Union and communion: The mystical spirituality of James Hudson Taylor (1832-1905)

Abstract

James Hudson Taylor (1832-1905), founder of the China Inland Mission in June 1865, is one of the most prominent names in the history of Protestant missions. He authored Union and Communion, a short devotional commentary on the Song of Songs, published in 1894. Like many of his other writings, it is suffused with mystical elements. Taylor's mystical dimension, however, has been eclipsed by an overemphasis on his intriguing 19th century missionary endeavours in China; in addition, his writings have been eclipsed by popular missionary biographies and secondary sources. Through a focus on his soul landscape and intimacy with God, this research has reconnected the mystical threads for an in-depth understanding of the relationship between his mystical spirituality and his missionary spirituality. By recovering Taylor's mystical wisdom (through the biblical frameworks of the Song of Songs, the Fourth Gospel, and the apostle Paul's writings), the research suggests that Taylor be recognised and re-visioned as a Protestant mystic cum missionary.