A Hidden Wisdom

Medieval Contemplatives on Self-Knowledge, Reason, Love, Persons, and Immortality

By: Christina Van Dyke

Narrated by: Christina Van Dyke

Length: 7 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's summary

Medieval philosophy is primarily associated today with university-based disputations and the authorities cited in those disputations. In their own time, however, scholastic debates were recognized as just one part of wide-ranging philosophical and theological discussions. A Hidden Wisdom breaks new ground by drawing attention to another crucial component of these conversations: the Christian contemplative tradition.

The period from 1200 to 1500, in particular, saw a dramatic increase in the production and consumption of mystical and contemplative literature in the "Christian West," by laypeople as well as religious scholars, women as well as men. A Hidden Wisdom focuses on five topics of particular interest, namely, self-knowledge, reason and its limits, love and the will, persons, and immortality and the afterlife. This focus centers the (often overlooked) contributions of medieval women and demonstrates that when we reunite scholasticism with its contemplative counterpart, we gain not only a more accurate understanding of the scope of medieval Christian philosophy and theology but also an increased awareness of a deeply practical tradition that builds up as well as tears down.

The book's treatment of topics and figures is meant to be representative rather than exhaustive: a tasting menu, rather than a comprehensive study.

©2022 Christina Van Dyke (P)2023 Tantor

Excellent History, Excellent Philosophy

I don’t know if it’s very common to call a book of philosophy and history a page-turner but for me this one really was. I couldn’t put it down and I finished it very quickly. I’m going through it a second time now to better master the material. Van Dyke’s basic project with this book is to apply the insights of medieval contemplatives, i.e. mystics, to some of the most fundamental issues of philosophy. These are: self-knowledge, reason, love, persons, and immortality. These topics have certainly been studied in analytical ways in formal university settings both in the Middle Ages and up to today. Medieval Scholasticism is a paradigmatic example of the analytic approach. But, as Van Dyke demonstrates, the Scholastic approach of the university was not the only way that these fundamental issues of philosophy were addressed. The mystical writings and practices of the Medieval contemplatives also engaged with the topics of self-knowledge, reason, love, persons, and immortality. In particular, contemplatives often approached topics less abstractly and from a more fleshly, visceral perspective appropriate to our nature as embodied beings. Van Dyke’s book produces a remarkable synthesis and explication of their contributions. Her historical scholarship is excellent. But what ultimately emerges from the text is also a highly developed and original philosophy. And it is as a philosopher that I think Van Dyke especially shines.

Medieval figures discussed in the book include: Richard of Saint Victor, Francis of Assisi, Claire of Assisi, Hadewijch, Bonaventure, Thomas Aquinas, Mechthild of Magdeburg, Mechtilde of Hackeborn, Gertrude the Great, Angela of Foligno, Marguerite d'Oingt, Marguerite Porete, Meister Eckhart, Richard Rolle, Margareta Ebner, Johannes Tauler, Henry Suso, Bridgette of Sweden, Catherine of Sienna, John van Ruysbroeck, The Cloud of Unknowing, Walter Hilton, Julian of Norwich, Christine de Pizan, Thomas à Kempis, Giovanni Pico della Mirandola, and Marsilio Ficino.

Also, I like it when authors narrate their own books. It was delightful to hear Van Dyke's own voice.