IBERO-AMERICAN
MEISTER ECKHART CIRCLE

Meister Eckhart (1260-1328) is a figure from the Middle Ages who, since his rediscovery in the early 19th century, has demonstrated  ‒ and continues to demonstrate ‒ a significant influence on Western culture. The openness to diversity that is characteristic of Eckhartian thought makes it particularly suitable as a foundational pillar for dialogue and for coexistence alongside other cultural and religious forms. His exquisite mastery of language – whether writing in Latin or in Middle High German (Mittelhochdeutsch) – means that Meister Eckhart appeals to not only philosophical, theological, and historical disciplines, but also to philological ones, particularly Germanic studies.

Perhaps as a consequence of the condemnation of some of his central theological theses by Pope John XXII in 1328, the reception of Eckhartian thought in the Ibero-American cultural sphere has to date proved very limited. But this situation has been shifting, especially over the last twenty years, a change wich culminated in the March 2022 creation of the Ibero-American Meister Eckhart Circle.

This is an interdisciplinary group that brings together theologians, philosophers, historians, Latinists, and Germanists; primarily Ibero-American, it nonetheless remains open to specialists from other cultural realms. The Circle seeks not only to present Eckhart’s work within its Ibero-American context but also – without disregarding its Ibero-American origin – to hold a significant place in international discussions concerning Eckhart’s life, work, and thought