God and deity in thomistic and eckhartian metaphysics

Abstract

This paper examines the reality of the divine being through the metaphysics of Thomas Aquinas and the mystical-metaphysical perspective of Meister Eckhart. Contrary to interpretations that regard these two approaches as incompatible, it argues that they display a profound convergence grounded in the Platonic doctrine of participation, while also acknowledging the decisive influence of Aristotle. The analysis begins with the intuition of being, understood by Aquinas as the principle of intelligibility of beings and the actuality of every essence. On this basis, it addresses the question of how the created intellect, confined to beings composed of essence and existence, can attain knowledge of God, in whom essence and existence are perfectly identical. The study thus explores the scope and limits of metaphysical speculation concerning the divine being.