Meister Eckhart from Whom God Hid Nothing [Paperback]

David O'Neal (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 13, 1996

This introduction to the writing and preaching of the greatest medieval European mystic contains selections from his sermons, treatises, and sayings, as well as Table Talk, the records of his informal advice to his spiritual children.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Even though the Roman Catholic Church tried hard to suppress its German Dominican priest, Meister Eckhart (1260-1327), by excommunication and condemnation, his writings have remained influential. Eckhart has been especially important among those seeking ways to connect Eastern religious traditions to Christian ones. The problem is that Eckhart's writing is difficult reading, losing much in translation not only from German to English but also from the 13th to the 20th century. O'Neal has produced an exceptional introductory edition that makes Eckhart more accessible. O'Neal's edition is an important introduction to Eckhart's work in that it draws the best texts from the most successful translations and, from them, produces a rich tapestry of presentation for this often quoted and little understood Rhineland mystic.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

That Meister Eckhart is among the most important of Christian mystics is beyond dispute, so any collection that makes his work accessible to a wider audience is welcome. This new collection assembles material from existing translations along with a foreword by an important contemporary Benedictine mystic. The material is organized with an eye toward easing readers into Eckhart, beginning with short quotations then moving to table talk, sermons, and other longer pieces. That is not a bad organizational strategy, though readers may find it more exhilarating to plunge into Eckhart then swim slowly back toward the beginning. Read the book backward; start with Eckhart, then consider David Steindl-Rast's foreword and the editor's introductory note--both full of excellent advice and useful information for second and subsequent readings. Steve Schroeder

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Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Shambhala; 1st edition (February 13, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 157062139X
• ISBN-13: 978-1570621390
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #497,563 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good introduction to Meister Eckhart., July 25, 2001

By 

PrickliestPear (Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Meister Eckhart from Whom God Hid Nothing (Paperback)

Meister Eckhart has become one of my favourites, and this is the book that introduced me to his work. If you're interested in his writings, this is a good place to start.

Although I found some parts of the book very difficult at first, when I read through them again many months later they started to make more and more sense. One must learn to read Eckhart properly, or he is very easily misunderstood. He expresses perfectly orthodox ideas in very unorthodox ways, throwing all concern with theological precision to the wind. Reading his work can be very refreshing, once one learns to read it properly.

If you're looking for more, I recommend College and McGinn's 'Meister Eckhart: The Essential Sermons, Commentaries, Treatises, and Defense.'

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A beautiful book!, July 6, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Meister Eckhart from Whom God Hid Nothing (Paperback)

This little book has become my favorite edition of Eckhart's writings. It's a beautiful collection of spiritual counsel and insight into the soul's relationship with God. Drawn primarily from his German sermons and letters, the langauge is more direct and less technical than in his Latin treatises, and more practical in orientation -- these are primarily his writings on the spiritual life, rather than his more complicated theological treatises. Amazingly profound, powerful, and fresh in the way he writes about the mystical experience that transcends all language. There are passages that are pure poetry. I had to buy copies for all my friends.

If you like this book, you might also try the poems of Angelus Silesius and, more recently, Frithjof Schuon.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Ultimate and the Divine Spark, December 21, 2006

By 

OAKSHAMAN "oakshaman" (Algoma, WI United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Meister Eckhart from Whom God Hid Nothing (Paperback)

While I had read about Eckhart for years, I was apprehensive about delving deeper into his actual writings. That is why this book is such a pleasant surprise, for the author has "moved a lot of soil" to get at his finest moments. Not only that, but since Eckhart was a mystic in the deepest sense, his meaning is perhaps clearer than that of any other medieval mind, for all true mystics are united by the same common thread connecting them to the same common source all through history. They all transcend history.

Eckhart has that ability to effortlessly transcend the Emanation (unmovable God beyond time and space) and Immanence (God present throughout his creation) question. Indeed he accepts and reconciles both without conflict. There is no surer evidence that he saw all things from a higher plane than this. In his concept of the divine spark in each of us he unites us with the Ultimate- while the rest of creation is influenced by the emanation of the Holy Spirit down through the planes. Only man has this "cosmic wormhole" to connect him directly with the ultimate- the opening of this portal on our side is called "Christ."

As the author points out there are very few teachers that seem equally accessible by both Pope and Dalai Lama. That is because the Meister represents the pinnacle of spiritual connection in the West.