Deus Absconditus: Dialektika Pemazmur dan Meister Eckhart untuk Menemukan Jalan Spiritual Mistik di Tengah Penderitaan

This article contrasts two spiritual paths for responding to suffering: the psalmist's cataphatic approach, which asks "why" out of trust in Yahweh's steadfast love (ḥesed), and Meister Eckhart's apophatic approach of "without why." Despite their differences, the dialectic between them reveals Deus absconditus, the absent God. Theologically, this encounter discovers mystical spirituality amid agony and shows Christians that God's face is found not only in Immanuel (God with us) but also in God's presence through absence.

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Abstract

Abstract. This article focuses on the dialectical encounter of the cataphatic and apophatic spirituality paths which are by psalmist based on “why” and Meister Eckhart on “without why” in responding to the reality of life, especially amid suffering. For the psalmist, the where, why, and when questions arise not from doubt but from Yahweh’s steadfast love (ḥesed). Even though the psalmist and Eckhart have different perspectives, the dialectic leads to discovery of the other side of God’s face, namely Deus absconditus, the absent God. The dialectically contributed theologically to the form of discovering mystical spirituality amid the agony. At the same time, this enlightens Christians about a mystical path that the face of God can be found not only in Immanuel but also in Deus absconditus; God’s presence is through His absence.Abstrak. Artikel ini berfokus pada perjumpaan dialektik jalan spiritualitas katafatik dan apofatik oleh pemazmur yang mendasarkan pada “mengapa” dan Meister Eckhart pada “tanpa mengapa” dalam menyikapi realitas kehidupan, terkhusus di tengah penderitaan. Bagi pemazmur, pertanyaan di mana, mengapa, dan kapan, bukan muncul dari keraguan melainkan dari keyakinan pada kasih setia (ḥesed) Yahweh. Sekalipun pemazmur dan Eckhart memiliki perspektif yang berbeda, namun dialektika tersebut menuju pada penemuan sisi lain wajah Allah, yaitu Deus absconditus, Allah yang absen. Perjumpaan dialektik tersebut memberikan kontribusi secara teologis berupa penemuan spiritualitas mistik di penderitaan. Ini sekaligus memberikan pencerahan bagi orang Kristen tentang jalan mistik bahwa wajah Allah dapat ditemukan tidak hanya pada Immanuel melainkan juga pada Deus absconditus; Allah yang hadir melalui ketidakhadiranNya.