Thomas Traherne (c.1637-1674), little regarded until the beginning of the 20th century, when his poems and Centuries of Meditation were published. He was sometimes dismissed as a rather fuzzy nature mystic, a sort of pre-Wordsworthian pantheist, but, thanks to the discovery of many new works in manuscript (itself an extraordinary story) we now see that he was a much more significant theologian and Christian writer than had been thought. Traherne has an Augustinian spirituality of desire, and, like Hopkins, sees the world as ‘charged with the grandeur of God.’ His poems, and even more his poetic prose, are a powerful expression of Sursum Corda! - Lift up your hearts!
RSS Feed
