Is there more to life? Is there more to me? Is it all worth it? What does it mean to be one with God, and what does that have to do with the mess and challenges of everyday life? These are some of the issues addressed in An Untold Story as it follows the mystical-heroic quest to find our true selves.
In coming to a better understanding of what it is to be a hero and what it is to be a mystic, we come to a better understanding of what it is to be ourselves. The stories are connected. The classic hero's journey of myth and legend is at the heart of the mystical journey to life with God. And together they show the way to our true selves and our true stories.
With the guidance of mystical theologian John of Ruusbroec and other teachers, and with help from many favorite heroic stories and characters, An Untold Story presents a path of spiritual formation that is at once epic and everyday, fantastical and practical, otherworldly and ordinary. This is a guide for any would-be mystic-hero longing for their own wondertale to no longer be an untold story.
Robert C. Pelfrey is a theologian, pastor, and lecturer in historical theology and spiritual formation. He is the author of Spiritual Formation as the Hero’s Journey in John of Ruusbroec (2022).
“John of Ruusbroec is widely considered among specialists to be one of the most important mystical writers in the Christian tradition, and he is one of the most translated authors in the history of Dutch literature. He is not as well-known as he deserves to be, which is why this book is very welcome. Written accessibly for a general readership, it takes us to the heart of Ruusbroec’s thought and is often deeply insightful, at times surprising, and never dull.”
—John Arblaster, director, Ruusbroec Institute
“An Untold Story has immediately become my go-to guide into mystical theology. The book is not only an enjoyable and substantive exploration into this little-understood tradition of Christianity, but it accomplishes this difficult task by putting a much-needed highlight on Ruusbroec’s indispensable message more accessibly than previously available.”
—Daniel Ethan Harris, author of Grace That Grows
“Here’s a book for those who want to know about the Flemish mystical theologian who influenced Thomas à Kempis, Evelyn Underhill, and Thomas Merton. Pelfrey further helps us understand John of Ruusbroec by employing the “hero’s journey” and examples from literature and film. You will find this book a resource to return to again and again as you fan into flame your own desire to experience God and to live from your true self.”
—Kevin J. Navarro, author of Trinitarian Doxology
“Robert Pelfrey gives an account of spiritual formation that is fresh, compelling, and winsome. He takes us on a quest for union with God, a mystical-heroic journey into the landscape of God’s transforming love where we encounter our true selves and find the story that is uniquely ours to tell, to live in the everyday messiness of the world. Beautifully written, this book deserves to be read slowly and contemplatively.”
—Gerard Booy, pastor, Fairview Presbyterian Church
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