Introduction 1432 Bernard of Clairvaux (b. circa 1090 in Fontaines near Dijon, d. August 20, 1153, in Clairvaux) was a theologian, philosopher, mystic and preacher. Known as “Doctor Mellifluus” (the “honey-mouthed doctor”), Bernard was a monk of the Cistercian order and one of the most eloquent preachers in twelfth-century France. The aim of this essay is to consider Bernard as a spiritual and mystical writer. It will do this by firstly offering a brief biographical sketch of the man before considering the religious context of his writings. Next, the spirituality and mysticism of Bernard will be considered, with particular attention given to his doctrine of mystical love. This doctrine will be considered in light of his writings, particularly …show more content…
Three years later he was sent out to found an abbey in Clairvaux, where he was abbot until his death. During his time he sought to reform the religious life of the abbey, with a particular focus on the practice of contemplation. His desire for reform bore fruit at all levels of hierarchy in the Church and his influence even extended outside of clerical authorities into the secular realm. He played an important role in political matters, and was an adviser to popes, princes and kings, and was called ‘the conscience of Europe’. Particular moments of note include his work in ending church schism in 1138 and his failed call for a second crusade in 1146 that ended in failure 2 years later. He was instrumental in securing the election of Innocent II to the papacy in preference to the antipope, Analectus II, and influenced the papacy when one of his disciples became Pope Eugene III in 1145. Furthermore, he took an active role in many theological controversies. Notably, his opposition to the dialectical theology of Gilbert de la Porrée and Peter Abelard. Bernard is regarded as the creator of western speculative mysticism and one of the greatest Catholic mystics. His canonisation occurred on January 18, 1174, by Pope Alexander III, and he was recognised as a doctor of the church by Pope Pius VII, on July 17, …show more content…
Following the early fathers, he draws a distinction between the “likeness” lost by the Fall and the “image” which is still retained. Departing from the Fathers, especially Aquinas, Bernard locates the “image” in the will rather than reason.“I believe that in freedom of choice lies the image, and in the other two [freedoms, i.e., freedom of counsel and freedom of pleasure], is contained a certain twofold likeness.” However, the Fall signalled the twofold loss of these freedoms (counsel and pleasure). Resultantly, the former means we cannot stop sinning, whilst the latter dictates we wrongfully seek our pleasure. As a consequence the intellect misdirects the will, bringing pride. The will is dominated by strong desires, lust, pride and envy. The body overtaken by “the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of
Throughout Bernard's collection of sermons, he justifies the central concerns of the “Song of Songs” within his selected works. He develops a creed of mystical contemplation, meditation, and personal joining with God. Bernard using an allegorical approach, he wrote about the “Song of Songs” and his sermons creating the metaphor of the church, stressing the importance of love in knowing service to God. “Song of Songs” has many interpretations within the love poem, and Bernard conveys them on discussing what the “Song of Songs” is, dives into what the kisses are that indicate the progression on the soul, describes who the four kinds of spirits are, and identifies the bride and Bridegroom.
The medieval theologian Julian of Norwich was a mystic, writer, anchoress and spiritual director for her time. She is gaining in popularity for our time as she provides a spiritual template for contemplative prayer and practice in her compilation of writings found in Revelations of Divine Love. The insightful meditations provide the backdrop and basis for her Trinitarian theology’s embrace of God’s Motherhood found in the Trinity. Her representative approach of the all-encompassing unconditional love of a mother who nurtures, depicts Christ as our Mother ascending to the placement of Second hood within the Trinity while giving voice to the duality of God.
He, much like his predecessor Pope Gregory, would aggravate the political leaders across Europe, but had much more successful and positive results for papal power. Innocent flexed his power through the pressure put on King John of England, King Philip Augustus of France, Aragon, and finally Otto of Brunswick. All of these significant rulers were either put in power because of the pope, or felt immense pressure from Innocent that eventually altered their actions in favor of the Catholic Church. Innocent’s career is what could be classified as encompassing the ultimate goal for the medieval church; exerting power over rulers while also maintaining their influence and respect among the common people.
...ry reason to rid himself of temporal goods, and his secular desires. Cluniacs would develop Williams theory by addressing their most needy issues, lay involvement in ecclesiastical appointments. In 1073, a cluniac monk named Hildebrand took the name Gregory VII and was ordained pope. He quickly set out to reform corruption in Europe. He was an intense advocate of Clergy supremacy over secular authority, thus it became quite apparent during his reign that he aimed to end caesaropapism and announce the true power and authority of the church. A conflict arose between him and the Holy Roman Emperor over Lay Investiture. Pope Gregory VII saw that simony, and secular allegiance were two aspects of Emperor Henry IV’s appointments. In an initial address to Henry, Gregory adamantly professed Ecclesiastical authority over Henry’s appointments, and consequently they should end.
...g after he gained alliance with Roger Crusade and the Greek empire then began reforming by isolating the hostile German Empire Henry the fifth. Soon after would gain military alliance with the first Lombard league in 1093. A few years later, the Crusades would start in urban its command after many desk came to the end of the dark ages Pope urban the second would soon later die In July 29 1299 in Rome, Italy.
Examining the problems facing Father Rodrigues from a Christian perspective, then, is critical to the endeavor of understanding their significance to him and the Church at the time, and also to passing an ultimate judgment on the validity and worth of the decisions he makes, as many of us seem overeager to do. To that end, this paper will consider, in a Catholic frame of mind, and with attention to the opinions some noted Christian/Catholic thinkers would have held, the difficulties surrounding Rodrigues' apostasy, and his solutions to them. As all of the thinkers are themselves from the medieval era, it is not unlikely that Father Rodrigues, living in the 17th century, would have studied their works.
In “On Free Choice of the Will” by Augusutine, Evodius asked questions to Augustine “I would like to know from you the origin of that movement by which the will is turned away from the common and immutable goods … because if free will has given in a such way that this movement is natural to it, then it is turned to lesser goods by necessity. There is no blame to be found where nature and necessity rule”. (85) Because he thinks God is responsible for human being including its behavior and will, he claims the movement which turns away from goods is natural. So, he concluded it is not blameworthy. However, Augustine objects to Evodius’s insistence and answers Evodius’s question by the example of “stone’s movement”. In this paper, I will discuss what the “stone’s movement” is, and how this example replies to the Evodius’s worry.
In his youth, St. Boniface encountered many priests or clerics who traveled from town to town. Through these spiritual conversations, it became evident to St. Boniface that he wanted to pursue a life with God. Eventually, after continuos begging and his fathers fatal sickness, he was sent to the care of the Monastery of Examchester. (Appleton) It is here, that St. Boniface expressed to the Abbot at the time, that he wanted to live a monastic life. The father of the monastery, after council, granted him his wish. Here is where the saint began to prove his love for God, and could begin his journey of the Christian life. After exceeding all expectations and surpassing the knowledge of his teachers, he moved to a neighboring monastery, called Nursling, whereby he studied under the influence of Abbot Winbert.(St. Boniface Church) Here he gained vast knowledge of scriptures and the spiritual exposition of the Bible. Here, he gained such a reputation that men and women from far and wide traveled to study scriptures under his guidance. At the age of 30 he was humbly ordained a priest and yet another branch of his life was fulfilled.
Additionally, references made to both Jewish Old Testament prophets, the Apostle Paul, St Thomas Aquinas, Socrates, the United States Supreme Court and St Augustine, establishing himself as an educated man, knowledgeable in both the secular and religious realms, in addition to providing credence to his stance by citing examples and opinions from them (Hor...
In Pierre De Berulle’s selected writings pages 134 through 147 we continue to learn about the “Discourse on the State and Grandeurs of Jesus. The fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth discourse is on the communication of God in this mystery.
The Dhammapada speaks a universal truth, that “desire is unquenchable,” and explains that “he who wishes to awake, consumes his desires joyfully” (Chapter 14). These statements prove similar to the four noble truths, that to live is to suffer, and desire causes suffering; therefore, one cannot avoid temptation because it is ubiquitous. When explaining the outcomes of “craving pleasure or nursing pain,” the Buddha articulates that “there is only sorrow” (Chapter 16). Desire clearly only causes difficulty when attempting to achieve Nirvana, and the Dhammapada seeks to convey the importance of clearing the mind and purifying one’s thoughts. Continuing to contrast lust and happiness, the Buddha explains that “there is pleasure and there is bliss, forgo the first to possess the second” (Chapter 21). One cannot have genuine jubilation while yearnings and allurements cloud the mind. Expressed throughout Buddhist teachings and a main religious text, the action of overpowering desire and lewd thoughts proves a crucial step in eventually reaching
I. Bernard of Clairvaux was a Cistercian monk who is founder of the abbey of Clairvaux and one of the most significant churchmen of his time. He came from a Burgundian aristocratic family, in which his mother had a large religious influence on him. After her death, Bernard had turned away from his academic education and went to school at Châtillon-sur-Seine to pursue a religious livelihood. In 1115, Stephen Harding, one of the founders of the Cistercian Order, appointed him to lead a small group of monks to establish a monastery at Clairvaux. In his remaining years he participated in the condemnation of Gilbert de La Porrée, a scholarly dialectician and bishop of Poitiers who held that Christ’s divine nature was only a human concept.
Concluding his third book, Aristotle deems that self-indulgence is the more voluntarily chosen vice than cowardice, since intemperance seeks pleasure, while the latter avoids pain; which can derange a person’s choice. He compares intemperance to childish actions; exactly how the child requires instruction, the desiring soul must be fed by rational mind. Man’s desire without the presence of the rational mind can dangerously become unquenchable.
...he power to name a person as Holy Roman Emperor, and that his “absolute spiritual authority over all Christians” (Moss, Wilson p. 176) extended to a right to governmental authority and a position of physical power. This conflict in beliefs led to a war, in essence if not in name, between the two powers, and hostilities and tension throughout all of Europe. The fight lasted throughout the entirety of Dante’s life up to the writing up the Comedia, finally ending with the death of Pope Boniface VIII in 1303, and the crowning of Emperor Henry VIII in 1308.
Augustine sees human beings having metaphysical freedom: “the freedom to make decisions and control what to choose with any determination that is outside one’s control.” He points out that with out our metaphysical freedom we would be en...