Monday, April 9, 2012

Cloudy

more from Russell's Spiritual Classics (see my last two posts)

The Cloud of Unknowing

Who: Anonymous, an English Monk?, possibly a Carthusian
What:  spiritual guidebook, including translations of other religious texts ( such as Dionysius the Areopagite, a 5th c. Syrian); a statement of apophatic mysticism
When:  14th century
Where:  England?
How:  original in English?
Why:  to approach God in prayer through love rather than rationality
Influenced: Meister Eckhart, St. John of the Cross, some Trappist monks, Spinoza?, Kant, Kierkegaard

Hmm...  My experience of God is so grace-filled, so "in my face," that I am moved to approach God w/ the complete trust of a loved child, and because of this grace (where-in I KNOW I am loved), I approach God as One Who Knows Me and One Who Can Be Known because our communion is already in the flow of God's Love.

I would like to study this work someday; however, I'm not very attracted to the idea of the unknowableness of God.  I rather believe God makes Himself Knowable through Love.  And this is the best kind of knowing!!! :)


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