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."