Customer Reviews
May all be revealed - By: Kurt Messick, 23 Nov 2005 
It is perhaps perfectly appropriate that the author of 'The Cloud of Unknowing' is himself or herself unknown. This is a spiritual classic, a masterpiecein the real sense of the word. The style of writing is grand, well-versed & perfectlyin concert with the subject; the ideas contained are some of the most sublime & inspired pieces of writing ever writtenin the English language. The book does not subscribe to any particular denominational or institutional framework, making it a piece of art & wisdom available to the whole of Christendom, & even appeals to those outside the formal bounds of Christianity.
This work has been compared to the work of C.S. Lewis, Plato, & other Christian mystics & theologians, with good reason. 'The Cloud of Unknowing' is part of a chain, influenced by &in turn influencing many other mystical writers. This is not a work of philosophy or apologetics, as the author is not concerned to prove the existence of God or set up any sort of metaphysical framework which must be accepted. The world around us is a given, & God is a given, & our task is to order our attention & love toward God so that it incorporates & includes the reality that is around without distraction. One perhaps hears echoes of thisin Tillich's ultimate concern?
One of the things that makes 'The Cloud of Unknowing' a popular piece on an ongoing basis is this respect for reality. The author does not require super-human feats of contemplative power; this would be to deny the reality of the creature that we are, as God's creation. Contemplative work must be donein tandem &in cooperation with the rest of our life's needs. The virtuous life is onein accordance with nature (for the most part), making creation a blessing rather than a curse - one can hear echoes of Meister Eckhart here, perhaps; like Eckhart, the author of 'The Cloud of Unknowing' also looks not for enlightenment through rational means or higher attainments but through the depths of our souls. There we will find God, for if God is all, then we can certainly not be at the centre, even of ourselves.
This edition of 'The Cloud of Unknowing' begins with a scholarly introduction. Unlike many other spiritual classics, there is no 'author' to highlightin a biography; while there is some virtuein not knowing the author, there has been a great deal of scholarship, both speculating on the identity of the author, & other work looking at the type of person the author would be & influences that might have impacted the author. The introduction gives some good informationin this regard, not only with regard to the writer, but also to the one to whom this writing is addressed. Some have believed that it was intended for a communal audience.
The main point of the writing is the development of prayer & contemplation as a discipline. There are other issues, to be sure, but they always return to this. The attainment of unity with the divine will is all important to the author; one might develop the line from the Lord's Prayer - thy kingdom come, thy will be done - as a mantra for the spirit of this book. This comes through deliberate & intentional choice, & not through artificial ascetic practices (which can be as distracting as enlightening) or intellectual pursuits (which edges toward gnosticism). Part of the development of these realistic practices is the incorporation of the chief virtues of Humility & Charity - the author of the 'The Cloud' will go so far as to say that one who has these has all that is needed. Even through this, humankind cannot reach God without God's willing it to be so, & yet God has made the desire knownin many ways, scripturally & traditionally, as well asin the natural world, the author of 'The Cloud' would maintain.
This is an inspiring book. 'The Cloud of Unknowing' itself is a relatively short work, but not one that can be readin short order, for the depth of its meaning & insights derived from it take a long time to be properly processed. May it be revealing to you.
