Mediaevalia Lovaniensia - Series 1/Studia From Eckhart to Ruusbroec

The mystical relationship between Meister Eckhart and Jan van Ruusbroec

In this thorough textual, historical, and doctrinal study the author seeks

to clarify the relationship between two prominent mystics of the fourteenth

century: Meister Eckhart, the German Dominican, and Jan van Ruusbroec,

the Brabantine Augustinian. Special attention is paid to Ruusbroec's

criticism of mystical tenets circulating in Brabant at that time which

were both textually and doctrinally related to Eckhart's condemned propositions

in the papal bull 'In agro dominico'. This fact implies that Ruusbroec

was confronted with the impact of the condemnation of Eckhart's doctrines

on the people in Brabant. Situating Ruusbroec's life and works within

the aftermath of Eckhart's arrival, the author elucidates Ruusbroec's

position regarding the relevant mystical themes in the later Middle Ages,

and follows a process of critical inheritance of mystical tradition from

Eckhart to Ruusbroec.