Phoebe Palmer's honour was lost posthumously, for within a few decades after her death her name all but disappeared. Palmer's sanctification theology was separated from its apophatic spiritual moorings, even as her memory was lost. To this day the Mother of the Holiness Movement still awaits her place of recognition as a Christian mystic equal to Catherine of Siena, Teresa of Avila, or Therese of Lisieux. This book locates Palmer's life and thought within the great Christian mystical traditions, identifying her importance within Methodism and the church universal. It also presents a Wesleyan theological framework for understanding and valuing Christian mysticism, while connecting it with the larger mystical traditions in Catholic, Anglican, and Orthodox communions. While Palmer was a powerful revivalist in her own day, in many ways she could be the patron saint for contemporary Methodists who are drawn to the new monasticism and who long for the renewal of the church. Saint Phoebe is precisely the one who can help Methodists envision new forms of Christian community, mission, and witness in a postmodern world.

About the Author
Elaine A. Heath is Assistant Professor of Evangelism in the Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. She is the author of The Mystic Way of Evangelism (2008).

Reviews
'Naked Faith is a suitable textbook for upper-level, undergraduate courses as well as seminary courses in Theology Church History, and Methodist Studies. It is a short book that pairs well with some of Palmer's own writing, such as Entire Devotion to God or The Way of Holiness.' Prof. Priscilla Pope-Levison: Wesley and Methodist Studies, Vol. 4, 2012.



Book Information
ISBN 9780227173398
Author Elaine A. Heath
Format Paperback
Page Count 124
Imprint James Clarke & Co Ltd
Publisher James Clarke & Co Ltd
Weight(grams) 207g