Nikolaus von Kues (1401-1464) did not make any systematic statements on theHoly Communion. However, on the basis of various writings we can ascertain his thought on the sacrament. In the dispute with the Bohemians, he is concerned solely with the usus sacramenti. In his sermons, he describes theword of God more often as "spiritual food" than the Eucharist. For Nikolausvon Kues, Christ himself is "the food of life that unites us with him. For him, preaching is the "highest Christ-like and apostolic task in the world.For "salvation it is sufficient to believe and thus partake of the food of life." His understanding of communion as cibus mentis is hardly in keeping with the sacramental religiousness of the Middle Ages. Nikolaus von Kues preaches a personal presence of Christ and his word, not a real presence. In doing so, he aligns himself in the neo-platonic tradition, leading via himself to Erasmus, Zwingli und Calvin, but not to Luther or the Tridentinum.

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Personen: Kandler, Karl-Hermann

Schlagwörter: Sakrament