"Dir hat vor den Frauen nicht gegraut"

The title of this volume refers to a well known saying from the great mystic, Teresa of Ávila, born 500 years ago. Is the articulation of mystical experience different for women than it is for men? Is there a general mystical imagery at the heart of Christianity, on which both women and men draw in order to articulate their experiences? Has this imagery been subject to change during the different epochs in the church=s history? Has an embrace of the world through the harmony of love for God and for one=s neighbor to which Christian mysticism should aspire changed during the course of these epochs (for example from the mysticism of the monastery to the mysticism at the heart of society)? These and other such questions form the background to the individual contributions in this volume.