Synopses & Reviews
Though he lived in the 13th century, Meister Eckhart is in many ways modern. His thinking was deeply ecumenical, encompassing not just Judaism, Buddhism, and Hinduism but also shamanism and indigenous spirituality. He advocated for social, economic, and gender justice; taught about what we call ecology; and championed artistic creativity. All of these elements inspired Matthew Fox and influenced his Creation Spirituality. While Fox sees Eckharts influence on everyone from Teresa of Avila to Eckhart Tolle, Karl Marx and Carl Jung to Annie Dillard and Anne Morrow Lindbergh, he also wants to introduce Eckhart to those activists addressing contemporary crises. Toward that end, and as he did in his
Hildegard of Bingen, Fox creates metaphorical meetings between Eckhart and the Dalai Lama, Thomas Merton, Joanna Macy, Black Elk, Rumi, Adrienne Rich and others. The result is wonderfully reader-friendly while also being profoundly substantive and deeply inspiring.
Review
By connecting Eckharts wisdom to the problems of today, Fox creates a sense of optimistic urgency; solutions do not wait in the future or lie in the past, but are present right now if people choose to act with compassion and conviction. The book is not only an excellent introduction to Eckharts theology, but also an inspirational guidepost for connecting faith with activism.”
Publishers Weekly
In this book Matthew Fox, one of the gigantic Christians of this century, engages and presents Meister Eckhart, one of the gigantic Christians of the ages, in dialogue with some of todays best minds. The result is a stunning new vision of Christianity that transcends both creeds and boundaries. It is a thrilling read.”
John Shelby Spong, author of The Fourth Gospel: Tales of a Jewish Mystic
Matthew Fox is perhaps the greatest writer on Meister Eckhart that has ever existed. No one paints as broad a portrait of the master as Fox does in this book.”
Steven Herrmann, author of Spiritual Democracy
I cant imagine a richer, juicier, or more relevant introduction to the grandeur and brilliance of Meister Eckharts vision. Matthew Fox has given us yet another radioactive, stunning work. Every chapter is a pure, clear, and swift revelation.”
Andrew Harvey, author of The Hope: A Guide to Sacred Activism
[Fox] not only gives us his beloved spiritual father as a living presence for our lives but also brings us a whole rainbow of mystic-warriors as companions on the way.”
Joanna Macy, coauthor of Active Hope
Whether our species has a future on Earth does not depend on the development of more gee-whiz technologies, but on whether we are willing to move into the psycho-spiritual dimension proclaimed by Meister Eckhart and elucidated by Matthew Fox in this important book.”
Larry Dossey, MD, author of One Mind
Crucial! Fox brings Eckharts voice into cogent meeting with a long list of pivotal global luminaries. Marrying these confluences may well determine the success or failure of our planets inevitable process toward globalization and multiculturalism.”
Kurt Johnson, coauthor of The Coming Interspiritual Age
Synopsis
Though he lived in the thirteenth century, Meister Eckharts deeply ecumenical teachings were in many ways modern. He taught about what we call ecology, championed artistic creativity, and advocated for social, economic, and gender justice. All these elements have inspired spiritual maverick Matthew Fox and influenced his Creation Spirituality. Here, Fox creates metaphorical meetings between Eckhart and Teilhard de Chardin, Thich Nhat Hanh, Carl Jung, Black Elk, Rumi, Adrienne Rich, and other radical thinkers. The result is profoundly insightful, substantive, and inspiring.
About the Author
The author of thirty books, Matthew Fox has been an instrumental teacher and scholar in the revival of Western mysticism, particularly the work of Hildegard of Bingen, Meister Eckhart, and Thomas Aquinas. Fox teaches and speaks widely and lives in Oakland, California.
Table of Contents
Introduction
1. The God of Awe, Wonder, and Radical Amazement: Meister Eckhart Meets Rabbi Heschel
2. The Christ of the Earth and Cosmos: Meister Eckhart Meets Teilhard de Chardin and Thomas Berry
3. The Apophatic Divinity: Meister Eckhart meets Buddhism via Thich Nhat Hahn and the Dalai Lama
4.The Divine Feminine: Meister Eckhart Meets Adrienne Rich
5. Liberated and Liberating Sisters: Meister Eckhart Meets Dorothee Soelle, the Beguines Mechtild of Magdeburg and Marguerite Porret, and Julian of Norwich
6. The Historical Jesus: Meister Eckhart Meets Marcus Borg, Bruce Chilton and John Dominic Crossan
7. Depth Psychology: Meister Eckhart Meets Carl Jung
8. Creativity as Psychotherapy: Meister Eckhart Meets Otto Rank
9. Wisdom of Hinduism: Meister Eckhart Meets the Upanishads and the Vedas via Ananda Coomaraswamy and Father Bede Griffiths
10. Eckhart as Sufi: Meister Eckhart Meets Rumi, Hafiz and Ibn Arabi
11. Indigenous Wisdom and Shamanism: Meister Eckhart Meets the Dreamtime, Black Elk, Mircea Eliade, Bill Everson and Robinson Jeffers
12. Warriors for Economic Justice: Meister Eckhart Meets David Korten and Anita Roddick
13. Warriors for a Deeper Education: Meister Eckhart Meets M.C. Richards, Yellawe, Lily Yeh and Theodore Richards
Conclusion: Where Might Eckhart Take Us?