Sermons and Treatises

by Meister Eckhart

A faithful and authoritative translation of this fourteenth century Dominican theologian, who became the greatest of all German mystics.

Genres: Spirituality

299 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 1987

About the author

Eckhart von Hochheim, commonly known as Meister Eckhart, was a German theologian, philosopher and mystic, born near Gotha, in Thuringia.

Meister is German for "Master", referring to the academic title Magister in theologia he obtained in Paris. Coming into prominence during the decadent Avignon Papacy and a time of increased tensions between the Franciscans and Eckhart's Dominican Order of Preacher Friars, he was brought up on charges later in life before the local Franciscan-led Inquisition. Tried as a heretic by Pope John XXII, his "Defence" is famous for his reasoned arguments to all challenged articles of his writing and his refutation of heretical intent. He purportedly died before his verdict was received, although no record of his death or burial site has ever been discovered.

Meister Eckhart is sometimes (erroneously) referred to as "Johannes Eckhart", although Eckhart was his given name and von Hochheim was his surname.

"Perhaps no mystic in the history of Christianity has been more influential and more controversial than the Dominican Meister Eckart. Few, if any, mystics have been as challenging to modern day readers and as resistant to agreed-upon interpretation."
—Bernard McGinn, The Mystical Thought of Meister Eckhart

Reviews

[David Grönlund · Rating 4 out of 5]

A note on a thing that stuck with me (freely translated) : "The masters teach not to read the Word literally, but if something seem harsh, you have to put it in a higher understanding, and to do this you need parables." I agree on this. I look at the word as an authority, and while there are some really difficult passages in there, it still makes no sense to pick and choose what I think is true or not; this is hard, but if I want God to communicate with me from the Word I have to accept it as it is. That do mean trying to read it from its context, both historical and what the entire Bible as a whole has to say about God; Eckhart draws many conclusions and parables concerning the inner life with God from verses I usually read literally. This is a valuable lesson.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

His essence brings you depth of understanding while being both simple and profound.

[Tero · Rating 3 out of 5]

Magister Eckhart's theology remains a bit obscure after reading the book, although the 50+ page introduction gave some direction, explaining during which era he lived and what he was targeted for by the inquisition. Medieval Dominican monasteries and theology are interesting subjects in themselves, but it would have been interesting to learn a bit how Eckhart developed his peculiar beliefs; it would have been nice if the editor would have explored (if not produced a religio-historical critique of) how Eckhart's thought had evolved - or just presented some of his ideas. As it is, it is an interesting look at medieval theology that got a negative reaction from the Pope and got the Meister targeted by the Inquisition and declared a heretic.
As a sidenote outside the subject of this book: The Dominicans of Visby, Sweden, were responsible for several decades for administrating Christianity in the area later known as Finland, in the mid-thirteenth century when there was no bishop in Åbo and the land was part of Sweden (and would remain part of Sweden for over 600 years). This was around the time when Eckhart was born, and much of the Church altarpieces in Finland of the time came from the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation (while most sculptures of Finland were made by Visby's sculptor masters). With the Dominican friars came some prolific masters of wood sculpture to the Åbo area in the late 13th century, and the Dominicans did receive an order from the Pope to take care of the land's Christianity. This time did not last very long, but it influenced later history of the Church (and Church art) in Finland. Visby, in the isle of Gotland, Sweden, is particularly rich in ancient Dominican history, cloisters and ruins from the 11th-14th centuries.

[Stephen Borthwick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite the drawbacks of his divorce from Eckhart's context that leads to minor ambiguities serving his own ideological ends, O'Connell-Walshe has produced what is and shall remain the definitive collection of Eckhart's vernacular works in his three-volume Sermons and Treatises (Sermons and TreatisesSermons and Treatises) collection. It is the best one can get next to reading the sermons in the original Middle High German, and is a must-have resource for any scholar of Western Christian Mysticism or of Western Christianity in general.