Introduction

While most works on Nicholas of Cusa concentrate either on his early career as author of the monumental Catholic Concordance or on his later career as writer of remarkable philosophical/theological works such as On Learned Ignorance and The Vision of God, the essays included here attempt to address the whole Cusanus, sharing common contexts, issues and themes.

Chapters on the Legacy of Conciliarism and Ecumenicity

Following chapters on the legacy of conciliarism and ecumenicity, the story begins with the Council of Basel for which Cusanus wrote The Catholic Concordance, but from which he broke away, raising issues of private conscience as well as the balance between papal authority and representative councils in the pursuit of reform.

The Journey to Ferrara

The story then turns to the matrix between Constantinople and a new council in Ferrara when Cusanus received a ship-board gift from the Father of Lights and began to write his great philosophical/theological treatises.

Enlightenment and Mystical Theology

When taken together the essays in this book not only form a cohesive whole, they also enlighten aspects often left in the shade, such as the enigmatic aspects of Cusanus' participation in the council, and his mystical theology that reveals a man of faith in search of certainty beyond the well-trod paths of philosophical reflection.