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A collection of essays revealing Alan Watts's often overlooked facet: that of a brilliant Christian mystic.
Alan Watts was the guru of the Beat Generation: his books on Zen and mysticism were bestsellers, and his talks on KPFA were legendary (still broadcast on Sunday mornings). What few people know is that Watts had another life. Between 1945-1950, Watts was an Episcopal priest, whose talks and writing were particularly popular at Northwestern University where he was the chaplain. Later in his life, Watts attempted to distance himself from this period, but the essays he wrote for Holy Cross magazine and his book Behold the Spirit—an effort to synthesize Anglicanism, psychology, and Eastern philosophy—were at the cutting edge of mystical theology. This book—edited by an Episcopal priest and an associate of the Holy Cross monastery—will reclaim this period of Watts’s life by collecting his essays from this period, as well as providing commentaries on them, thereby introducing a new generation of readers to one of the most important Christian mystics of the last century.
"Mysticism is simply the word used to describe the movement from mere belief or belonging to an actual, inner experience of God. I’m not sure any modern writer articulated this vision better than Alan Watts. His book, Behold the Spirit, is a masterclass in offering both penetrating critique and wise guidance to a Church that has largely lost sight of its own mystical inheritance. The Lost Christian Writings of Alan Watts, edited by Daniel Collier, carries forward much of that same wisdom and insight, inviting readers to rediscover the heart of Christianity as the living experience of union—with one another and all creation—all held within and sustained by our Infinite Source, who is Love."
“Daniel Collier’s re-discovery of the Episcopal, priestly, phase of the early career of Alan Watts is an event of real spiritual challenge for the contemporary church, as it seeks to reconsider what ‘mystic’ consciousness might mean for its future. The Eastern guru Watts, who is now once more in full-flight on the internet, had a brief, but crucial, period of disciplined formation and priestly life in the Anglican/Episcopal tradition, in which the influence of the Episcopal Order of the Holy Cross was definitive, and its then-superior his own confessor and much-revered guide. The writings that emerge from this period evidence of a depth of understanding of the Christian mystical tradition which were remarkable, and particularly for a man of his own age and stage. More importantly, these texts cause us now to re-think the significance of Watts’ somewhat ambiguous Nachlass: was he a man way ahead of his time, religiously and spiritually, or did he lose his way once he was released from the ordinary disciplines of ordained life? (Or could it be that both these suppositions have truth to them?) Fr. Daniel is much to be congratulated for his astute introduction to this period of Watts’ writings, and for researching and sharing the important personal background to it.”
“This is a wonderful book. Alan Watts offered a vision of a mystical Christianity that continues to touch many hearts, including mine. This collection of his writings offers a window into that vision. I recommend it to anyone called to wisdom grounded in a specific tradition that at the same time unveils the universal current.”