Unspoken Word, The
Negative Theology in Meister Eckhart's German Sermons
Bruce Milem
192 pages | ~5 hrs
Unspoken Word, The
Negative Theology in Meister Eckhart's German Sermons
By Bruce Milem
In The Unspoken Word, scholar Bruce Milem offers readers a profound exploration of how one of Christianity's most enigmatic mystics navigated the impossible task of speaking about the unspeakable. Through careful analysis of four pivotal sermons by Meister Eckhart, this illuminating study reveals how the medieval preacher developed a revolutionary approach to discussing the divine.
Eckhart faced a fundamental paradox: as a negative theologian committed to God's absolute ineffability, how could he preach about something that transcends all language and understanding? Milem demonstrates that Eckhart's solution was brilliantly unconventional. Rather than offering conventional doctrinal teachings or mystical instructions, the medieval master employed paradox, wordplay, and striking imagery to guide his audiences toward transformative self-understanding.
This book unveils Eckhart's distinctive theological perspective, which presents God as simultaneously distinct from and indistinct from ordinary existence, including the human soul. For Eckhart, spiritual practice centers not on achieving salvation or mystical union, but on recognizing our fundamental dependence on the divine for our very being in each moment.
Milem's scholarly yet accessible commentary illuminates how Eckhart crafted complex verbal images that attempt to reveal divine truth while acknowledging their own limitations. Readers seeking deeper understanding of mystical Christianity and the challenges of spiritual expression will discover fresh insights into one of history's most daring theological voices.
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore Sermons, german
- ✓ Explore History
- ✓ Explore Christianity
- ✓ Explore Eckhart, johannes, 1260-1327
- ✓ Explore Preaching
- ✓ Explore Medieval Sermons
- ✓ Explore Sermons
- ✓ Explore German Sermons
Topics
Details
- Published
- 2002
- Publisher
- Catholic University of America Press
- ISBN-13
- 9780813210193
- ISBN-10
- 0813210194
- Pages
- 192
- Language
- EN
