The reception of william of saint-thierry by john of ruusbroec

As early as 1977, Paul Verdeyen highlighted the importance of William of Saint-Thierry for the theology of the Brabantine author John ofRuusbroec (1293-1381). Even though relatively little further research has been done on this connection, the insight is important. The main link between William and Ruusbroec is William's radically Trinitarian understanding of God-which differs from that of Bernard-that has important consequences for his understanding of the human being as a "person", not as an "individual". William's relational understanding had a deep influence on Ruusbroec, who developed it to its logical conclusion. When Ruusbroec claims that the human person can be united to God "without distinction"- A n expression which was judged to be highly problematic-he should be understood in line with William.