John Tauler (d. 1361)

In the late medieval era, a renewed concern for the inner life emerged. This new kind of mysticism affected the medieval sermon. Mystic John Tauler did not completely abandon the scholastic rules for preaching, but he did alter them freely. It may be said that he practiced a devotional style of preaching. The content of his preaching reflected his contemplative strivings in the Christian faith, namely, union with God through various mystical stages, to complete absorption with God where all distinctions of reality cease to exist. His preaching was full of power, a glowing fire of God's love and drawing grace. The influence of Tauler's sermons can be seen in Thomas Kempis's The Imitation of Christ. This mystical style emerges frequently in church history, particularly in those times when people have grown weary of an intellectualized preaching. A Mystic Preaching Spiritual Renewal Of the great mystics John Tauler, doubtless, is the foremost of his class in that age. Tauler lived on…