Teresa was not interested in her daily experiences per se but only inasmuch as they provided a mirror or window into God. Her regard for the humanity of Christ and her understanding of the human person were two sides of the same coin. In addition to her relationship with God, Teresa also recommended spiritual books, describing them as important aids to prayer. When vernacular books were prohibited, she wrote her own books to aid her sisters in their spiritual journeys. A distinctive note of her anthropology is that she steadfastly included women as well as men as having access to the higher reaches of contemplative prayer. God in Christ desired to dwell in everyone, not just men or those with theological or clerical credentials.
— from Accidental Theologians: Four Women Who Shaped Christianity
by Elizabeth Dreyer
