The novelist, essayist and philosopher, Iris Murdoch might not be readily thought of as a mystic, and certainly her writings pushed against Christian theological ideas. Rather than talking of God, Murdoch’s writings search for the ‘Good’, drawing from Christian as well as Buddhist and Platonic sources as well as specific writers such as Simone Weil. Indeed, she encouraged people to search for ‘the mystical hero [who] retains a conception of God [and] a religious consciousness without the trappings of religion.’ It has been commented that Murdoch does not want to move entirely beyond traditional religious forms of theology or mysticism, but to redirect this. There is a clear sense of transcending the self and connecting to the wider dimensions of creation. 

About the tutor

Rev Dr Donna Lazenby is Tutor in Worship and Mission at Trinity College, Bristol. Donna researches the areas of historical and contemporary Christian spirituality and particularly mysticism. This interest is situated within her wider work on Doctrine, mission, apologetics and the relationship of theology and culture. As well as other publications, Donna is the author of A Mystical Philosophy: Transcendence and Immanence in the Works of Virginia Woold and Iris Murdoch (Bloomsbury).

About the Modern Mystics Series

We often think that mysticism is a thing of the past, that the great mystics like Francis of Assisi, Julian of Norwich or Teresa of Avila are resigned to times long gone, and that mysticism died in the Reformations, the Enlightenment, or the Quietist Controversy.

However, there are important mystical elements of all major world religions today including Christianity, and many 20th-, and 21st-century figures exemplify mysticism.

In our fifth series of webinars on Modern Mystics, we are excited to look at three major figures of the 20th century. Each webinar will be led by an expert on the mystic in question, and will consist of a 50-minute introductory lecture on that figure and their mystical writings. After a quick break we will have 30 minutes for Q&A with our expert. Each webinar runs from 7:30-9 PM (UK time) on Zoom on a Monday evening.

This series will look at three extraordinary writers and figures of this period. Each session is led by an expert who has researched and published on the specific mystical writer and the Christian mystical tradition more broadly.

Schedule and speakers

Monday 21st September: Egied Van Broeckhoven with John Arblaster

Monday 28th September: Mother Teresa of Kolkata with Ines Murzaku

Monday 5th October: Iris Murdoch with Donna Lazenby