the mystical theology of valentin weigel - DataSpace at Princeton ...

title page, as mentioned above, despite the fact that Eckhart’s sermons occupy one third
of the book. Hieronymus suggests that the publisher attempted to conceal the presence of
Eckhart under Tauler’s name for fear of being seen to print the works of a heretic. 181
However, the following discussion will demonstrate that it is more likely that the layout
of the Basel Tauler edition is simply due to the fact Eckhart was not considered
particularly important—or at least was considered less important than Tauler.
In the small paragraph that opens the third part of the edition (the section with
Eckhart’s sermons, that is), Eckhart is praised as having been an important source for
Tauler. The editor groups together in this third part sermons by a number of theologians,
who have in common only the fact that they influenced Tauler: “folgen hernach etlich gar
subtil und trefflich kostlich predigen, etlicher vast gelertter andechtiger vätter und lerer,
auß denen man achtet Doctorem Tauler etwas seins grundes geno[m]me[n] habe[n].” 182
Eckhart is the chief amongst these influences, but is limited to being merely an influence
nonetheless: Tauler mentions Eckhart “underweylen.” From a twentieth century
perspective, accustomed to praise of Eckhart as a great theologian, this is hardly a ringing
endorsement of Eckhart’s importance.
The editor of the Basel edition goes on, however, to note that Tauler’s source was
indeed worthy, a “fürtreffenlich hochgelerter man,” who was “in subtilikeiten natürlicher
und göttlicher künsten so hoch bericht, das vil gelerter leüt zuo seinen zeitten in ni wol
verstuonde[n].” 183 This assessment replicates earlier judgments of Eckhart as too learned
for his own good, as ahead of his time and therefore rejected by contemporaries who
misunderstood him. The editor goes on to allude to Eckhart’s tangled dealings with the
181 Hieronymus, 140.
182 BT, CCXLII va.
183 Ibid.
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