good words about my book

"In this significant monograph, Matthew Lewis Sutton brings expositional clarity and conceptual rigour to the extensive textual legacy of Adrienne von Speyr. It is a real accomplishment that this is achieved without any unnecessary sacrifice of the vibrancy and immediacy of her Trinitarian mystical theology. But perhaps the greatest achievement of this volume is to demonstrate that von Speyr's contemplative work is worthy of attention and study, not simply as an adjunct of the theology of Hans Urs von Balthasar, but in its own impressive right."

— Paul T. Nimmo University of Aberdeen

Please preorder Heaven Opens.

preorder heaven open

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 suffering book available

My co-edited book, On Suffering: An Inter-disciplinary Dialogue on Narrative and Meaning of Suffering, is published and available. This book gathers really smart academics from around the world from different disciplines who are interested in finding meaning in human suffering.

My friend and co-editor, Nate Hinerman, are happy to have brought these good people together to dialogue on an essential question. Why do we suffer?

This book offers many different answers from many different perspectives. You will find a critical debate here about the scope of one's narrative of meaning--is the meaning-making of suffering personal, communal, or meta-narrative?

I hope you will read our book as you consider how to make sense of suffering.

On Suffering: An Inter-disciplinary Dialogue on Narrative and the Meaning of Suffering

buy it here or here.