In 'The Mystical Element of Religion' by Friedrich von Hügel, the author delves deep into the spiritual aspect of religion, exploring the mystical experiences that transcend traditional beliefs and practices. Written in a contemplative and scholarly tone, von Hügel analyzes the mystical elements found in various religions, drawing connections between different faith traditions and highlighting the universality of mystical encounters. This groundbreaking work challenges readers to consider the profound impact of mysticism on religious thought and practice in a thought-provoking manner. Friedrich von Hügel, a renowned theologian and philosopher, was heavily influenced by his own spiritual experiences and extensive research in the field of religion. His expertise in theology and philosophy shines through in 'The Mystical Element of Religion,' showcasing his deep understanding of mystical traditions and their significance in shaping religious beliefs. Von Hügel's personal connection to the subject matter adds a unique perspective to the book, enriching the scholarly analysis with empathy and insight. For readers interested in delving into the mystical side of religion and exploring the interconnectedness of spiritual experiences across different faiths, 'The Mystical Element of Religion' is a must-read. Von Hügel's comprehensive examination of mysticism offers a profound insight into the spiritual dimension of religion, inviting readers to contemplate the transcendent aspects of faith and broaden their understanding of religious practices.

Hügel's The Mystical Element of Religion features a critical but largely appreciative philosophy of mysticism. The author's "three elements of religion" are his most enduring contribution to theological thinking. The human soul, the movements of western civilization, and the phenomena of religion itself he characterized by these three elements: the historical/institutional element, the intellectual/speculative element, and the mystical/experiential element. This typology provided for him an understanding of the balance, tension, and 'friction' that exists in religious thinking and in the complexity of reality and existence. It was an organizing paradigm that remained central to his project. The effort to hold these sometimes disparate dimensions together was structurally and theologically dominant throughout his writing. The main subject of Hügel's study are the life and teaching of Catherine of Genoa (1447-1510), the Italian Roman Catholic saint and mystic, admired for her work among the sick and the poor and remembered because of various writings describing both these actions and her mystical experiences. Contents: The Three Chief Forces of Western Civilization The Three Elements of Religion Catherine Fiesca Adorna's Life, up to her Conversion; and the Chief Peculiarities predominant throughout her Convert Years Catherine's Life from 1473 to 1506, and its Main Changes and Growth Catherine's Last Four Years, 1506-1510 Catherine's Doctrine Catherine's Remains and Cultus Battista Vernazza's Life Psycho-physical and Temperamental Questions The Main Literary Sources of Catherine's Conceptions Catherine's Less Ultimate This-World Doctrines The After-Life Problems and Doctrines The First Three Ultimate Questions The Two Final Problems: Mysticism and Pantheism, the Immanence of God, And Spiritual Personality, Human and Divine Back Through Asceticism, Social Religion, and the Scientific Habit of Mind, to the Mystical Element of Religion

This book, first published in 1933, shows the more common difficulties in constructing library entries for author single-entries with references, and author-entries with added entries. These basic principles of cataloguing practice offer valuable advice to the cataloguer of books.

This set, comprising out-of-print titles from The Library Association Series of Library Manuals and The Practical Library Handbooks, is a key guide to the early modernisation of librarianship. Systems set up then are still in use today, giving the books practical use today, as well as providing a valuable historical analysis of the discipline.