Johannes Tauler: Sermons (Classics of Western Spirituality) (Paperback)

by Maria Shrady (Author), Josef Schmidt (Translator) "This Sermon on the threefold birth, which Tauler preached on Christmas Day, is taken from the three Holy Masses of this solemn feast..." (more)
Key Phrases: inmost ground, innermost ground, divine abyss, Saint Peter, Saint Paul, May God (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Along with Meister Eckhart and Henry Suso, Johannes Tauler (c. 1300-1361) was one of the most influential German mystical writers of the fourteenth century. Born in Strasbourg, he spent virtually all of his life there working as a mendicant preacher in the Order of Preachers. A product of the newly ascendant merchant class, he attempted to address its concern for a practical, active spirituality while being true to the apophatic tradition that he saw in Eckhart. If Eckhart can be called the greatest theoretician of the spiritual life in fourteenth-century Europe, then Tauler was certainly the one who most effectively interpreted Eckhart's message to a broader audience, adding a measure of balance and clarity lacking in his master.

Tauler's sermons were among the most influential spiritual writings of the late middle ages, esteemed in their own day by their hearers and later by both Catholics and Protestants. This translation of selected sermons by Maria Shrady captures the brilliance and perspicuity that has made Tauler famous.

Summing up his contribution, Josef Schmidt writes in his introduction to this volume: "He was preaching in the context of an everyday medieval reality which he tried to make translucent for men of good will, enabling them to return to what he perceived to be the ultimate union: the return to God."

Language Notes
Text: English, German (translation)

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Paulist Press (November 1985)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0809126850
• ISBN-13: 978-0809126859
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #481,952 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good collection of Tauler's works, March 6, 2007

By	Greg (Australia) - See all my reviews

Johannes Tauler was one of the famous trio of 'Rhineland mystics' who flourished in the 13th century in Germany, the other two being Meister Eckhart and Henry Suso.

Tauler was, like Eckhart and Suso, a Dominican preacher whose calling involved both contemplation, prayer, study, but most importantly of all, going from place to place and preaching the word of God to all people in need of spiritual nourishment.

After Eckhart Tauler is certainly the most noble and great of the Rhineland mystics. While deeply influenced by many of Eckhart's ideas and notions, especially the 'ground' where the soul unites mysteriously to God, Tauler distanced himself somewhat from Eckhart after his condemnation for heresy and cautiously re-phrased or re-stated many of his ideas so they were more in line with the Church orthodoxy of the time. Tauler combined Eckhart's mysticism with excellent spiritual discernment and an extraordinary talent for pastoral care, and his warmth and impartiality in his preaching to both the lowest and highest in society attests to his great humulity, decent sense, and groundedness which is often lost by many mystics.

Tauler also had powerful mystical experiences of his own, revolving around experiencing God in the ground of his being, and while Tauler often uses extraordinary language to describe his experience, he is always careful to emphasize it cannot be achieved without the moral life of virtue and being grounded in the sacramental life of the Church, something Eckhart tended to de-emphasize more in favour of a profound sense of total oneness with God via a vigorous process of emptying the mind of ego, self, images and will.

Tauler's approach however is far more realistic and practical, and he counsels no-one under the age of 50 years will achieve these sorts of unitive experiences, and even only then if they are purified morally and in very good standing in terms of inward holiness.

This in my view, makes Tauler one of the fouyr greatest mystics of medieval times, along with Eckhart himself, the writer of the Cloud of Unknowing, and the Flemish mystic Ruysbroeck.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awonderful aid in opening the Door, December 28, 2007

By	M. Walker - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

If you buy this book...God is calling you home. You will certainly become holier than in the present n0w. Remarkably informative with insights of the Master from the student of Meister Eckhart & Thomas Aquinas. These sermons are the ones you hope to hear and n0w God has placed in your sight. Go for it! The best money can buy with a whole lot more!

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Johannes Tauler: Sermons, December 17, 2007

By	Andrew E. Carlsson (1008 Old School Road, Quakertown, PA 18951) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The Classics of Western Spirituality is another series of resources from the writings of those who focused on the spiritual life. Each volume has a general introduction to the writer, and often each writing is also introduced.
In the volume, Johannes Tauler: Sermons, the very helpful general introduction by Josef Schmidt of McGill, gives us information not only about Tauler, but also the context in which he lived. You will be introduced to the three central features of medieval Christian mysticism and Tauler role in them. Schmidt also shares some objective observations about the "heresies" in Tauler's and others writings at the time. In addition, Schmidt gives a brief summary of Tauler's life and theology, and how he differs from Meister Eckhart and others.
A very helpful book for understanding medieval spiritual in the Christian Church.