The present volume, Balthasar writes, “was first published (in 1984) because of the wish expressed by our Holy Father, John Paul II, in 1983 that a symposium on Adrienne von Speyr should be held in Rome. It took place in the fall of 1985. A symposium of that kind required the publication of Adrienne’s entire works, and so in 1985, with the express permission of the Pope, the hitherto restricted posthumous works (Nachlaßwerke), which provide profound insights into her personal experiences, were made available to the general public. To many people these works will at first seem astonishing, perhaps even disconcerting. That is why the present book is needed. (It, too, was published, after some minor emendations asked for by Rome, with the permission of the Holy See.) It is intended to help the reader understand the ecclesial orientation of Adrienne’s works, to see them as graces for a foundation within the Church.” (From the author’s preface)
