Schleiermacher, the Via Negativa, and the Gospel of Love
July 1, 2008 Wendy Farley
Schleiermacher navigated a middle path between rigid religious orthodoxy and critics of religion by characterizing piety as a nondual awareness of God that produces equanimity and love. This essay analyzes his concepts of immediate self-consciousness and contemplation, showing how they articulate the interdependence of divine transcendence and the primacy of love. Schleiermacher's analysis of mind and its implications for religion offers a way to maintain generosity of spirit amid contemporary culture wars.