"Readers will find in this volume an introduction to life, times, and writings of Valentin Weigel (1533-1588), a German teacher and theologian who articulated a variant of the Protestant Reformation known as Spiritualism. Spiritualism refers to a form of dissent emphasizing spiritual or inner independence from rules, ceremonies, and the visible or organized church. Offered here for the first time in English are a selection of Weigel's most important and characteristic works. Together, these works present the heart of Weigel's thought, which championed tolerance and individual conscience in an age of confessional hatred and religious war. Weigel's writings are Spiritualist theory at its most accurate. They complete a missing chapter in the history of mystical literature and will therefore be of supreme interest to those who study: ―philosophy ―theology ―Reformation history †