--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Matthew Fox who, particularly in his new…" description: "\"“Matthew Fox who, particularly in his new reading of Meister Eckhart, depicts quite early in human history the mystical way of creation spirituality. F..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef1/dorothee-soelle-19207_first-step_matthew-fox-who-particularly-in-his-new_716756.jpg" --- # Matthew Fox who, particularly in his new reading of… ![“Matthew Fox who, particularly in his new reading of Meister Eckhart, depicts quite early in human history the mystical way of creation spirituality. Fox's way and that of traditional mysticism differ in two aspects. The first is where the way of mysticism is said to begin. In the understanding of…” quote by Dorothee Soelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef1/dorothee-soelle-19207_first-step_matthew-fox-who-particularly-in-his-new_716756.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef1/dorothee-soelle-19207_first-step_matthew-fox-who-particularly-in-his-new_716756.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef1/dorothee-soelle-19207_first-step_matthew-fox-who-particularly-in-his-new_716756.jpg) > ““Matthew Fox who, particularly in his new reading of Meister Eckhart, depicts quite early in human history the mystical way of creation spirituality. Fox's way and that of traditional mysticism differ in two aspects. The first is where the way of mysticism is said to begin. In the understanding of mysticism inherited from the Neoplatonists Proclus and Plotinus, purging or purification are always the first step. The beginning of mystical piety is not the beauty and goodness of creation but the fall of human beings from paradise . . . But does this not place the mystical journey at far too late a point in the course of the Christian history of redemption? One of the basic questions Fox asks again and again is whether we ought not refer first of all to the blessing of the beginning, that is, not to original sin but to original blessing? And is it not exactly mystical experience that points us to creation and the good beginning?”” [Dorothee Soelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothee-soelle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Fox argues that mysticism should start with the original blessing of creation rather than focusing on sin and purification. **In simple terms:** Mysticism should begin with creation’s goodness, not human fall. Key Takeaway Seek the positive origins of spiritual experience. Themes spirituality origins theology mysticism Mood contemplative hopeful Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - personal reflection - theological study - spiritual practice Key Concepts original blessing creation Christian redemption Questions to Reflect On - How does focusing on blessing change spiritual practice? - What benefits arise from starting with creation’s goodness? A Different Perspective Some traditions view sin as essential to redemption, challenging this view. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [First step](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-step/) [Mysticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mysticism/) [Original sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/original-sin/) [Too late](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-late/) ## Related quotes > [“That is a beautiful mysticism - it is a - ' 'Please not to call it by any name,' said Dorothea, putting out her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/that-is-a-beautiful-mysticism-it-is-a-please-not-to-call-it-by-any/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [“The story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 1o) can he interpreted mystically in such a way that the question of the knowledge of God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothee-soelle/the-story-of-the-good-samaritan-luke-1o-can-he-interpreted-mystically/) [Dorothee Soelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothee-soelle/) > [“What Creator god worth its salt would give even the slightest shit about a sacrificed goat or how often you masturbate? Besides, there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-white/what-creator-god-worth-its-salt-would-give-even-the-slightest-shit/) [Gordon White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-white/) > [The Theatre of the Absurd has renounced arguing about the absurdity of the human condition; it merely presents it in being - that is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-esslin/the-theatre-of-the-absurd-has-renounced-arguing-about-the-absurdity/) [Martin Esslin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-esslin/) > [“Neither agreeable nor disagreeable," I answered. "It just is." Istigkeit — wasn't that the word Meister Eckhart liked to use? "Is-ness." The Being of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/neither-agreeable-nor-disagreeable-i-answered-it-just-is-istigkeit/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [The thing that seemed to me so important about the psychedelic experience was that it happened to me. I wasn't reading John Chrysostom or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/the-thing-that-seemed-to-me-so-important-about-the-psychedelic/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [“If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is ‘Thank you,’ it will be enough.” —Meister Eckhart”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/if-the-only-prayer-you-ever-say-in-your-entire-life-is-thank-you-it/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [“Bede states that “the essential truth of Hinduism is the doctrine of the Brahman. The Brahman is the Mystery of Being, the ultimate Truth,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/bede-states-that-the-essential-truth-of-hinduism-is-the-doctrine-of/) [Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/) > [“Augustine said, “The soul makes war with the body,” but Meister Eckhart said, “The soul loves the body.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-r-meyers/augustine-said-the-soul-makes-war-with-the-body-but-meister-eckhart/) [Robin R. Meyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-r-meyers/) > [“Fusing the doctrines of Plotinus and Proclus with the creeds and beliefs of Christianity, Dionysius the Pseudo-Areopagite combined the Neo-Platonic conviction of the fundamental…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-panofsky/fusing-the-doctrines-of-plotinus-and-proclus-with-the-creeds-and/) erwin panofsky > [In the past we believed both sexes were born with original sin. Today, we have come to unconsciously believe in the original sin of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/in-the-past-we-believed-both-sexes-were-born-with-original-sin-today/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [Blood sin and desecration of the race are the original sin in this world and the end of a humanity which surrenders to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/blood-sin-and-desecration-of-the-race-are-the-original-sin-in-this/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [The most devastating thing though that biology did to Christianity was the discovery of biological evolution. Now that we know that Adam and Eve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zindler/the-most-devastating-thing-though-that-biology-did-to-christianity/) [Frank Zindler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zindler/) > [The original sin is to limit the Is. Don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/the-original-sin-is-to-limit-the-is-don-t/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [“The next time believers tell you that 'separation of church and state' does not appear in our founding document, tell them to stop using…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-barker/the-next-time-believers-tell-you-that-separation-of-church-and-state/) [Dan Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-barker/) ## More by Dorothee Soelle > [“What do ego-lessness and becoming unattached mean in connection with today's mystical way in the form of resistance? . . . What is missing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothee-soelle/what-do-ego-lessness-and-becoming-unattached-mean-in-connection-with/) [Dorothee Soelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothee-soelle/) > [“If we had possessions, Francis would say, we would also need weapons. He held on to the inescapable link of poverty and peace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothee-soelle/if-we-had-possessions-francis-would-say-we-would-also-need-weapons-he/) [Dorothee Soelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothee-soelle/) > [“All mysticism is part of the endeavor to escape from this fate of language that serves the exercise of power, control, and possession. Traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothee-soelle/all-mysticism-is-part-of-the-endeavor-to-escape-from-this-fate-of/) [Dorothee Soelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothee-soelle/) > [“This situation where we are not quite what we do, where we kiss, drink, work, laugh, or meditate only with part of ourselves, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothee-soelle/this-situation-where-we-are-not-quite-what-we-do-where-we-kiss-drink/) [Dorothee Soelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothee-soelle/) > [“One of the oldest longings of all people of mystical sensibility is to be rid of disguises to the point of becoming naked.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothee-soelle/one-of-the-oldest-longings-of-all-people-of-mystical-sensibility-is/) [Dorothee Soelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothee-soelle/) > [“In monotheistic patriarchal perception, a miracle is an external intervention that suspends the laws of nature. God's rule over nature, the body, time, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothee-soelle/in-monotheistic-patriarchal-perception-a-miracle-is-an-external/) [Dorothee Soelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothee-soelle/) > [“The story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 1o) can he interpreted mystically in such a way that the question of the knowledge of God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothee-soelle/the-story-of-the-good-samaritan-luke-1o-can-he-interpreted-mystically/) [Dorothee Soelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothee-soelle/) > [“There are thousands who are in opinion opposed to slavery and to war, who yet in effect do nothing to put an end to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothee-soelle/there-are-thousands-who-are-in-opinion-opposed-to-slavery-and-to-war/) [Dorothee Soelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothee-soelle/) > [“In such mysticism of prayer, the relationship of domination between God and humans has been transformed into one of love. That is precisely the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothee-soelle/in-such-mysticism-of-prayer-the-relationship-of-domination-between/) [Dorothee Soelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothee-soelle/) > [“To he "over-choiced" with thirty different kinds of bread does indeed develop the shopper's awareness of differentiation and sense of taste. However, from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothee-soelle/to-he-over-choiced-with-thirty-different-kinds-of-bread-does-indeed/) [Dorothee Soelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothee-soelle/) > [“The desire to possess is marked by an unceasingly growing, voracious element that manifests itself in the simple desire to have more, but also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothee-soelle/the-desire-to-possess-is-marked-by-an-unceasingly-growing-voracious/) [Dorothee Soelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothee-soelle/) > [“When he was twenty-three years old, he (George Fox) saw the inner light in a vision. For him it symbolized the spirit against the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothee-soelle/when-he-was-twenty-three-years-old-he-george-fox-saw-the-inner-light/) [Dorothee Soelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothee-soelle/) > [“In cultures where asceticism developed and was practiced, people knew that one can suffocate when every option is a readily available one. Without self-limitation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothee-soelle/in-cultures-where-asceticism-developed-and-was-practiced-people-knew/) [Dorothee Soelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothee-soelle/) > [“Nonviolence means to forego the desire to win and to avoid the defeat of enemies, which always includes their humiliation. The issues of peace,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothee-soelle/nonviolence-means-to-forego-the-desire-to-win-and-to-avoid-the-defeat/) [Dorothee Soelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothee-soelle/) > [“Among the first questions a native mother asks her child in the morning is: what did you dream? When I heard this for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothee-soelle/among-the-first-questions-a-native-mother-asks-her-child-in-the/) [Dorothee Soelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothee-soelle/) [Explore all 33 Dorothee Soelle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothee-soelle/) ## More First step quotes > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [“I remember wondering, within a year or two of taking my first steps, why only men sat to drink tea and converse, and why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-hill/i-remember-wondering-within-a-year-or-two-of-taking-my-first-steps/) [Lawrence Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-hill/) > [At least before my hip replacement, I had a quick first step. I could get by you off the dribble. My business game is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-cuban/at-least-before-my-hip-replacement-i-had-a-quick-first-step-i-could/) [Mark Cuban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-cuban/) > [Larry Kramer wisely realized so early on that to change the world, people have to know you. If they know you and see that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-murphy/larry-kramer-wisely-realized-so-early-on-that-to-change-the-world/) [Ryan Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-murphy/) > [“How, then, do you make failure into something people can face without fear? Part of the answer is simple: If we as leaders can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/how-then-do-you-make-failure-into-something-people-can-face-without/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“A skillful literary artist has constructed a tale. If wise, he has not fashioned his thoughts to accommodate his incidents; but having conceived, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/a-skillful-literary-artist-has-constructed-a-tale-if-wise-he-has-not/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [The cultural integration of psychedelics won't happen overnight, and the question of young people is perhaps the most difficult involved. The first step is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-doblin/the-cultural-integration-of-psychedelics-won-t-happen-overnight-and/) [Rick Doblin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-doblin/) > [“Women create an idealized, hopeful vision for the future to inspire other women. Fiction and fantasy are the crucial first steps to changing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-rodale/women-create-an-idealized-hopeful-vision-for-the-future-to-inspire/) [Maya Rodale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-rodale/) > [“What liberty we find when we trade self-esteem for God-esteem, relying on what God’s Word says about us rather than looking solely to our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-gallier/what-liberty-we-find-when-we-trade-self-esteem-for-god-esteem-relying/) [Laura Gallier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-gallier/) > [How do you turn the invisible into the visible? The first step is to define your dream precisely; the only limit to what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/how-do-you-turn-the-invisible-into-the-visible-the-first-step-is-to/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [Russia may soon get another chance to move closer to the West, to make a step - I do believe the first step toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-voinovich/russia-may-soon-get-another-chance-to-move-closer-to-the-west-to-make/) [Vladimir Voinovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-voinovich/) > [The first step toward maintaining autonomy in any programmed environment is to be aware that there's programming going on. It's as simple as understanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-rushkoff/the-first-step-toward-maintaining-autonomy-in-any-programmed/) [Douglas Rushkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-rushkoff/) > [I can turn an idea into a business before you know it's going to be important. My first step will blow by you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-cuban/i-can-turn-an-idea-into-a-business-before-you-know-it-s-going-to-be/) [Mark Cuban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-cuban/) > [“So, how do you make value flow? The first step, once value is defined and the entire value stream is identified, is to focus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-p-womack/so-how-do-you-make-value-flow-the-first-step-once-value-is-defined/) [James P. Womack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-p-womack/) > [“The first step in awareness is to be watchful of your body. Slowly,slowly one becomes alert about each gesture,each movement. And as you become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osho/the-first-step-in-awareness-is-to-be-watchful-of-your-body-slowly/) [Osho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osho/) [Browse all 1,815 First step quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-step/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Matthew Fox who, particularly in his new reading of Meister Eckhart, depicts quite early in human history the mystical way of creation spirituality. Fox's way and that of traditional mysticism differ in two aspects. The first is where the way of mysticism is said to begin. In the understanding of mysticism inherited from the Neoplatonists Proclus and Plotinus, purging or purification are always the first step. The beginning of mystical piety is not the beauty and goodness of creation but the fall of human beings from paradise . . . But does this not place the mystical journey at far too late a point in the course of the Christian history of redemption? One of the basic questions Fox asks again and again is whether we ought not refer first of all to the blessing of the beginning, that is, not to original sin but to original blessing? And is it not exactly mystical experience that points us to creation and the good beginning?”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dorothee Soelle" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothee-soelle/matthew-fox-who-particularly-in-his-new-reading-of-meister-eckhart/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "First step" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothee-soelle/matthew-fox-who-particularly-in-his-new-reading-of-meister-eckhart/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef1/dorothee-soelle-19207_first-step_matthew-fox-who-particularly-in-his-new_716756.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef1/dorothee-soelle-19207_first-step_matthew-fox-who-particularly-in-his-new_716756.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef1/dorothee-soelle-19207_first-step_matthew-fox-who-particularly-in-his-new_716756.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Matthew Fox who, particularly in his new reading of Meister Eckhart, depicts quite early in human history…” — Dorothee Soelle", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Dorothee Soelle", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothee-soelle/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Matthew Fox who, particularly in his...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothee-soelle/matthew-fox-who-particularly-in-his-new-reading-of-meister-eckhart/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothee-soelle/matthew-fox-who-particularly-in-his-new-reading-of-meister-eckhart/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```