The Essential Titus Burckhardt: Reflections On Sacred Art, Faiths, And Civilizations

Book Summary

An introduction to the thought of one of the greatest perennialist authors of the twentieth century. Burckhardt's writings constitute a veritable language of the Spirit, and this volume opens doors into the worlds of traditional art, science, metaphysical doctrine and spiritual life. Combining the erudition of a philosopher, art historian, and cultural anthropologist with the beauty of soul steeped in the spiritual traditions of both East and West, Burckhardt's range of subject matter was enormous. He was at home in every traditional civilization, and the present volume gives ample evidence to this fact in the extracts dealing with Medieval Christendom, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, and the religion of the Sun Dance. He was also well-acquainted with the perspectives of the modern world, as his critiques of the limitations of the theory of evolution and modern psychology show. The importance of Burckhardt's writings is well summarized by the words of Professor Seyyed Hossein Nasr (George Washington University): "[He] lived the truth of which he wrote. The exceptional light of intelligence which emanated from him pierced to the heart of the texts he studied and illuminated their meaning in a manner which is possible only by a person in whom the truth has descended from the plane of the mind to the centre of the heart and become fully realized."

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