clear, calm and logical, and he has certainly given the most complete exposition of what may be called Christian pantheism. Eckhart has been called the first of the speculative mystics. In his theories the element of mystical speculation for the first time comes to the front as all-important. By its means the church doctrines are made intelligible to the many, and from it the church dogmas receive their true significance. It was but natural that he should diverge more and more widely from the traditional doctrine, so that at length the relation between his teaching and that of the church appeared to be one of opposition rather than of reconciliation. Eckhart is in truth the first who attempted with perfect freedom and logical consistency to give a speculative basis to religious doctrines. The two most important points in his, as in all mystical theories, are first, his doctrine of the divine nature, and second, his explanation of the relation between God and human thought. (See MYSTICISM.) For the German writings of Eckhart see F. Pfeiffer, _Deutsche Mystiker_, vol. ii. (Leipzig, 1857), and F. Jostes, _Meister Eckhart und seine Jünger_ (Freiburg, 1895); for the Latin works, H. Denifle in _Archiv f. Litt- und Kirchengeschichte d. Mittelalters_, ii. (1886), pp. 417-652, and v. (1889), pp. 349-364; German translations by G. Landauer, _Meister Eckarts mystische Schriften_ (Berlin, 1903), and Büttner (Leipzig, 1903 foll.). See also A. Lasson, _Meister Eckhart der Mystiker_ (1868); H.L. Martensen, _Meister Eckhart_ (1842); J. Bach, _Meister Eckhart der Vater der deutschen Speculation_ (1864); C. Ullmann, _Reformatoren vor der Reformation_ (1842); W. Preger, _Geschichte d. deutschen Mystik_, i. (1874); and "Ein neuer Traktat M. Eckharts und d. Grundzüge der Eckhartischen Theosophie" in _Zeitschr. f. hist. Phil._ (1864), pp. 163 foll.; A. Bullinger, _Das Christenthum im Lichte der deutschen Philos._ (Dillingen, 1895); H. Delacroix, _Le Mysticisme spéculatif en Allemagne au XIV^e siècle_ (Paris, 1900); E. Kramm, _Meister Eckhart im Lichte der Denifleschen Funde_ (Bonn, 1889); R. Langenberg, _Über die Verhältnisse Meister Eckharts zur niederdeutschen Mystik_ (Göttingen, 1896); W. Schopff, _Meister Eckhart_ (Leipzig, 1889); A. Jundt, _Hist. du panthéisme populaire au moyen âge_ (Paris, 1875); art. in Herzog-Hauck, _Realencyklopädie_ (S.M. Deutsch); R.M. Jones, _Mystical Religion_ (1909). FOOTNOTE: [1] The name is variously spelled: Eckehart, Eckart, Eckhard.