Mechthild of Magdeburg c. 1207 – c. 1282
Mechthild of Magdeburg (c. 1207 – c. 1282) was a German philosopher of the Medieval era, associated with Medieval Philosophy and Christian Philosophy.
Mechthild of Magdeburg was a German beguine and Christian mystic and the author of The Flowing Light of the Godhead, the first major work of mystical theology written in Middle Low German. From her early twenties she experienced visions which she eventually recorded, at the urging of her Dominican confessor, over more than four decades. Driven from Magdeburg by hostile ecclesiastical authorities, she retired to the convent of Helfta, where her writing exercised a deep influence on the German mystical tradition that would culminate in Eckhart and Tauler.
Key facts
- Nationality
- German
- Era
- Medieval
- Movements
- Medieval Philosophy, Christian Philosophy
Selected quotes
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Attributed to Mechthild of Magdeburg:
“I am the love that fills the heavens.”
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Attributed to Mechthild of Magdeburg:
“Lord, I bring you my emptiness; fill it with yourself.”
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Attributed to Mechthild of Magdeburg:
“The day of my spiritual awakening was the day I saw and knew I saw all things in God and God in all things.”
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Attributed to Mechthild of Magdeburg:
“Why love is so deep cannot be explained.”
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Attributed to Mechthild of Magdeburg:
“The desire of God is older than the soul that desires Him.”
Mechthild of Magdeburg by topic
Frequently asked about Mechthild of Magdeburg
- When did Mechthild of Magdeburg live?
- Mechthild of Magdeburg was born in c. 1207 and died in c. 1282.
- Where was Mechthild of Magdeburg from?
- Mechthild of Magdeburg was a German philosopher of the Medieval era.
- What philosophical movements is Mechthild of Magdeburg associated with?
- Mechthild of Magdeburg was associated with Medieval Philosophy and Christian Philosophy.
- What was Mechthild of Magdeburg known for?
- Mechthild of Magdeburg was a German beguine and Christian mystic and the author of The Flowing Light of the Godhead, the first major work of mystical theology written in Middle Low German.
- How many quotes are attributed to Mechthild of Magdeburg?
- There are 6 attributed quotations from Mechthild of Magdeburg in the 1001Philosophers collection, organized by topic.