Inner Way

The Inner Way emerges from the sermons Johannes Tauler preached throughout the Rhineland during the fourteenth century, a period when the Dominican mystical tradition was reaching its full flowering. Tauler inherited the theological framework of Meister Eckhart while developing a more accessible approach to the mystical life, speaking primarily to Dominican nuns and Beguines who sought practical guidance for their spiritual journey. His sermons address the concrete challenges faced by religious communities navigating both external persecution and internal struggles with authentic devotion.

Tauler's central teaching revolves around the necessity of interior detachment and what he terms "breaking through" to God. He distinguishes between those who remain attached to external religious practices and those who undergo genuine spiritual transformation through suffering and surrender. The sermons systematically explore how the soul must be emptied of self-will and created attachments to become a dwelling place for the divine. Tauler emphasizes that this process involves real psychological and spiritual pain, but argues that such suffering, when properly understood and embraced, becomes the pathway to union with God. His approach balances mystical theology with pastoral sensitivity, offering specific counsel for different stages of spiritual development.

Tauler's influence extended well beyond his lifetime, shaping Protestant Reformers like Martin Luther, who discovered in these sermons a theology of grace that resonated with his own developing thought. The sermons continued to nourish Catholic mystical tradition while crossing confessional boundaries to influence Pietist and other renewal movements. Modern readers find in Tauler a guide who acknowledges the genuine difficulties of spiritual growth without retreating into either easy consolation or abstract theorizing.

Who should read this: Those seeking substantive guidance for contemplative practice and spiritual directors working with people in periods of spiritual dryness or transition will find Tauler's integration of mystical theology and pastoral wisdom invaluable. This work is not suited for beginners in Christian spirituality or those looking for quick spiritual techniques.