Preface.

greet / and seek understanding with yieldedness yieldedness: Translating "Gelassenheit," a cornerstone of German mysticism. It refers to a state of spiritual surrender, letting go of personal ego and "creaturely" desires to become a vessel for God. / so that we may always have need of Him / and He retains the sword in His hand / and remains the sole Master and Teacher / and through no creature Franck emphasizes that no "created thing"—including the physical Bible or human clergy—can replace the direct internal work of God. teaches us / makes us blessed / enlightens us / or descends into our heart. What causes all heresy in Scripture / other than that one person seizes upon the * absurd original: "ungereimten," literally "unrhymed." In this context, it refers to the literal text when it appears incoherent or contradictory without spiritual insight. letter of Scripture here / another there for themselves / and no one pays heed to the harmonious interpretation and understanding of the peaceful Spirit / but everyone regards it as their own * Apollo original: "Apollinem," the Greek god of oracles. Franck suggests people treat the literal text as a personal oracle to be manipulated. / God / and God’s Word / even though it is only a manger of Christ / death / darkness / a monstrance monstrance: A vessel used in the Church to display the consecrated host. Franck uses it as a metaphor for the Bible: it is the container that shows the "bread of life," but is not the bread itself. / ark / sheath / lantern / testimony / lock / [con-]

* The letter referring to the literal, external text of the Bible. is a cause of all heresy and idolatry.