St. Albert the Great's Theory of the Beatific Vision
Book Description
This scholarly exploration delves into the profound theological insights of St. Albert the Great, one of medieval Christianity's most influential thinkers. Writing during a pivotal moment in thirteenth-century Paris, Albert grappled with a fundamental spiritual question: how can finite human minds comprehend the infinite divine essence in the beatific vision?
Jeffrey P. Hergan presents Albert's remarkable synthesis of philosophical traditions, revealing how this medieval master wove together Aristotelian concepts with Neo-Platonic wisdom. At the heart of Albert's vision lies a luminous understanding of reality itself as light, offering readers a unique window into medieval spiritual thought where philosophy and theology converged in extraordinary ways.
The book provides essential context for understanding Albert's intellectual world, examining how the Parisian Condemnation of 1241 shaped theological discourse about direct divine vision. Hergan carefully translates and analyzes key texts, making Albert's complex ideas accessible to contemporary readers while preserving their depth and nuance.
Particularly valuable are the comparisons drawn between Albert's approach and those of his famous student Thomas Aquinas and contemporary Bonaventure. These contrasts illuminate the rich diversity of medieval spiritual thinking and highlight Albert's distinctive contributions to understanding how human consciousness can encounter the divine.
For those interested in the intersection of spirituality and philosophy, this work offers profound insights into questions that remain central to spiritual seeking today.
Who Is This For?
📖 Reading Level: Short (< 200 pages) (~4 hours)
📄 Length: 160 pages
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore theology
- ✓ Understand metaphysical principles
- ✓ Explore scholasticism
- ✓ Explore Doctrine of the beatific vision
- ✓ Explore History of doctrines
- ✓ Explore epistemology
- ✓ Explore Albertus magnus, saint, bishop of ratisbone, 1193-1280
- ✓ Explore Contributions in doctrine of the beatific vision
