Theology of the Heart The Role of Mysticism in the Theology of Martin Luther

Bengt Hoffman elevates Christian spirituality and spiritual formation as proper subjects for serious theological study. This book reveals Luther’s mystical experience of God in a prayerful life to be essential in the development of his theology. It shows how the spiritual life is essential to Luther’s understanding of the gospel. Balanced by his emphasis on the "external Word" Luther’s experience of the divine was a critical influence on his understanding of faith and salvation. This book is an important contribution to the recovery of the church’s rich spiritual tradition. In the present era this work demonstrates that theology is not a matter of intellect only, but also of the whole person’s experience. Dr. Hoffman has given us a truer understanding of Luther and the theology of the heart in Judeo-Christian scripture. THEOLOGY OF THE HEART is the revised and expanded version of Bengt Hoffman's out-of-print classic LUTHER AND THE MYSTICS."