Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Although Meister Eckhart is frequently regarded as a speculative mystic, his practical teachings, particularly concerning love, are often overlooked. This study explores the practical consequences of his statements on neighborly love in order to demonstrate his concrete contributions to ethics. Our research reveals that Eckhart views true love as a Trinitarian act of grace where humans participate in God’s love. Through pure, selfless love, human beings become inhabited by the Holy Spirit, loving their neighbors universally and equally as themselves. These findings are drawn from a textual analysis of Eckhart’s Latin commentaries on the Gospel of John and his German sermons, focusing on his Trinitarian theology and doctrine of virtues. Ultimately, love is identified as the central divine virtue that unifies the soul with God. When individuals love without seeking their own interest, their actions are simultaneously human and divine works. Thus, Eckhart’s profound theology offers a highly practical framework where perfect love radically transforms ethical action.
Source: Religions
DOI: 10.3390/rel17050545
Authors: Silvia Bara Bancel, Markus Enders
Institutions: Universidad Pontificia Comillas, University of Freiburg
Language: English
Subfield: Philosophy
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,172
OpenAlex ID: W7160025063