This book of Gabriella Turai is dedicated to discussing medieval female mysticism as a
charismatic authority in a Max Weberian sense introducing a new social scientific approach in
the flourishing field of interpretations. Until fairly recently scholarship has focused on
mysticism especially as an individual experience with the ultimate reality neglecting its
social dimension.In this work the author argues for a sociodimensional model of the
interpretation of mysticism analyzing the figure of Saint Angela of Foligno the most important
Franciscan female mystic. Turai's investigation arrives at two main benefits through the
reflections on the fundamental correlation between medieval mysticism and Weber's understanding
of charismatic authority as an alternative to constructive rationality and social power. The
first benefit one can call diachronic which means a new approach to medieval mysticism with
the sociological tools of Weber's theory. In this way we will be able to consider medieval
female mysticism from the prison of modern individualism and open up new spaces for
understanding medieval societies as well. However for a social scientist the second benefit
would be more interesting. In the time after the fall of communism and after the new political
and cultural matrix in the whole of Europe one can observe insecurity concerning modern
rationality and democratic power - not only in Central and Eastern Europe. Social sciences
could have a chance to contribute to original approaches and visions in searching for new ways
of thinking and using power.
