Mystery Manifest

Renowned liturgist and scholar Gail Ramshaw mines the treasures of the Bible, patristic sermons, theological treatises, mystical reveries, liturgical texts, hymns, and poetry to craft a richly textured collection and framework for thinking about the language Christians use to address and describe the triune God. More than a compilation, yet more practical than a purely theological treatise, Mystery Manifest is a volume that liturgists, ministers, and theologians will return to again and again seeking wisdom and insight into the figures of speech humans have developed to express the ineffable.

With astute analysis and an eye for the creativity of our language over time, Ramshaw grounds readers in the realm of metaphor as practice before presenting an example--the metaphor of God the Fire--as finely layered illustration. She then covers each of the Persons of the Trinity in turn before culminating with Trinitarian and extended metaphors for God. Readers will find in these pages a wealth of resources for liturgical study, homiletical preparation, worship preparation, and theological reflection. Scholars and ministers alike will want to keep a copy readily available on their shelves.