The Silent Cry: Mysticism and Resistance

Exploring the religious impulse known as mysticism the "silent cry" at the heart of all the worlds religions.Mysticism in the sense of a "longing for God " has been present in all times cultures and religions. But Soelle believes it has never been more important than in this age of materialism and fundamentalism. The antiauthoritarian mystical element in each religion leads to community of free spirits and resistance to the death-dealing aspects of our contemporary culture. Religion in the third millennium Soelle argues either will be mystical or it will be dead. Therefore Soelle identifies strongly with the hunger of New Age searchers but laments the religious fast food they devour. Today a kind of "democratized mysticism" of those without much religious background flourishes. This mystical experience is not drawn so much of the tradition as out of contemporary experiences. In that sense each of us is a mystic and Soelles work seeks to give theological depth clarity and direction. This her magnum opus conjoins Soelles deep religious knowledge and wisdom with her passion for social justice into a work destined to be a classic of religious literature.