. Accordingly history of spirituality of several 

centuries is greatly compressed; at the same time, Wiseman is able to demonstrate a 

continuing influence of a school of spirituality.

In the last three chapters Wiseman explores recent Christian spiritualities in Asia, Africa, and 

the Americas. Instead of examining an Asian spirituality in general, he focuses specifically 

on Indian, Japanese, and Filipino figures. In consideration of African spirituality, Wiseman's 

focus is thematic: liturgical inculturations, social justice, and the current rise of the 

independent churches which represents a wide range of Christian spirituality at work on 

Africa continent. In the final chapter of the book examining the spiritualities throughout the 

Americas, Wiseman focuses on liberation theology through the writings of Gustavo Gutiérez;

on feminist spirituality through the works of Sandra Schneiders, Jacquelyn Grant, and Ada 

María-Diaz; on Pentecostal through the writings of Jonathan Edwards'; on contemplative 

spirituality through those of Thomas Merton.

Reading the book, one can't help but agree with Peter C. Phan that "Within the narrow space 

allotted to his book, he [Wiseman] deftly helps us not only to take a penetrating look at the 

Catholic, Protestant, Anglican, and Pentecostal spiritual and mystical traditions but also to 

extend our horizon to include Asia, Africa, and the Americas."5 Unfortunately, the book's 

greatest strength is also its most conspicuous limitation: so much material and so little space. 

Nonetheless, Wiseman sensibly adds to each chapter stimulating discussion questions and 

helpful bibliographies for the students who wish to go deeper into the subject. 

At the beginning of the book, Wiseman warns that "some readers will lament the absence 

of one or more of their favorites" because "Rather than attempting to say just a bit about a 

great many persons and movements, I have gone into somewhat greater detail about a few 

of them."6 Given that Wiseman "had to be extremely selective," 7 one still wonders if 

liberation spirituality in Latin America would be better demonstrated by a heroic example of

the struggles of the many Christian martyrs such as Archbishop Oscar Romero. Furthermore,

those who are aware of the work of the three volumes of Asian Christian Theologies8 will 

certainly question the choice of Shusaku Endo, Kazoh Kitamori, or Mary John Mananzan 

over other writers of contextual theologies such as feminist, dalit, minjung, tribal/indigenous, 

minority resistance theologies which represent the rich tradition of Christian spirituality 

emerged from multi-religious contexts in Asia.

After all, despite its limitations of perspective on South America and Asia, the book is a 

great accomplishment in informing students of spirituality about the richness and variety of 

the world's Christian spiritualities. It is an innovative atlas of the history of the Christian 

spirituality which is a useful guide to seeing Christian spirituality from global perspective. 

It definitely makes a wonderful contribution to Orbis Books 's "Theology in Global 

Perspective" series.

Reviewed by Joseph N. Dinh, OP

Assumption University, Thailand

Endnotes



1 John Paul II, "Address to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences" (April 27, 2001) no. 2, taken from 

the Vatican Web site.
2 James A. Wiseman, Spirituality and Mysticism: A Global View (New York: Maryknoll, Orbis 

Books, 2006), xi.
3 Ibid. 19.
4 Ibid. 45.
5 Peter C. Phan, "Foreword," in James A. Wiseman, Spirituality and Mysticism: A Global View, ix.
6 James A. Wiseman, Spirituality and Mysticism: A Global View, xii.
7 Ibid.
8 John C. England et al. (eds.), Asian Christian Theologies: A Research Guide to Authors, 

Movements, Sources (New York: Maryknoll, Orbis Books, 2004 & 2005).