In the anteroom of divinity
Book Description
This scholarly exploration delves into the enduring influence of angelic theology on English spiritual and literary thought during a pivotal era of religious transformation. Feisal G. Mohamed traces how ancient mystical traditions about divine hierarchies and celestial beings continued to shape religious understanding and creative expression throughout England's early modern period.
The study begins with John Colet's interpretations of sacred hierarchies and follows this theological thread through the works of influential figures including Richard Hooker, Edmund Spenser, John Donne, and John Milton. Mohamed examines how these writers grappled with questions of divine order, spiritual authority, and the relationship between earthly and heavenly realms during intense religious debates of the 1590s and beyond.
Central to this investigation is an extensive analysis of Milton's understanding of angels and their role in divine creation, offering fresh perspectives on how spiritual beings were conceived in relation to poetry, politics, and personal devotion. The author reveals how ancient mystical frameworks provided these writers with tools for navigating complex theological questions about conformity, authority, and spiritual experience.
For readers interested in the intersection of spirituality and literature, this work illuminates how timeless questions about divine presence and celestial order continued to inspire creative and theological thinking during England's religious reformation. The study offers insights into how spiritual traditions adapt and persist through periods of dramatic change.
Who Is This For?
📖 Reading Level: Medium (200-400 pages) (~7 hours)
📄 Length: 242 pages
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore Réforme (Christianisme)
- ✓ Explore History and criticism
- ✓ Explore Angels in literature
- ✓ Explore Christianisme et littérature
- ✓ Explore Reformation
- ✓ Explore Influence
- ✓ Explore Religion, history
- ✓ Explore History
