English-speaking Christians owe Paulist Press an enormous debt of gratitude for their continuing efforts to help us gain a deeper appreciation of our spiritual heritage. Spiritual Life

John Donne: Selections from Divine Poems, Sermons, Devotions and Prayers
edited and introduced by John Booty preface by P.G. Stanwood

No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main…Any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee. John Donne (1572-1631)

The poetry of John Donne is one of the enduring treasures bequeathed to posterity by early seventeenth-century England. The keen wit and refined sensibilities of the Renaissance poet made his metaphysical musings classics of English literature. Yet, as was the case with his contemporary, George Herbert, it was the religious impulse that ran most strongly in his life. It led him, after a career as an aspirant at the court of James I, to take holy orders in the Anglican church at the age of 43. The skill and passion that had defined his secular work found a new object in the symbols and mysteries of the Christian faith. His preachings as the dean of St. Paul’s in London won him renown, and his Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions, written in the aftermath of a near-fatal illness, became a classic of its genre.

In this volume, the spirituality of the famous poet is presented in all its subtlety and grace. Included are selections from the Divine Poems of 1633, Sermons, Devotions and Prayers. Throughout his works, he presents with sheer artistry of from a picture of God’s mercy and love, seen against the backdrop of frailty and the harsh imperfections of life.