This is the only book that I have ever read that I would give 6 stars to if I could; the amount of depth that this book has really is quite fantastic. And, what is more, this volume is the first of three volumes, so if one desires to read the entire set, one will have not only a historical understanding of Christianity, but a real insight into the Christian worldview - a real insight into the heart of Christianity.

The way that this volume is divided up is worth noting: the first part deals with more historical and sociological data - movements and the like - while the second section deals with the spiritual insights and understandings of different people at different times. Both sections complement each other quite well. Furthermore, within each section focus is made upon both the Eastern and Western traditions so that one gets a more rounded picture of Christianity.

It is nice, too, to notice the illustrations in the book. Although they are not in color, they are attractive and worth a second and third look. Such illustrations certainly help to portray various Christian understandings just as well as the essays do. After all, " a picture is worth a thousand words."

The essay on Gnosticism is especially worth noting, as it seeks to answer the question of whether Gnosticism is a legitimate expression of the Christian faith. The answer - which is negative - is given in a genuinely thoughtful way, where both similarities and differences are noted. Gnostic scholars of Gnosticism (such as Elaine Pagels) oftentimes do not really appreciate the real differences that existed between Gnosticism and proto-Orthodox Christianity. This essay does a fine job of surveying those differences.

The other essays in this collection are all first rate; the essay entitled "The Spiritual Message of the Great Fathers" is a well written survey of some of the 4th and 5th century Church Fathers. The essay comparing Eastern and Western views on the Trinity is also illuminating, especially since it shows that what has long been fought over between the East and the West (since Photios, in particular - see below) may not be so important.

The only thing that I would have done differently would have been to add an actual essay about the Photian schism - a schism in the ninth century that was led by an Eastern bishop named Photios. The accusations leveled against the Roman Church by Photios are still repeated today; Photios is a saint in the Eastern church but considered a heretic in the Western church. More information on this development and its ramifications for Eastern Orthodox spirituality would have been welcome.

In the end, I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone who has any desire to learn about the Christian faith in both the East and West during Christianity's first millenia. For both the scholar and the layperson, it is a valuable reference guide, sketching out some of the more prominent contours of Christian spirituality.

Julian of Norwich's Showings is yet another indispensable volume in "The Classics of Western Spirituality" series. It contains the sixteen visions given to Julian who lived alone as an Anchoress in late 14th-early 15th century England.

This volume contains both the short and long text of Julian's visions. Julian writes with a lucid depth of feeling rarely encountered in descriptions of God's love. Julian's love for Christ is clearly felt in these pages. The preface and introduction give ample justification for claiming a place of importance for Julian's writings in the pantheon of mystical and spiritual writers.

This is valuable reading for everyone who wants to know the love of God more.

Julian of Norwich is only one of the medieval mystics who attempted to record the unspeakable, that without words, the mystical experience. This book is a record of what she dictated of her experiences, her "showings" of Christ and her relationshp with Him. It gives us insight into the workings of a medieval woman's mind and soul, and into the nature of mysticism itself, something beyond what words can measure.

Unlike Aquinas and some other medievals who had one or, at most, a few mystical experiences, and unlike those who seem to have thrived on flaunting their closeness to God, such as Marjorie Kemp, Julian is a quiet soul. She herself doesn't know what to make of her experiences, doesn't feel worthy of them. Yet they are intrinsically a part of her and her religiosity.

This is a must-read for students of Western mysticism, for those who want to understand the experience of the truly religious in the Middle Ages, and those who also seek to know Christ first-hand. Not a "how to" guide -- any such would be suspect in Julian's world because she does not control her experiences -- it is more of a guide to "what happens when your soul is in this particular state". Her very inability to explain that perfectly is, I think, proof that her experience was very real.

All that's known about Julian of Norwich was that in 1373 a woman lay, at age 30, on her deathbed. The woman did not die, but instead received a series of visions of Christ's passion. These visions are what is recorded in this book in both short (written more closely after the incident) and long (written much later, after more contemplation) versions. She then became an anchoress living as a recluse in a cell attached to the churchyard of St. Julian in Norwich.

Julian's visions, even in translation, are luminous and joyful. She received the assurance that God will, in the end, make all well. The meaning of it all, as she says, is Love. This is one of the most vivid constructions of the medieval image of Christ as mother and is (justly) famous as such. The showings are moving and beautiful.

The Paulist Press/Colledge translation is almost comical in its padding. Featuring a preface, forward, and introduction, the actual short text does not begin until page 125.