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Living Without a Why: Meister Eckhart's Mysticism
Encounter one of the most influential figures in Christian spirituality.
"To be full of things is to be empty of God. To be empty of things is to be full of God." Said by Meister Eckhart, these words encapsulate the insight of a timeless philosopher, theologian, author, preacher, and mystic. Eckhart has contributed spiritual direction and knowledge to generations of Christians, yet his wisdom remains unknown to many.
Now, you can discover his fascinating and complex mystical theology. You will discover why he has enthralled believers through the centuries with his powerful mystical vision and his fruitful understanding of the human-divine relationship.
Controversial in his lifetime and beyond, Eckhart has exerted enormous influence on contemporary theology, philosophy, and spirituality. Today, his mystical theology also serves as a fruitful avenue for interreligious dialogue, particularly with Buddhism and Hinduism. In this course, you will explore Eckhart's historical and theological context as well as the central tenets of his thought.
In Living Without a Meister Eckhart's Mysticism, you will gain fresh perspectives and resounding insights for your faith. Let Meister Eckhart leave his impact on your heart as he has on others for centuries past.
"To be full of things is to be empty of God. To be empty of things is to be full of God." Said by Meister Eckhart, these words encapsulate the insight of a timeless philosopher, theologian, author, preacher, and mystic. Eckhart has contributed spiritual direction and knowledge to generations of Christians, yet his wisdom remains unknown to many.
Now, you can discover his fascinating and complex mystical theology. You will discover why he has enthralled believers through the centuries with his powerful mystical vision and his fruitful understanding of the human-divine relationship.
Controversial in his lifetime and beyond, Eckhart has exerted enormous influence on contemporary theology, philosophy, and spirituality. Today, his mystical theology also serves as a fruitful avenue for interreligious dialogue, particularly with Buddhism and Hinduism. In this course, you will explore Eckhart's historical and theological context as well as the central tenets of his thought.
In Living Without a Meister Eckhart's Mysticism, you will gain fresh perspectives and resounding insights for your faith. Let Meister Eckhart leave his impact on your heart as he has on others for centuries past.
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Published August 24, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 19, 2023
This series of lectures was my introduction to Meister Eckhart, the German mystic who was nearly tried for heresy, and it was profound!
I’ve spent a lot of time as a Christian concerned with being right and staying within clean doctrinal lines (to my detriment). Though curious about it, I’ve mostly avoided mysticism as a dangerous blurring of my comfortable lines. In this respect, Eckhart has already begun to serve as a bridge towards mystic concepts I’ve been reluctant to approach with my heart. For instance, I’ve often viewed those who blur the lines between self and God as falling into the dangerous trap of pantheism (if God is all and in all, then are we not God?). But Eckhart proposes that we, much like the members of the Trinity, are a boiling over or eminence from the One God. Thus, mankind is distinct while being derivative (Imago Dei). “Where the creature ends, there God begins,” he says rather decisively. But this makes me more comfortable saying “I Am” and referring to myself and God alike.
Eckhart also notably finds concepts like detachment or emptiness that I’d normally associate with something like Buddhism or Taoism natively in the Christian faith (he likely wasn’t even aware of these other religions!) He urges Christians to empty themselves as God is empty of all but Being and to detachment from self. “Eckhart is acutely aware of the dangers of an all-consuming fixation with the particular autonomous self, the ‘I’, or the ego. It forges an idol out of the self and disregards the communal nature of reality, the transparent unity that we ‘are’ into which we must surrender. This leads to separation, alienation, disorientation, and amnesia regarding our divine identity.” Well, there’s a mystical critique to individualism!
Speaking of attachments, which can often be synonymous with expectations, Meister discourages Christians from expecting things from God. In a critique of capitalist shaped faith, he says of its practitioners, “these merchants expect daily life, with all its haggling and profiting to be perfectly mirrored in the human-divine relationship. They have constructed their quotidian life and religiosity around bartering. The delusional business people expect that if they deliver on their end of the business deal that God must deliver on God’s end of the deal and provide salvation.” Boy, that sounds a lot like our culture’s mega institutional church structures, designed to be marketed to people so they know what divine bundle package they can expect to receive if they commit any time or money to church/God. Prosperity Gospel is alive and well in America, it just moves more subtlety under different language and promises. This reminds me of St Bernard’s four degrees of love, which are perhaps more gracious than Eckhart:
1st Degree: Love of Self for Self’s Sake
2nd Degree: Love of God for Self’s Sake (what we’re talking about here)
3rd Degree: Love of God for Self’s Sake
4th Degree: Love of Self for God’s Sake
Bernard views it as natural that we will love God for his benefits and gifts at first, but believes the path to maturity lies in moving beyond such a surface level love to loving God for who he is rather than what he offers. Perhaps these two men’s theologies are not so much in conflict as Eckhart would agree that moving towards the 3rd and 4th degrees are the goal and that detachment is the way to arrive.
In closing, yes much of this is dense and slightly esoteric, but I’m trying some of these mystical beliefs on for size and finding them helpful (for now at least). I’m grateful for these lectures and I’m excited to get into Eckhart’s own words now.
I’ve spent a lot of time as a Christian concerned with being right and staying within clean doctrinal lines (to my detriment). Though curious about it, I’ve mostly avoided mysticism as a dangerous blurring of my comfortable lines. In this respect, Eckhart has already begun to serve as a bridge towards mystic concepts I’ve been reluctant to approach with my heart. For instance, I’ve often viewed those who blur the lines between self and God as falling into the dangerous trap of pantheism (if God is all and in all, then are we not God?). But Eckhart proposes that we, much like the members of the Trinity, are a boiling over or eminence from the One God. Thus, mankind is distinct while being derivative (Imago Dei). “Where the creature ends, there God begins,” he says rather decisively. But this makes me more comfortable saying “I Am” and referring to myself and God alike.
Eckhart also notably finds concepts like detachment or emptiness that I’d normally associate with something like Buddhism or Taoism natively in the Christian faith (he likely wasn’t even aware of these other religions!) He urges Christians to empty themselves as God is empty of all but Being and to detachment from self. “Eckhart is acutely aware of the dangers of an all-consuming fixation with the particular autonomous self, the ‘I’, or the ego. It forges an idol out of the self and disregards the communal nature of reality, the transparent unity that we ‘are’ into which we must surrender. This leads to separation, alienation, disorientation, and amnesia regarding our divine identity.” Well, there’s a mystical critique to individualism!
Speaking of attachments, which can often be synonymous with expectations, Meister discourages Christians from expecting things from God. In a critique of capitalist shaped faith, he says of its practitioners, “these merchants expect daily life, with all its haggling and profiting to be perfectly mirrored in the human-divine relationship. They have constructed their quotidian life and religiosity around bartering. The delusional business people expect that if they deliver on their end of the business deal that God must deliver on God’s end of the deal and provide salvation.” Boy, that sounds a lot like our culture’s mega institutional church structures, designed to be marketed to people so they know what divine bundle package they can expect to receive if they commit any time or money to church/God. Prosperity Gospel is alive and well in America, it just moves more subtlety under different language and promises. This reminds me of St Bernard’s four degrees of love, which are perhaps more gracious than Eckhart:
1st Degree: Love of Self for Self’s Sake
2nd Degree: Love of God for Self’s Sake (what we’re talking about here)
3rd Degree: Love of God for Self’s Sake
4th Degree: Love of Self for God’s Sake
Bernard views it as natural that we will love God for his benefits and gifts at first, but believes the path to maturity lies in moving beyond such a surface level love to loving God for who he is rather than what he offers. Perhaps these two men’s theologies are not so much in conflict as Eckhart would agree that moving towards the 3rd and 4th degrees are the goal and that detachment is the way to arrive.
In closing, yes much of this is dense and slightly esoteric, but I’m trying some of these mystical beliefs on for size and finding them helpful (for now at least). I’m grateful for these lectures and I’m excited to get into Eckhart’s own words now.
August 13, 2023
Fascinerende og gøy, men forstår fortsatt ikkje Gud.
Tenke at om en bok eksistere for å forklare ein aen bok eller tanke, så må d vær en god forklaring, denne va bare grei. Men tror eg hadde hatt glede av å lese hans egne verk.
Tenke at om en bok eksistere for å forklare ein aen bok eller tanke, så må d vær en god forklaring, denne va bare grei. Men tror eg hadde hatt glede av å lese hans egne verk.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews