Premium
Mystical Philosophy in the Fifteenth Century: New Directions in Research on Nicholas of Cusa
Author(s) -
Albertson David
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
religion compass
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.113
H-Index - 1
ISSN - 1749-8171
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-8171.2010.00232.x
Subject(s) - mysticism , scholarship , contemplation , fifteenth , philosophy , german , novelty , epistemology , metaphysics , classics , action (physics) , literature , theology , history , art , law , linguistics , political science , physics , quantum mechanics
Nicholas of Cusa (1401–1464) is one of the most fascinating Christian authors of the fifteenth century. His vision of an immanent God in an infinite universe weaves together some of the most vibrant strands of medieval Christian mysticism. Although his diverse writings are difficult to classify, they can be understood as a kind of mystical philosophy. While older patterns of research on Nicholas of Cusa separated the medieval and modern aspects of his thought, recent scholarship has tried to overcome this divide. Building on three waves of past scholarship, new directions in research attempt to unify potential divisions in the German cardinal’s writings: between science and religion, novelty and tradition, action and contemplation, and mathematics and theology.