Meister Eckhart - Icon Profile | Alexandria
Meister Eckhart (c. 1260-1328), born Johannes Eckhart von Hochheim, stands as one of the most enigmatic and influential mystics of medieval Christianity, whose radical teachings on the nature of God and the soul continue to challenge and inspire religious and philosophical thought. Known variously as Meister Eckhart, Eckhart von Hochheim, and Echardus, this Dominican friar and scholastic philosopher developed a profound synthesis of Neo-Platonic mysticism and scholastic rationalism that would later influence both Western and Eastern spiritual traditions.
First emerging in the intellectual landscape of 13th-century Paris and Strasbourg, Eckhart's earliest documented activities place him within the vibrant theological debates of medieval Europe. His academic career began at the University of Paris, where he earned the coveted title of Meister (Master), though surviving manuscripts suggest his influence extended far beyond the university walls to the pastoral care of Dominican nuns in the Rhineland, where he delivered his revolutionary vernacular sermons.
Eckhart's teachings, characterized by the controversial concept of the "ground of the soul" (grunt der sêle) where God and human consciousness become indistinguishable, sparked both fervent devotion and accusations of heresy. His assertion that the soul's essence is identical with God's essence led to a trial by the Inquisition in 1326, though he died before its conclusion. The papal bull "In agro dominico" of 1329 condemned 28 of his propositions, yet paradoxically preserved his ideas for posterity through detailed documentation of his thought.
Today, Eckhart's legacy resonates across diverse spiritual and philosophical traditions, from Martin Heidegger's existentialism to Zen Buddhism's non-dualistic approach. His writings on detachment (abegescheidenheit) and the birth of the Word in the soul continue to offer insight into contemporary questions of consciousness, identity, and the nature of divine reality. Modern scholars increasingly recognize him as a pioneer of German philosophical terminology and a bridge between Eastern and Western mystical traditions. What remains most compelling about Eckhart is not just his theological innovations, but how his teachings continue to challenge conventional boundaries between self and divine, knowing and being, time and eternity.