Sexual imageries in Meister Eckhart

• Main Author: Garwood, George
• Published: King's College London (University of London) 2013
• Subjects: 193
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.628358

This study about sexuality in Eckhart’s works contains two major parts. The first division of the study (the first two chapters) treats sexuality, which is also to be understood as body from a universalistic perspective, while the latter part of this work (four chapters) deals with sexuality (as soul) from a particularistic or Eckhartian perspective. Furthermore, the universalistic part of this study deals with sexuality from a historical, philosophical, biological, sociological, and psychological point of view, while the latter part focuses on sexuality as seen through the theological and metaphysical lenses of Eckhart. However, there is harmonisation between both models – the universalistic and the particularistic models of sexuality – and this is where Eckhart brings about a reconciliation or synthesis between, on one hand, the traditional model which is often conflicted or dualistic in itself, and on the other hand, his model, stripped of, or detached from its historical sexual 'angst' is a model which no longer views sexuality as a deterrent, or an impediment in the path of the soul in her assent towards the divine. Because of this, he offers us a dynamic, a relevant, a progressive and a systematically coherent sexual theology which shows the necessity, the efficacy, and the meritoriousness of sexual relations between the soul and the divine. Furthermore, Eckhart’s language of sexuality is really an allegory about the sacredness of human sexual relationships. He, also by his sexual doctrine, shows that there is essentially no divide between God and humans. That is to say, God’s divinity is the 'ratio' of humanity’s existence, and this existence is mediated through imageries of birth and procreation. Moreover, these imageries mirror the nature of the Divine which is the 'totum' of all that is animate and inanimate, visible and invisible.