A Communication Ethic of Dialogic Reformation

Nicholas of Cusa on Care for Communities in Crisis

By (author) Michael R. Kearney Associate editor Christopher B. Brown Associate editor Günter Frank Associate editor Barbara Mahlmann-Bauer Associate editor Tarald Rasmussen Associate editor Violet Soen Associate editor Zsombor Tóth Associate editor Günther Wassilowsky Associate editor Siegrid Westphal

Book cover: A Communication Ethic of Dialogic Reformation

Extent: 232 pages

Publisher: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht

Subjects: Medieval Studies, Philosophy, Religious Studies

Language: English

Hardback (Published)

(March 2025)

ISBN: 9783525502167

6.3 x 9.25 inches

Price: $163.00

In stock

Calls for reformation were widespread across the medieval Roman Catholic Church, but few were as nuanced or philosophically rich as the lifelong work of Cardinal Nicholas of Cusa (1401-1464). Cusa centralized the coincidentia oppositorum, the coincidence of opposites, in our knowledge of God and the mystical institution of the Church. In his book, Michael R. Kearney traces Cusa’s historical impact on philosophy of communication and communication ethics with an eye toward the health of institutions in a postmodern moment of cynicism and decline. Cusa loved the church and fought passionately for its reform, energized by the “clouded vision” of a God who is beyond opposites.


Calls for reformation were widespread across the medieval Roman Catholic Church, but few were as nuanced or philosophically rich as the lifelong work of Cardinal Nicholas of Cusa (1401-1464). Cusa centralized the coincidentia oppositorum, the coincidence of opposites, in our knowledge of God and the mystical institution of the Church. In his book, Michael R. Kearney traces Cusa’s historical impact on philosophy of communication and communication ethics with an eye toward the health of institutions in a postmodern moment of cynicism and decline. Cusa loved the church and fought passionately for its reform, energized by the “clouded vision” of a God who is beyond opposites. This champion of dialogic reformation offers churches and communities an unfinished task with a unity of contraries at its heart: upholding local narrative ground with tenacious loyalty while working in an increasingly large world.

  • By (author) Michael R. Kearney
  • Associate editor Christopher B. Brown
  • Associate editor Günter Frank
  • Associate editor Barbara Mahlmann-Bauer
  • Associate editor Tarald Rasmussen
  • Associate editor Violet Soen
  • Associate editor Zsombor Tóth
  • Associate editor Günther Wassilowsky
  • Associate editor Siegrid Westphal