My new book Heaven Opens: The Trinitarian Mysticism of Adrienne von Speyr is available today.
It's available as a Paperback from Fortress Press and Amazon and also available as a Kindle or iBooks.
However you choose to read it, please write a review to let others know what you think. Please let me know too.
May Adrienne pray for us.
"Hans Urs von Balthasar is increasingly acknowledged as one of the greatest theologians of the Christian tradition. Unquestionably, he was master of Western civilization as few have ever been and brought all into the key of Christ. His spiritual mentor in this vast undertaking was Adrienne von Speyr, whose work von Balthasar held to be more important than his own. Karl Rahner famously observed that the Christian of the twenty-first century would be a mystic-or not be at all. Adrienne von Speyr models this for us: she was gifted with a 'cataract of mystical graces.' Matthew Lewis Sutton's deep penetration into her mystical gifts offers an excellent introduction to her unique vision and also helps hit the 'reveal codes' button for von Balthasar's theology."
"This book has the potential to do for Adrienne von Speyr's theology what Father Edward Oakes's Pattern of Redemption did for Hans Urs von Balthasar's in the mid-1990s, in this case by accessibly introducing Adrienne to a generation of students and scholars. Focusing on the center of her thought-the opening of heaven through Christ's obedience so that we can share even now in the relationships that characterize the life of the divine Trinity, in light of her own experience of mystical penetration into the Father's sending of the Son and Spirit-Matthew Lewis Sutton ably presents Adrienne's teaching on the full panoply of theological topics. The convergence of her theology with von Balthasar's is striking."
"Matthew Lewis Sutton's thorough, unpretentious, and lucid introduction to the person and work of Adrienne von Speyr is now the standard guide in English. Indeed, I suspect it will remain the standard for many years to come. If you're looking for an excellent introduction to Adrienne von Speyr, look no further."
"Matthew Lewis Sutton's explication of Adrienne von Speyr's insight into Christian spirituality untangles the style of the mystical writer, giving the reader access into the deep vision of this contemporary woman, which is too often dismissed as simplistic due to her uncomplicated language by some and as impenetrable due to her circular manner of her writing by others. Sutton's work uncovers wealth within subtlety and gives access to a truly inspired writer for sincere seekers of God's presence in the world. It is a must-read for those who have approached von Speyr but found her difficult to follow."
Please preorder Heaven Opens: The Trinitarian Mysticism of Adrienne von Speyr.
Now available for preorder: my new book Heaven Opens: The Trinitarian Mysticism of Adrienne von Speyr.
Adrienne von Speyr was one of the most important mystical theologians of the last century, heralded by figures like John Paul II and T.S. Eliot. However, her work has been eclipsed in many ways by her personal connection to Catholic theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar. Heaven Opens provides one of the first comprehensive accounts of von Speyr's theology.
My book argues that the eternal, immanent relations of the Triune God ground the mystical theological vision of von Speyr. Rooted in this vision of divine love, von Speyr's work is an account of the opening of heaven, a revelation of the Trinity's interior life turned outward to the world, that links intimately to the sacraments, prayer, the church, and the ethical life of obedience. In von Speyr's mystical theology, God as Triune journeys to us in order to brings into the inner life of the Trinity. Here, von Speyr's work is for the first time given an independent hearing, expositing its content, features, and connections, and assessing its contribution to contemporary Catholic theology.
Please preorder Heaven Opens
On March 9, 2013, I gave a powerful talk on God’s Compassion for Our Suffering during a conference on Three Things Talks at St. John’s University. I was so happy to speak about the compassion of our Father who reaches out to us through his Son and Holy Spirit.
In the course of the talk, I lead the audience through thinking about the story of the Prodigal Son (Lk 15:11-32).
11 Then Jesus said, ‘There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his father, “Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.” So he divided his property between them. 13 A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and travelled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. 14 When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. 16 He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. 17 But when he came to himself he said, “How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! 18 I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.’ ” 20 So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. 21 Then the son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” 22 But the father said to his slaves, “Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; 24 for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!” And they began to celebrate.
25 ‘Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. 27 He replied, “Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.” 28 Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. 29 But he answered his father, “Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!” 31 Then the father said to him, “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.” ’
On May 27, 2012, the Feast of Pentecost (and my birthday), I presented on the blessings of the Holy Spirit and the meaning of freedom. The goal of the presentation was learning about the blessings of belonging to each other in the Holy Spirit.
In the presentation, I am welcoming new members to the Fraternity of St. Maximillian Kolbe, which is a lay group supporting the mission of Heart’s Home, a secular institute that serves the poorest of the poor.
If you would like to follow along, I examine three biblical passages Acts 2:1-13, Exodus 19:1-25, and Galatians 5:16-26, which are the readings for the Feast of Pentecost.
Please listen to learn the blessings of belonging freely to a family of compassion.
On April 20, 2012, I gave this short presentation as a panelist on how the Vincentian mission of St. John’s University has transformed me. Here were my comments:
Greetings and salutations. Thank you for the invitation to speak to you today. Normally as a professor, I’m usually lecturing for an hour and forty minutes. I’m told that I only have 5 minutes to present. You’re so lucky! I’m here to make only one point.
You see my story is of a country boy becoming a big city prof. I grew up in South Dakota (I have to remind my students that it is not in Canada, yet there are more cows than people). Even in my small town I kept asking the big question, is there a God and is there any meaning to my life? Seeking to answer the question, I pursued a doctorate in theology and now teaching others how to think theologically through these big questions. My training was rather abstract and speculative, like thinking through the implication of the traditional trinitarian taxonomy and the importance of the doctrine of the filioque. So when I began teaching at St. John’s University, I wasn’t yet a Vincentian.
I had Dora all wrong. When I first began here, Dora took my class, The Mystery of God. Because of the way she appeared and acted in the course, I had typed her immediately as an average student with average ambitions. For example, her first paper in my course was handed in on loose leaf paper and was handwritten. You see, I typed her because she did not type her paper. She did alright in my class. She was interested in the topic and readings. She asked some questions, but she didn’t impress me as the anything but average. I thought I wouldn’t see her again. And then she took my next semester’s course. She was transformed. She came to the class professional in manner and thought. She performed very well in the class and my attitude changed. I was impressed now. Then she took my next semester’s course. She was transformed even more and exceeded well beyond any expectations I had for an A student. I learned from her later that she earned all As at St. John’s except for that initial class with me where she had earned a B. I have also learned that in that initial class that her husband had died in a crime and that she was left alone to care for her two children. I can imagine several people quiting college in that situation, but not Dora. You see, since taking my classes, St. John’s has transformed her from a struggling single mother into earning an internship at the UN. She has even turned down a job offer there so that she could pursue her law degree and achieve an even better position at the UN.
When I first met her, she did not look like like an inspiring UN technocrat and I treated her initially as another average student with average goals. Boy, was I wrong. The deal with Dora is that I wasn’t yet Vincentian in how I viewed my students.
Programs are for persons, not persons for programs.
When we begin a new position, we are often presented with the programs that are our responsibility. The unfortunate consequence is that we become servants to the program rather than servants to people in our programs. When we look at Vincent de Paul’s life, he of course creates many programs to serve the poor, but as he brings other people into the mission of the program, it is for the service of the person not the program. The other aspect of this principle is that if there is not a program for a person being served, then work to create and craft the program needed to serve our people. In my own pursuits with others here at St. John’s, we’ve realized that some of our students are deeply interested in learning about Catholicism across disciplines because Catholicism touches all disciplines. So several of us has committed to developing a new robust program in Catholic Studies. You better become Vincentian.
Do not wait for the script.
When I think about the new way of work, I think that the old ways of work of being a good bureaucrat or a good note taker is no longer enough. It’s no longer possible to wait for the script. It won’t be created for you. It will only be created by you. There is no more script for the new way of work. The new way of work means this—create art or get out of the way. Now we all know that in its essence art is a new thing made to change someone for the better. The human person desires art and art is a thing made to change the person for the better. It takes extra effort and means becoming a gift giver with little possibility for repayment and probably not applause. This is how I view my teaching. Sure, I’m leading them on a path to a degree through my service to the core curriculum. Sure, I’m helping them learn to think critically and theologically, but in my teaching there is so much that I do not have to do. I could become just another professor / bureaucrat, but I desire in my teaching to create something new that will change someone for the better.
And here’s the last thing. If its art we must be creating, then we must bring our emotional involvement into the work. To create art, we can’t hedge our bets, but only lean in. When Vincent saw the poor as they really are, he created a new thing that changed them for the better. He did not wait for the script. He created art. He didn’t work to get by, but he worked to go beyond the possibilities. Don’t wait for the script. There won’t be one. Within your realm of responsibility in line with the trajectories of the mission of the university, create art.
The last thing I’d like us all to consider is a work of art. At the MET, a new exhibit presents the Steins Collection. Gertrude Stein was a great patron of several important artists, including Pablo Picasso. One work caught me—it was (Picasso’s Le Soupe)[http://uploads6.wikipaintings.org/images/pablo-picasso/the-soup-1903.jpg].
Here the older woman, with her eyes closed offers the gift of soup to the open-eyed girl who jumps up eager to receive the gift. Notice the older woman and how she cradles the bowl of soup. She’s offering it, but also protecting it. Caring for it, while also giving it. This work of art is how I view my teaching as a gift, a valuable gift that I wish to protect and give. My students maybe are not outwardly enthused like this girl, but since they are human and therefore desire to know the truth, do the good, and enjoy the beautiful, they are interiorly running toward the gift. They are hungry like this girl for the gift of le soupe. This work of art captures Vincentian teaching as a gift given with protection and compassion, with trust and purpose.
I encourage you to take time to mediate on this work of art to help you better become a Vincentian.
The NYC Catholic News Show Currents featured me in a story on what makes a saint. Here’s the story
I am speaking in the St. Thomas More Chapel on the campus of St. John’s University, my institution of higher (holier) education. My presentation was on the universal call to live a life of holiness, to live a life in a confessional attitude toward God. I’ve spoken about this idea before.
My thanks to the all the staff of Currents Web, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. You do great work for the Catholic Church in New York City.
The abstract of the article:
In trinitarian theology, the problematic place of the Holy Spirit in the taxonomy of the immanent Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) does not seem to correspond to what is revealed in the economy (Father, Holy Spirit and Son). Because of this pneumatological problem, some theologians have abandoned the traditional trinitarian taxonomy. This approach, however, does not provide a finally convincing answer that is consistent with both the biblical witness and the theological tradition. In this article, I argue that Hans Urs von Balthasar’s theology of the trinitarian inversion and reversion does provide a convincing answer to the trinitarian taxonomy problem. After supporting my thesis by first referencing the traditional trinitarian taxonomy offered in Augustine’s de Trinitate and then examining the possibility of abandoning the taxonomy given by Jürgen Moltmann and Leonardo Boff, I will offer von Balthasar’s solution as the most compelling trinitarian taxonomy, especially in light of the ecumenical dialogue between the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches.
Hello, faithful reader,
;)
And I also host this one: vonspeyr.net. This one is all about Adrienne von Speyr (the other one is all about somebody else). I hope you will come to know Adrienne.
