ROWAN WILLIAMS, in The Wound of Knowledge, says: “All over Europe, the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries produced a remarkable flowering of ‘mysticism’. . .” England was not excluded from this flowering. This book provides an approachable introduction for the non-specialist to the leading English mystical writers of this period: Walter Hilton, Richard Rolle, the unknown author of The Cloud of Unknowing, and two women, Julian of Norwich and Margery Kemp. There is background information about each writer, but the main purpose of the book is to provide practical explanations of their mystical teachings.

The author, an American Episcopalian priest and an Anglican Dominican, invites his readers “to make their life a pilgrimage and go beyond wandering the hills of the Spirit to resolutely, intentionally, seeking their treasures”. These English mystical writers are our guides on this pilgrimage.

Walter Hilton is made the chief guide, particularly his book The Scale of Perfection. The author shows how Hilton gives guidance to the pilgrim journeying in the Christian life on starting the journey and knowing the destination. He then considers the similarities and differences between Hilton’s mystical journey and those of Rolle and the Cloud author. After describing the difficulties that medieval women had in making mystical experiences public, the experiences of Julian of Norwich and Margery Kemp and the possible influence of Hilton’s writings on these women are examined. Finally, the author returns to Hilton’s writings to help the spiritual pilgrim to make progress, and concludes with thoughts on the relevance of contemplation today and a call to start the pilgrimage.

Pilgrimage is hard work, and the reader is encouraged to put in that work. At the end of each chapter, there is a short list of next steps; a prayer; some exercises to enrich and deepen the learning from the chapter; some questions; and a “side trip”, a poem related to the subject of the chapter. These help to make this book suitable for group study as well as for individual use. It also includes appendices, containing further reading, general and academic, liturgical materials, and practical guidance on making a pilgrimage and contemplative prayer.

The book is a convenient size and well produced. This reviewer found one glaring error, however: John Climacus, the sixth-century author of The Ladder of Divine Ascent, is said to have written it in St Catherine’s Monastery “on Mount Athos in Greece”. That famous monastery is, of course, in Sinai.

Dr Hilary Pearson studied Christian spirituality at Heythrop College. Her research interests are medieval and early modern women religious writers, and Franciscan spirituality.

A Pilgrimage of the Heart: Walter Hilton and the English mystical tradition
Kevin Goodrich
DLT £16.99
(978-1-915412-13-3)
Church Times Bookshop £15.29