Tending the Garden: A History of Christian Mysticism

by Jennifer Hornyak Wojciechowski

Overview

Mysticism in an ancient and important aspect of the Christian faith, yet it is highly misunderstood. Due to obscure language and concepts, not to mention occasionally eccentric personalities, the mystics can be difficult to approach. Once you peel back the layers of insider language, however, one begins to see a highly relatable group of people who were, first and foremost, concerned with tending to a personal and loving relationship with God.

Tending the Garden provides the reader with a basic definition of and clarity around several terms and practices of Christian mysticism, as well as analyzing the lives and writings of important Christian mystics. Jennifer Wojciechowski proposes some ways in which we, as modern people living in an industrialized and disenchanted society, can benefit from knowing Christian mystical history and engaging in spiritual practices related to Christian mysticism. The book's aim is to demystify the mystics by making them understandable and relatable to modern believers.

In this era of disenchantment and religious decline, Tending the Garden will introduce Christians to a rich and vibrant history of mystical prayer and relationship with God in order to spark curiosity and inspire a deeper spiritual life. The book will serve as an accessible introduction to and thematic historical overview of Christian mysticism.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781506497020
Publisher:	Augsburg Fortress, Publishers
Publication date:	02/11/2025
Pages:	288
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x (d)

About the Author

Jennifer Hornyak Wojciechowski is an assistant professor of church history at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota and the associate editor of the journal Word & World. Her areas of scholarship include women's history, American history, and the intersection of religion and social reform. She is the author of Women and the Christian Story: A Global History (Fortress Press, 2022).

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1: Prayer

Chapter 2: Escape

Chapter 3: Leadership

Chapter 4: Politics

Chapter 5: Intellect

Chapter: Literature

Chapter 6: The Way

Chapter 7: A Road Less Traveled

Chapter 8: Mysticism in Modernity

Conclusion

Editorial Reviews

Jennifer Wojciechowski's Tending the Garden: A History of Christian Mysticism is a fascinating fresh look at mysticism and an array of mystics, especially women in the West. The book is a gentle walk through the garden of mystics and takes you deeper and deeper, pointing and guiding to eight signposts of the history of Christian mysticism. A captivating book for reflection and inspiration for anyone disenchanted with the emptiness, loneliness, despair, and lack of empathy in America. Loving relationship between humans and God is central to Tending the Garden. It is about finding answers to practicing contemplation of the self and deep, active love for all, especially God. Raising questions about the meaning and purpose of life, the author highlights the importance of Christian mysticism and courageously recategorizes it as a new historical renovation of mysticism. —Moses Penumaka, director of Theological Education for Emerging Ministries and Indigenous Leaders, Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary of California Lutheran University

This book offers a timely and necessary introduction to Christian mysticism. Through her insightful exploration of mystics ranging from patristic authors to figures like Sojourner Truth, Phoebe Palmer, and Howard Thurman, Wojciechowski invites readers to rediscover Christian mysticism as a valuable tradition and an inspiring practice that can enrich both personal and communal spiritual lives today. —Jeehei Park, assistant professor of New Testament, Seminary of the Southwest, and author of All Citizens of Christ: A Cosmopolitan Reading of Unity and Diversity in Paul's Letters

Jennifer Wojciechowski's work has helped make Christian mysticism, a complex and often misunderstood subject, more accessible to readers. Her expertise has enabled Christians to better understand and appreciate the experiential aspects of Christian history and theology. Above all, Wojciechowski illustrates the significance of embracing the unknown, and how that can guide Christians toward reorienting their lives within the context of an increasingly broken and messed-up world. —Man-Hei Yip, assistant professor of systematic theology, Wartburg Theological Seminary, and author of Interrogating the Language of "Self" and "Other" in the History of Modern Christian Mission: Contestation, Subversion, and Re-imagination

In an age addicted to spiritualities with (or more often without) God, Jennifer Wojciechowski's Tending the Garden is an important contribution. As the great teacher she is, she teaches the reader that the mystical is a fundamentally theological practice of encountering a living, speaking, and acting God. This is a helpful book for our times. —Andrew Root, author of The Church in an Age of Secular Mysticisms

Jennifer Wojciechowski has written a wonderful introduction to the history and theology of Christian mysticism. Not only does she explore the lives and writings of classic Christian mystics with highly engaging and readable prose, but she also helps us understand how we too, as modern people, might benefit from their spiritual practices and ways of tending to God's loving presence in our lives. I highly recommend this book! —Lois Malcolm, Olin and Amanda Fjelstad Reigstad Professor of Systematic Theology, Luther Seminary

From the Publisher