This is a short, accessible analysis of Christianity that focuses on its social and cultural diversity as well as its historical dimensions.

Acute Melancholia and Other Essays deploys spirited and progressive approaches to the study of Christian mysticism and the philosophy of religion. Ideal for novices and experienced scholars alike, the volume makes a forceful case for thinking about religion as both belief and practice, in which traditions marked by change are passed down through generations, laying the groundwork for their own critique. Through a provocative integration of medieval sources and texts by Jacques Derrida, Judith Butler, Talal Asad, and Dipesh Chakrabarty, this book redefines what it means to engage critically with history and those embedded within it.

This wide-ranging book covers all the major religious traditions, while exploring monistic and theistic mysticism, and such key issues as altered states of consciousness, sex, and visionary experiences.