Political Mysticism: Augustine Baker, the Spiritual Formation of Missionaries and the Catholic Reformation in England

Kelly, James E.

Abstract

Augustine Baker, the seventeenth-century Benedictine monk, is primarily remembered as an advocate of mystical spiritual contemplation. This reputation was shaped by a contemporary supporter, whose synopsis of Baker’s works is the source most commonly consulted by historians. However, by reading Baker’s complete ‘Treatise of the English Mission’ and recontextualizing this manuscript, it is evident that he was addressing problems of his day. His Treatise is a polemical response to debates about the implementation of the Catholic Reformation in England, Baker advocating a vision of clerical formation and personal spiritual reformation for all those active in the English Catholic mission.

Citation

Kelly, J. E. (2020). Political Mysticism: Augustine Baker, the Spiritual Formation of Missionaries and the Catholic Reformation in England. Journal of Ecclesiastical History, 72(2), 300-322. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0022046920000019

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jan 17, 2019
• Online Publication Date: Jun 9, 2020
• Publication Date: Apr 1, 2020
• Deposit Date: Jan 22, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 23, 2020
• Journal: Journal of Ecclesiastical History
• Print ISSN: 0022-0469
• Electronic ISSN: 1469-7637
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 72
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 300-322
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/s0022046920000019
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1273186