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16 pages, 1489 KiB

Open AccessReview

Caspase-14-like Proteases: An Epidermal Caspase and Its Evolutionarily Ancient Relatives

by Leopold Eckhart, Attila Placido Sachslehner, Julia Steinbinder and Heinz Fischer

Biomolecules 2025, 15(7), 913; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom15070913 - 22 Jun 2025

Viewed by 571

Caspases are a family of cysteine-dependent aspartate-directed proteases implicated in programmed cell death. Humans have eleven proteolytically active caspases, namely caspase-1 through -10 and caspase-14. The latter is expressed exclusively in epithelial cells and constitutively resides in its active form in the cornified [...] Read more.

Caspases are a family of cysteine-dependent aspartate-directed proteases implicated in programmed cell death. Humans have eleven proteolytically active caspases, namely caspase-1 through -10 and caspase-14. The latter is expressed exclusively in epithelial cells and constitutively resides in its active form in the cornified layer of the human epidermis. Molecular phylogenetics has revealed that caspase-14 belongs to a subfamily of caspases, which also includes caspase-15 and -16. The latter are evolutionarily more ancient than caspase-14 and have been lost in the phylogenetic lineage leading to humans. Here, we review the molecular properties, the species distributions, and the biological roles of caspase-14-like proteases in amniotes. In contrast to the prodomain-less caspase-14, caspase-15 contains a prodomain that is predicted to assume a pyrin fold, and caspase-16 features a prodomain with unique sequence similarity to the catalytic domain. Gene knockout in mice, evolutionary gene loss in aquatic mammals and the association of human CASP14 mutations with ichthyosis indicate that caspase-14 is associated with the barrier function of mammalian skin. Caspase-15 is able to induce apoptosis in cell culture, but its role in vivo and the role of caspase-16 are currently unknown. We propose directions for research to further characterize caspase-14-like proteases. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Molecular Biophysics: Structure, Dynamics, and Function)

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12 pages, 1185 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Cornified Epithelial Teeth of Jawless Vertebrates Contain Proteins Similar to Keratin-Associated Proteins of Mammalian Skin Appendages

by Attila Placido Sachslehner, David A. D. Parry and Leopold Eckhart

J. Dev. Biol. 2025, 13(2), 18; https://doi.org/10.3390/jdb13020018 - 19 May 2025

Viewed by 1151

Abstract

Keratins and keratin-associated proteins (KRTAPs) are the main components of mammalian nails and hair. Comparative genomics and gene expression studies have revealed that keratins are conserved in all vertebrates, whereas KRTAPs exist only in mammals. Recently, we found hair keratin-like cysteine-rich keratins in [...] Read more.

Keratins and keratin-associated proteins (KRTAPs) are the main components of mammalian nails and hair. Comparative genomics and gene expression studies have revealed that keratins are conserved in all vertebrates, whereas KRTAPs exist only in mammals. Recently, we found hair keratin-like cysteine-rich keratins in jawless vertebrates with confirmed expression in the cornified epithelial teeth of the sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus). Here, we report that KRTAP-like proteins are also present in the horny teeth of the lamprey. Mass spectrometry-based proteomics identified proteins that share features with KRTAPs, such as high contents of cysteine and tyrosine residues, which support intermolecular interactions, and abundant glycine residues, which endow the proteins with flexibility. Genes encoding KRTAP-like proteins are arranged in a cluster in P. marinus, and the presence of at least one KRTAP-like protein is conserved in phylogenetically diverse species of lamprey, including Lampetra fluviatilis, Lethenteron reissneri, Geotria australis, and Mordacia mordax. The KRTAP-like genes of lampreys contain two exons, whereas mammalian KRTAPs have only a single exon. Although KRTAPs and KRTAP-like proteins are products of independent evolution, their common expression in cornified skin appendages suggests that they fulfill similar functions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers from Journal of Developmental Biology Reviewers)

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16 pages, 332 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Ultimate in Verbalization: How Japanese Writer Furui Yoshikichi Reads Western Mystical Experiences

by Seungjun Lee and Do-Hyung Kim

Religions 2025, 16(3), 354; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16030354 - 12 Mar 2025

Viewed by 666

Abstract

This study examines how the Japanese writer Furui Yoshikichi engages with Western mystical experiences, particularly through his reading of Martin Buber’s Ecstatic Confessions and his broader engagement with Meister Eckhart and medieval German mysticism. Furui’s literary inquiry revolves around the inherent tension between [...] Read more.

This study examines how the Japanese writer Furui Yoshikichi engages with Western mystical experiences, particularly through his reading of Martin Buber’s Ecstatic Confessions and his broader engagement with Meister Eckhart and medieval German mysticism. Furui’s literary inquiry revolves around the inherent tension between the ineffability of mystical experiences and their articulation through language. He critically engages with the paradox of verbalization, recognizing that while mystical experiences transcend linguistic and temporal boundaries, they nevertheless achieve resonance through written and spoken expressions. His reflections converge with Buddhist notions of Sūnyatā, underscoring intersections between Eastern and Western spiritual traditions. Drawing upon his background as a translator of German literature, Furui mediates mystical experiences within a comparative framework, navigating cultural and linguistic boundaries. His approach elucidates the concept of the multiplicity of qualities in mystical experiences, demonstrating particularity and universality simultaneously. By analyzing Furui’s interpretation of mystical texts, this study contributes to broader discussions on the limitations of language in conveying transcendence and the role of literary imagination in rendering the ineffable. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Imagining Ultimacy: Religious and Spiritual Experience in Literature)

27 pages, 4782 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperReview

Skin Appendage Proteins of Tetrapods: Building Blocks of Claws, Feathers, Hair and Other Cornified Epithelial Structures

by Karin Brigit Holthaus, Julia Steinbinder, Attila Placido Sachslehner and Leopold Eckhart

Animals 2025, 15(3), 457; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15030457 - 6 Feb 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1630

Abstract

Reptiles, birds, mammals and amphibians, together forming the clade tetrapods, have a large diversity of cornified skin appendages, such as scales, feathers, hair and claws. The skin appendages consist of dead epithelial cells that are tightly packed with specific structural proteins. Here, we [...] Read more.

Reptiles, birds, mammals and amphibians, together forming the clade tetrapods, have a large diversity of cornified skin appendages, such as scales, feathers, hair and claws. The skin appendages consist of dead epithelial cells that are tightly packed with specific structural proteins. Here, we review the molecular diversity and expression patterns of major types of skin appendage proteins, namely keratin intermediate filament proteins, keratin-associated proteins (KRTAPs) and proteins encoded by genes of the epidermal differentiation complex (EDC), including corneous beta-proteins, also known as beta-keratins. We summarize the current knowledge about the components of skin appendages with a focus on keratins and EDC proteins that have recently been identified in reptiles and birds. We discuss gaps of knowledge and suggest directions of future research. Full article

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18 pages, 2077 KiB

Open AccessReview

Autophagy-Mediated Cellular Remodeling during Terminal Differentiation of Keratinocytes in the Epidermis and Skin Appendages

by Leopold Eckhart, Florian Gruber and Supawadee Sukseree

Cells 2024, 13(20), 1675; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells13201675 - 10 Oct 2024

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1954

Abstract

The epidermis of the skin and skin appendages, such as nails, hair and sebaceous glands, depend on a balance of cell proliferation and terminal differentiation in order to fulfill their functions at the interface of the body and the environment. The differentiation of [...] Read more.

The epidermis of the skin and skin appendages, such as nails, hair and sebaceous glands, depend on a balance of cell proliferation and terminal differentiation in order to fulfill their functions at the interface of the body and the environment. The differentiation of epithelial cells of the skin, commonly referred to as keratinocytes, involves major remodeling processes that generate metabolically inactive cell remnants serving as building blocks of the epidermal stratum corneum, nail plates and hair shafts. Only sebaceous gland differentiation results in cell disintegration and holocrine secretion. A series of studies performed in the past decade have revealed that the lysosome-dependent intracellular degradation mechanism of autophagy is active during keratinocyte differentiation, and the blockade of autophagy significantly alters the properties of the differentiation products. Here, we present a model for the autophagy-mediated degradation of organelles and cytosolic proteins as an important contributor to cellular remodeling in keratinocyte differentiation. The roles of autophagy are discussed in comparison to alternative intracellular degradation mechanisms and in the context of programmed cell death as an integral end point of epithelial differentiation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Autophagy)

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13 pages, 321 KiB

Open AccessEssay

Dao, the Godhead, and the Wandering Way: Daoism and Eckhart’s Mystical Theology

by Giovanni Nikolai Katzaroff

Religions 2024, 15(9), 1098; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15091098 - 10 Sep 2024

Viewed by 1711

Abstract

In popular discourse, it is not uncommon to highlight the distinctiveness of systems of “Eastern thought” (e.g., Daoism) in contrast to so-called “Western” systems. However, there is an interesting congruence between Daoism and Meister Eckhart’s mystical theology, particularly in regard to the concepts [...] Read more.

In popular discourse, it is not uncommon to highlight the distinctiveness of systems of “Eastern thought” (e.g., Daoism) in contrast to so-called “Western” systems. However, there is an interesting congruence between Daoism and Meister Eckhart’s mystical theology, particularly in regard to the concepts of the Dao and the Godhead. Like the Dao, the Godhead is the “ground” of all being, simultaneously radically transcendent and immanent, considered as distinct from all things and yet the enfolded totality of them. Both these concepts are also dynamic principles, continually manifesting in the flux of the ever-changing universe. In both systems, nature at its fundamental level is characterized by namelessness, emptiness, encompassment, and dynamism. Nature as “ground” is also a religio-ethical concept. Humans are called to align with this ground and enter into a state of wandering joy, called wuwei (non-action) in Daoism and the “wayless way” for Eckhart. Through reverting to their indeterminate source, the person is able to become detached from rigid teleological norms. Thus is laid the foundation for an ethics of non-attachment, wherein individuals dwell in an existential flow and are attuned to all yet anchored unquestionably to none. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Going Beyond Comparative Ethics: Post-Comparative Ethics in Philosophic and Religious Traditions)

17 pages, 9467 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sensing the Eternal Birth: Mystical Vision “Inside” The Visitation in the Met

by Davide Tramarin

Religions 2024, 15(9), 1051; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15091051 - 29 Aug 2024

Viewed by 1277

Abstract

Much scholarly attention has been paid to The Visitation group housed at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. The sculpture, dated between 1310 and 1320 and attributed to Master Heinrich of Constance, comes from the Dominican convent of St. Katherinental, in present-day Switzerland, and [...] Read more.

Much scholarly attention has been paid to The Visitation group housed at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. The sculpture, dated between 1310 and 1320 and attributed to Master Heinrich of Constance, comes from the Dominican convent of St. Katherinental, in present-day Switzerland, and is notable for its two rock crystal cabochons embedded in the wombs of the Virgin Mary and Elizabeth. In this paper, I support and substantiate the original inclusion of the two stones in the artwork, arguing that it was conceived in close connection with the mystical doctrine on inner vision and the Eternal Birth of God within the soul, as theorized by the Dominican theologian Meister Eckhart (1260–1328). Considering the role of vision in medieval spirituality, the rock crystals, as symbols of purity and divine illumination, functioned as pivotal tools in the mystical experience of Katherinental nuns, fostering their profound spiritual connection with the divine. This article provides a fresh and in-depth analysis of the iconological essence of The Visitation in the Met, incorporating notions established in the field of sensory studies together with methods developed in visual and material culture studies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Religions and Humanities/Philosophies)

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13 pages, 5618 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Epidermal Differentiation Genes of the Common Wall Lizard Encode Proteins with Extremely Biased Amino Acid Contents

by Karin Brigit Holthaus, Attila Placido Sachslehner, Julia Steinbinder and Leopold Eckhart

Genes 2024, 15(9), 1136; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes15091136 - 28 Aug 2024

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1304

Abstract

The epidermal differentiation complex (EDC) is a cluster of genes that code for protein components of cornified cells on the skin surface of amniotes. Squamates are the most species-rich clade of reptiles with skin adaptations to many different environments. As the genetic regulation [...] Read more.

The epidermal differentiation complex (EDC) is a cluster of genes that code for protein components of cornified cells on the skin surface of amniotes. Squamates are the most species-rich clade of reptiles with skin adaptations to many different environments. As the genetic regulation of the skin epidermis and its evolution has been characterized for only a few species so far, we aimed to determine the organization of the EDC in a model species of squamates, the common wall lizard (Podarcis muralis). By comparative genomics, we identified EDC genes of the wall lizard and compared them with homologs in other amniotes. We found that the EDC of the wall lizard has undergone a major rearrangement leading to a unique order of three ancestral EDC segments. Several subfamilies of EDC genes, such as those encoding epidermal differentiation proteins containing PCCC motifs (EDPCCC) and loricrins, have expanded by gene duplications. Most of the EDPCCC proteins have cysteine contents higher than 50%, whereas glycine constitutes more than 50% of the amino acid residues of loricrin 1. The extremely biased amino acid compositions indicate unique structural properties of these EDC proteins. This study demonstrates that cornification proteins of the common wall lizard differ from homologous proteins of other reptiles, illustrating the evolutionary dynamics of diversifying evolution in squamates. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Animal Genetics and Genomics)

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14 pages, 2485 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

Caspase-5: Structure, Pro-Inflammatory Activity and Evolution

by Leopold Eckhart and Heinz Fischer

Biomolecules 2024, 14(5), 520; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom14050520 - 26 Apr 2024

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3040

Abstract

Caspase-5 is a protease that induces inflammation in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a component of the cell envelope of Gram-negative bacteria. The expression level of the CASP5 gene is very low in the basal state, but strongly increases in the presence of LPS. [...] Read more.

Caspase-5 is a protease that induces inflammation in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a component of the cell envelope of Gram-negative bacteria. The expression level of the CASP5 gene is very low in the basal state, but strongly increases in the presence of LPS. Intracellular LPS binds to the caspase activation and recruitment domain (CARD) of caspase-5, leading to the formation of a non-canonical inflammasome. Subsequently, the catalytic domain of caspase-5 cleaves gasdermin D and thereby facilitates the formation of cell membrane pores through which pro-inflammatory cytokines of the interleukin-1 family are released. Caspase-4 is also able to form a non-canonical inflammasome upon binding to LPS, but its expression is less dependent on LPS than the expression of caspase-5. Caspase-4 and caspase-5 have evolved via the duplication of a single ancestral gene in a subclade of primates, including humans. Notably, the main biomedical model species, the mouse, has only one ortholog, namely caspase-11. Here, we review the structural features and the mechanisms of regulation that are important for the pro-inflammatory roles of caspase-5. We summarize the interspecies differences and the evolution of pro-inflammatory caspases in mammals and discuss the potential roles of caspase-5 in the defense against Gram-negative bacteria and in sepsis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Cellular Biochemistry)

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16 pages, 1145 KiB

Open AccessReview

Development-Associated Genes of the Epidermal Differentiation Complex (EDC)

by Karin Brigit Holthaus and Leopold Eckhart

J. Dev. Biol. 2024, 12(1), 4; https://doi.org/10.3390/jdb12010004 - 15 Jan 2024

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4006

Abstract

The epidermal differentiation complex (EDC) is a cluster of genes that encode protein components of the outermost layers of the epidermis in mammals, reptiles and birds. The development of the stratified epidermis from a single-layered ectoderm involves an embryo-specific superficial cell layer, the [...] Read more.

The epidermal differentiation complex (EDC) is a cluster of genes that encode protein components of the outermost layers of the epidermis in mammals, reptiles and birds. The development of the stratified epidermis from a single-layered ectoderm involves an embryo-specific superficial cell layer, the periderm. An additional layer, the subperiderm, develops in crocodilians and over scutate scales of birds. Here, we review the expression of EDC genes during embryonic development. Several EDC genes are expressed predominantly or exclusively in embryo-specific cell layers, whereas others are confined to the epidermal layers that are maintained in postnatal skin. The S100 fused-type proteins scaffoldin and trichohyalin are expressed in the avian and mammalian periderm, respectively. Scaffoldin forms the so-called periderm granules, which are histological markers of the periderm in birds. Epidermal differentiation cysteine-rich protein (EDCRP) and epidermal differentiation protein containing DPCC motifs (EDDM) are expressed in the avian subperiderm where they are supposed to undergo cross-linking via disulfide bonds. Furthermore, a histidine-rich epidermal differentiation protein and feather-type corneous beta-proteins, also known as beta-keratins, are expressed in the subperiderm. The accumulating evidence for roles of EDC genes in the development of the epidermis has implications on the evolutionary diversification of the skin in amniotes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The 10th Anniversary of JDB: Feature Papers)

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16 pages, 824 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Balancing the Poles of the Seesaw: The Parallel Paths of Eckhart and Hindu Vedānta toward Oneness with God/Brahman

by Jianye Liu and Zhicheng Wang

Religions 2023, 14(12), 1529; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14121529 - 11 Dec 2023

Viewed by 1944

Abstract

The ultimate aim of both Eckhart’s philosophy and Vedānta philosophy is to attain oneness with God/Brahman. Nevertheless, their different philosophical starting points and the conflict between the sublime ideal of the theory and reality means that their philosophies present a structural symmetry. They [...] Read more.

The ultimate aim of both Eckhart’s philosophy and Vedānta philosophy is to attain oneness with God/Brahman. Nevertheless, their different philosophical starting points and the conflict between the sublime ideal of the theory and reality means that their philosophies present a structural symmetry. They both have to face two dilemmas: “How can we claim that humans are already one with God?” and “Why is it that humans are not already one with God?”. Eckhart’s inherited tradition emphasizes the distinction between humans and God, while the Vedānta philosophical tradition emphasizes that “I am Brahman”. Each of them starts from one pole of the seesaw of the dilemma and encounters the other’s issue at the other pole. Eventually, they converge at the point of balance, with unity with God/Brahman realized in all human activities. Here, this worldly life becomes significant, all human work expresses the Divinity, and the importance of God is replaced by an impersonal Divinity that combines being and nothingness. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Medieval Theology and Philosophy from a Cross-Cultural Perspective)

11 pages, 603 KiB

Open AccessArticle

From Scribbles to Script: Graphomotor Skills’ Impact on Spelling in Early Primary School

by Michelle N. Maurer, Lidia Truxius, Judith Sägesser Wyss and Michael Eckhart

Children 2023, 10(12), 1886; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10121886 - 1 Dec 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2409

Abstract

The acquisition of handwriting skills is a crucial goal in early primary school. Yet our comprehension of handwriting development, encompassing graphomotor skills and spelling, remains fragmented. The identification of predictors for handwriting skills is essential for providing early support. This longitudinal study aimed [...] Read more.

The acquisition of handwriting skills is a crucial goal in early primary school. Yet our comprehension of handwriting development, encompassing graphomotor skills and spelling, remains fragmented. The identification of predictors for handwriting skills is essential for providing early support. This longitudinal study aimed to explore the predictive roles of gender, working memory, and motivation to handwrite for graphomotor skills six months later and spelling skills one year later. Paper-and-pencil tasks (graphomotor skills, spelling), a tablet task (working memory), and a questionnaire (teachers’ ratings of children’s handwriting motivation) were employed. This study included 363 first-grade children (49.8% girls) aged 6–9 years. Results from a structural equation model, controlling for age and socioeconomic background, revealed that girls exhibited superior performance in graphomotor skills, while boys tended to spell more accurately. Furthermore, working memory predicted graphomotor skills but not spelling. Additionally, motivation to handwrite predicted both first-grade graphomotor skills and second-grade spelling. This study extends contemporary evidence, demonstrating that graphomotor skills predict spelling while considering gender and motivation. The findings underscore the pivotal role of graphomotor skills in spelling acquisition and suggest their contribution to spelling difficulties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Motor Learning of Handwriting and Developmental Dysgraphia)

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18 pages, 2488 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Rūmī’s Asceticism Explored: A Comparative Glimpse into Meister Eckhart’s Thought

by Rasoul Rahbari Ghazani and Saliha Uysal

Religions 2023, 14(10), 1254; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14101254 - 2 Oct 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2272

Abstract

This paper examines the nature of “asceticism” (rīyāḍat) in Sufism, revolving around the works of the 13th century Persian Sufi Mawlānā Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī Balkī and exploring two critical inquiries: Firstly, it seeks to determine whether Rūmī’s mystical perspective on [...] Read more.

This paper examines the nature of “asceticism” (rīyāḍat) in Sufism, revolving around the works of the 13th century Persian Sufi Mawlānā Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī Balkī and exploring two critical inquiries: Firstly, it seeks to determine whether Rūmī’s mystical perspective on asceticism is world-rejecting or world-affirming. Secondly, it investigates potential parallels and divergences between Rūmī and Meister Eckhart’s stances—specifically, through the Dominican’s Sermons and Treatises—and assesses the implications for the two figures. In examining Rūmī’s works, the current research primarily relies on secondary sources within the Persian intellectual tradition to provide an intracultural context. Utilizing horizontal and vertical interpretations, this study examines critical themes in Rūmī’s works, such as love, detachment (zuhd), the world’s deceptive nature, and seclusion. The findings reveal that Rūmī’s asceticism is not “monastic” (ruhbānī); instead, it balances moderate abstinence and worldly engagement, underpinned by the Quran and the ḥadīth teachings. Rūmī and Eckhart underscore asceticism as an inner transformation rather than mere physical austerity, emphasizing inner purification, self-transcendence, and spiritual detachment as routes to divine unity. The two thinkers’ teachings are catalysts for profound personal transformation and a more fulfilling life in today’s world. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Asceticism, Mysticism, and the Affirmation of the World in Christianity and Islam)

16 pages, 1559 KiB

Open AccessReview

Iron Metabolism of the Skin: Recycling versus Release

by Marta Surbek, Supawadee Sukseree and Leopold Eckhart

Metabolites 2023, 13(9), 1005; https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo13091005 - 12 Sep 2023

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4411

Abstract

The skin protects the body against exogenous stressors. Its function is partially achieved by the permanent regeneration of the epidermis, which requires high metabolic activity and the shedding of superficial cells, leading to the loss of metabolites. Iron is involved in a plethora [...] Read more.

The skin protects the body against exogenous stressors. Its function is partially achieved by the permanent regeneration of the epidermis, which requires high metabolic activity and the shedding of superficial cells, leading to the loss of metabolites. Iron is involved in a plethora of important epidermal processes, including cellular respiration and detoxification of xenobiotics. Likewise, microorganisms on the surface of the skin depend on iron, which is supplied by the turnover of epithelial cells. Here, we review the metabolism of iron in the skin with a particular focus on the fate of iron in epidermal keratinocytes. The iron metabolism of the epidermis is controlled by genes that are differentially expressed in the inner and outer layers of the epidermis, establishing a system that supports the recycling of iron and counteracts the release of iron from the skin surface. Heme oxygenase-1 (HMOX1), ferroportin (SLC40A1) and hephaestin-like 1 (HEPHL1) are constitutively expressed in terminally differentiated keratinocytes and allow the recycling of iron from heme prior to the cornification of keratinocytes. We discuss the evidence for changes in the epidermal iron metabolism in diseases and explore promising topics of future studies of iron-dependent processes in the skin. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Skin Metabolism and Cutaneous Disorders)

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12 pages, 310 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Religious Vocabulary on Creation: Eriugena, Hildegard of Bingen, Eckhart

by María Jesús Soto-Bruna

Religions 2023, 14(8), 1024; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14081024 - 10 Aug 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2244

Abstract

This paper departs from biblical images of creation (wisdom, word, mirror), and goes on to consider those images in three medieval thinkers from the Neoplatonist tradition. Firstly, Johannes Scotus Eriugena, who uses sapientia and in principio images. Secondly, St Hildegard of Bingen, in [...] Read more.

This paper departs from biblical images of creation (wisdom, word, mirror), and goes on to consider those images in three medieval thinkers from the Neoplatonist tradition. Firstly, Johannes Scotus Eriugena, who uses sapientia and in principio images. Secondly, St Hildegard of Bingen, in whose visions the images of wisdom and mirror-God appear. In third place, M. Eckhart, who refers in his Latin writings to God’s creation in se ipso. The article will try to show that a common feature regarding creatio can be found in all the three authors: the explanation of the origin of the world as manifestation of the first principle and the final return–union–to it. This subject has recently been partly dealt with by authors such as W. Beierwaltes, W. Otten or M. Marder. The present research follows the thread of previous studies, claiming at the same time to be an original contribution to the history of Neoplatonic thought about creation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Medieval Philosophy and Religious Thought)

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