Messenger of the Heart

Frederick Franck's many readers will share his delight in the rediscovery of the 17th century mystical poet Angelus Silesius, pen name for Johannes Scheffler, whose classic The Cherubinic Wanderer, those 300 mystical verses that resulted from a four-day long mystical experience, are full of challenging paradoxes for the Spirit. Scheffler assumed the name Angelus Silesius on his leaving the Lutheran church to become a Catholic. He became enmeshed in the bitter controversies of post-Reformation Europe. Soon after his death, however, his masterpiece was claimed by Protestants and Catholics alike as their mystical classic. Frederick Franck shows the poet's macro-ecumenical significance in the essay that introduces his translation of these verses, and by adding a "running commentary" of sayings by the ancient Japanese and Chinese masters, with whom this Christian mystic shows a remarkable affinity. Book jacket.