Erick Mead

God could not move the mountain -- because -- he gave it free will?

Seriously, Nicolas Cusanus is the forerunner of the modern philosophical school of phenomenology, modernly begun by Edmund Husserl, a Jewish convert to Catholicism, in the early twentieth century. Phenomenology is a philosophical school concerned with the limits of language, as is the better known school of semiotics. Semiotics, which likmited its inquiry to language, however, nearly ended up in a logic trap by denying (as did Roland Barthes and Jacques Derrida) that language was capable of any inherently meaningful content, i.e.- content that was not arbitrary.

Phenomenology acknowledges the useful but limited role of language, and rather than discarding it, simply places it context as a subset of the universe of human action, in which meaning takes on a far broader scope.

Interestingly, one of the foremost exponents of phenomenology, in the latter part of the century, both in purely secular philosophy, and in theological application was none other than Pope John Paul the Great. For five years from 1979 to 1984 his Wednesday audience addresses on the Theology of the Body illustrate the method beautifully. He thoroughly dissects and shows the practical and spiritual significance of scriptural teaching on human sexuality in a careful and well reasoned way. They are collected at
http://www.ewtn.com/library/PAPALDOC/JP2TBIND.HTM for any who may be interested.

Each address in the series is relatively short, as they were read aloud, and the themes are developed consistently throughout the series. they are topicaally captioned and one can skip aroond wihtout losing too much. Even if any of you may theologically disagree with his conclusions, the observation of his phenomenological method is very helpful.

It has greatly assisted be in thinking about Aikido, the "Theology of Battle" if you will.

Cordially,
Erick Mead