The Complete London Writings: Meditations on the Goodness and Mercy of God

An intimate account of spiritual death and resurrection

TheCompleteLondon Writings present the spiritual and theological journal of a man revived by God’s word. German philosopher Johann Georg Hamann, destitute and depressed in London in 1758, bought a King James Bible on impulse. Within a month of reading it cover to cover, he was convicted of his sin and converted to Christ. His reading inspired him to write meditations on the entire Bible and reexamine the course of his life.

In these Writings, Hamann reflects on his life, the Scriptures, and faith. A combination of autobiography, philosophy, theology, and biblical exegesis, Hamann’s work has been compared to Augustine’s Confessions. Translated into English for the first time by John W. Kleinig, The Complete London Writings bring Hamann’s thought to a new audience.

Johann Georg Hamann (1730-1788) was a German Lutheran philosopher and an influential figure in post-Kantian philosophy, particularly for his critique of Enlightenment rationalism and his thought on the complexity of humanity and faith.

John W. Kleinig (PhD, University of Cambridge) is a retired lecturer at Australian Lutheran College and an ordained pastor in the Lutheran Church of Australia. He is the author of numerous books, including Wonderfully Made: A Protestant Theology of the Body and commentaries on Hebrews and Leviticus.