The reverend Dr. Emma Pennington introduces The Cloud of Unknowing. This fourteenth century guide to the contemplative life might be more relevant than ever. Does ignorance bring us closer to God? Can Christians meditate? The anonymous author thinks so.

With apologies for the sometimes imperfect sound quality.

Sign up for more at FaithWave.app.

Today, we're talking about one of the most influential works of the medieval period: The Consolation of Philosophy. Written in the 6th century by Boethius, a Roman politician, while languishing in jail before his eventual execution, it has not only been influential but remains vital today as a work of literature and philosophy.

We are remarkably fortunate to have with us Professor Louis Marcos of Houston Christian University. An award-winning lecturer, he has recorded courses for the Great Courses series and is dedicated to the idea of the professor as a public educator. Accordingly, he has authored many popular and illuminating books, often focused on exploring the wisdom found in pre-Christian and non-Christian texts.

These works include From Plato to Christ, From Achilles to Christ, and The Myth Made Fact. In addition, he has written works of apologetics, studies on Romantic poets and poetry, and guides to the writings of C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien. Download the FaithWave app for more: FaithWave.app

Orthodoxy by G.K. Chesterton is a classic work of Christian apologetics, blending sharp wit, profound insight, and vivid storytelling. Written as a spiritual autobiography, it recounts Chesterton's journey to faith and his defence of Christianity as the answer to the complexities and paradoxes of life. With its memorable aphorisms and compelling arguments, Orthodoxy continues to inspire readers to explore the rational and imaginative dimensions of belief.

Joseph Pearce is the author of a highly regarded biography of G.K. Chesterton titled "Wisdom and Innocence." He has also explored the works of other renowned literary figures such as J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and Shakespeare, analysing their contributions through the perspectives of faith and culture. His insightful biographies and essays often address the relationship between literature and theology. More information about his publications and other work can be found at jpearce.co.

Download the FaithWave app for more here.

Douglas Dales is our guide to Saint Bonaventure's Itinerarium in Mentis Deum. Written in the thirteenth century, this mystical text is a roadmap to spiritual transformation.

Douglas Dales is now a parish priest in the Church of England, after many years spent as a school chaplain of Marlborough College, where he prepared hundreds of candidates for confirmation. At the same time, he has had a career as a prolific author: he has written an introduction to the faith, collections of sermons and translations of prayers. Much of his scholarly work has focused on the Anglo-Saxon period, and he has published authoritative studies on Alcuin and St Dunstan. In recent years he has turned his attention to Bonaventure, and has now produced three books as part of a series on the saint: St Bonaventure and the Gospel of Luke, Truth and Reality and Way Back to God. All these are available from online booksellers, or they may be purchased from his publisher's website: jamesclarke.co

For more content, including a guided abridgement of The Soul's Journey into God, download the FaithWave app here.

We're talking about the Rule of Saint Benedict, a blueprint for monastic living written nearly 1,500 years ago. Richard Frost is our guide. Richard is a Benedictine Oblate as well as an author and licensed lay minister in the Church of England. He has spent much of his life working to support those with mental health conditions, work for which he received an MBE in 2018.

His books include Life with St. Benedict, which provides daily reflections on the Rule and shows how it remains relevant today, helping people to find stability in times of change. These and his other books can be purchased from his website, where he also keeps a blog: workrestpray.com.

Sign up for more, including a guided abridgement of the Rule at faithwave.app

"As I walk'd through the wilderness of this world, I lighted on a certain place, where was a Denn; And I laid me down in that place to sleep: And as I slept I dreamed a Dream."

Written while he was in prison for praching without a license, John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress tells the story of a fantastical dream and takes the reader from the City of Destruction all the way to the Celestial City itself.

Andy Draycott is our guide to this subtle classic of Puritan literature.

You can find more about Andy's work at https://www.professorpilgrimsprogress.com/

For more download the faithwave app.