An edition of Western mysticism
(1922)
Western Mysticism
The Teaching of SS. Augustine, Gregory and Bernard on Contemplation and the Contemplative Life
Second edition with AFTERTHOUGHTS
by Edward Cuthbert Butler
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Subjects
Contemplation, History, History of doctrines, Mysticism, Et la contemplation, Mysticisme, Augustine, saint, bishop of hippo, 354-430, Gregory i, pope, approximately 540-604, Bernard, of clairvaux, saint, 1090 or 1091-1153, Mysticism, history, HistoirePeople
Augustine Saint, Bishop of Hippo, Bernard of Clairvaux, Saint (1090 or 91-1153), Gregory I Pope (ca. 540-604), Gregory I Pope, Bernard of Clairvaux, Saint, Grégoire Ier pape (ca 540-604), Bernard de Clairvaux, saint (1090 ou 91-1153), Augustin saint, évêque d'HipponeTimes
Middle Ages, 600-1500Showing 4 featured editions. View all 24 editions?
| Edition | Availability |
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1
Western mysticism: the teaching of SS. Augustine, Gregory, and Bernard on contemplation and the contemplative life
1975, Gordon Press
in English
0879682442 9780879682446
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2
Western mysticism: the teaching of Augustine, Gregory and Bernard on contemplation and contemplative life
1967, Constable
in English
- 3rd ed. with Afterthoughts, and a new foreword by Professor David Knowles.
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3
Western Mysticism: The Teaching of SS. Augustine, Gregory and Bernard on Contemplation and the Contemplative Life
1951, E. P. Dutton & Co Inc.
in English
- Second edition with AFTERTHOUGHTS
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Book Details
Published in
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Table of Contents
PREFACE
Page v
AFTERTHOUGHTS
Page ix
Current controversies on mystical theology--Prayer of Faith--Acquired contemplation--St Teresa and St John of the Cross--Bishop Hedley on contemplation--Intellect and will in contemplation--Points of mystical theology--Mixed contemplation--Practical agreements--General call to mystic union--The mystic experience and theology--The mystic experience and psychology--The vision of God--Summary of results.
PART I: SPECULATIVE CONTEMPLATION
PROLOGUE: WHAT MYSTICISM IS
Page 3
Three aspects of the writings of the mystics--Mysticism and Contemplation--The mystics' claim--Pseudo-Dionysius--Richard of St Victor--St Thomas Aquinas--'Cloud of Unknowing'--Ruysbroeck--Blosius--St John of the Cross--St Francis of Sales--Fr Baker--Pascal--Mother Isabel--The great problem of mysticism: the truth of the claim.
1. ST. AUGUSTINE
Introductory General Sketch
Page 19
St Augustine, the prince of mystics--Himself the refutation of popular misconceptions.
'Enarration' on Psalm XLI
Page 20
A statement of mystical theology--Formulation of doctrine.
(A).
Preliminary Phases
Page 27
Remote preparation: purgation--Proximate preparation: recollection, introversion.
(B).
Autobiographical Passages
Page 31
Confessions, vii. 16, 23; ix. 23, 24, 25--A search for the Unchangeable.
(C).
The Act of Contemplation
Page 34
The Object contemplated--Ultimate Reality--The Unchangeable--Truth--Light.
Excursus on St Augustine's Ideology
Page 36
Theory of vision: corporal, imaginary, intellectual--Objects of intellectual vision the Platonic Ideas--Seen in the Light of God--Truth perceived in the Truth which is God--Theory of Divine illumination.
(D).
Mysticism or Platonism
Page 40
Which is it?--Answer: it is full religious mysticism--God the Object of the contemplation--The mystic union--Rapturous joy--Transiency of the experience--Effects.
(E).
Psycho-physical Phenomena: Ecstasy
Page 50
Physical side of ecstasy--Religious side--What takes place during it--Intellectual ecstasy--In it is seen the Light which is God.
(F).
The Vision of God
Page 55
Moses' vision of God--He saw God's Essence--So did St Paul--St Thomas follows St Augustine--Did St Augustine believe he had himself enjoyed this vision?--The mystic experience not usually such as this.
2. ST GREGORY THE GREAT
Introductory General Sketch
Page 65
Homily on Ezechiel II. ii.
Page 66
Exposition of St Gregory's mind on whole subject.
(A).
Preliminary Phases
Page 68
Purgation--Recollection--Introversion--Contemplation.
(B).
Autobiographical Passages
Page 71
Descriptions of contemplations.
(C, D).
The Act of Contemplation
Page 76
Truth and Light--'Chink of contemplation'--God the Object--Fervour and joy--Transiency--Effects.
(E).
Psycho-physical Phenomena: Ecstasy
Page 83
St Gregory's language examined--No reference to phenomena of rapture and trance--St Benedict's vision.
(F).
The Vision of God
Page 87
God's Essence not seen in this life--God seen as through a mist--Moses' vision--Nature of St Benedict's vision.
3. ST BERNARD
Introductory General Sketch
Page 94
St Bernard's imagery--The Bride and Bridegroom.
(A).
Preliminary Phases
Page 98
Purgation--Recollection--Introversion--Devotion.
(B).
Autobiographical Passage
Page 100
Bernard's description of his mystic experience.
(C).
The Act of Contemplation
Page 102
Contemplation of the heart--Contemplation of the intellect--Transiency--Effects--'Transformation'--'Deification'--'Nuptials.'
(D).
Spiritual Marriage: Union
Page 110
Early Christian symbolism--Bernard's portrayal of the spiritual marriage--Safeguard against Pantheism.
(E).
Psycho-physical Concomitants
Page 115
St Bernard's language examined--Evidence in regard to ecstasy, rapture, and bodily phenomena: little such--Evidence in regard to visions, locutions, revelations: none such.
(F).
The Vision of God
Page 119
God not seen as He is in this life--St Benedict's vision.
4. SUMMARY
Characteristics of Western Mysticism
Page 123
It is (1) pre-Dionysian--(2) Pre-scholastic--(3) Without visions and revelations--(4) Without physical rapture--(5) Without psycho-physical concomitants--(6) Without haunting fear of diabolical delusion--It is a mysticism purely and solely religious, objective, empirical--Mysticism independent of philosophy--Not the privilege of the intellectual--St Gregory's mysticism held sway through Middle Ages till 1150--Though cultivated in Benedictine circles, not specifically 'Benedictine Mysticism', but 'Western'--Dangers of mysticism--This type safe--Formerly contemplation regarded as natural issue of a spiritual life--This idea obscured in modern times, but reasserting itself.
EPILOGUE
The Validity of the Mystics' Claim
Page 135
The outstanding problem of mysticism: Is the claim of the mystics valid?--Claims of union with divinity a very common religious phenomenon--Nearly always illusion--Mystics in bad company--Is their witness such as to impose itself?--Writer holds it is--Attitude of modern psychologist--Certain preliminary considerations--(1) Claim of the mystics in light of theology--(2) In light of psychology--The apex or 'ground' of the soul--(3) Supernatural character of mystical experience--Is it miraculous--(4) Character of the great mystics as witnesses--(5) Quality of the content of the experience--(6) Its effect on life and character--St John of the Cross taken as the spokesman of the mystics in setting forth the claim--Catena of passages from his writings--Final question: Is this the language of illusion?
PART II: PRACTICAL
THE CONTEMPLATIVE AND ACTIVE LIVES
1. ST AUGUSTINE
(G).
The Two Lives
Page 157
Passages contrasting them--Typified by Lia and Rachel--Doctrine on Two Lives.
(H).
The Contemplative Life the Better
Page 160
Martha and Mary--Wisdom (contemplation) and knowledge (action).
(J).
Claims of the Two Lives
Page 163
Those of active life imperative--Three Lives: the leisured or contemplative, the busied or active, and the mixed--The last is to be adopted in practice--Warning against idleness in contemplative life.
(K).
Contemplation Open to All
Page 166
Promised to all who faithfully pursue course God commands--Not for 'intellectuals' but 'little ones'.
2. ST GREGORY THE GREAT
Introductory Sketch of Theory
Page 171
Definition of the Two Lives--Exposition of theory from Hom. in Ezech. II. ii.--Martha and Mary--Lia and Rachel.
(G).
The Two Lives
Page 173
The active life necessary, the contemplative optional--Only by exercising active life can one come to contemplative.
(H).
The Contemplative Life the Better
Page 174
Martha and Mary.
(J).
Claims of the Two Lives
Page 176
His conciliation of the mutual claims of the Two Lives on the individual is St Gregory's great contribution to the theory and practice of the spiritual life--(1) The union of the Two Lives should be aimed at--(2) Pastors of souls must exercise both lives--(3) Why pastors may not neglect either life--(4) External works should be undertaken by contemplatives with reluctance--(5) Contemplatives should accept office when called upon to do so--(6) In dearth of workers contemplatives should undertake active work--(7) Periods of retirement are necessary for those employed in active works--(8) Contemplative life aided by admixture of active--(9) For contemplation tranquillity of mind is necessary--(10) Conciliation of contemplative life with external works--(11) A true 'mixed life' the best--(12) The contemplative life as actually lived--(13) Reminder to contemplatives of their indebtedness to active livers.
(K).
Contemplation Open to All
Page 186
Homilies on contemplation preached in Lateran Basilica to all comers--'Pastoral Rule' expects all pastors to exercise contemplation--Dangers in contemplation for restless minds--But the active life alone unsatisfying.
3. ST. BERNARD
(G) and (H): nothing.
(J).
Claims of the Two Lives
Page 191
Treatment substantially same as St Gregory's--Purely contemplative life impracticable--Mixed life best--Contemplation generates active zeal--Spiritual marriage leads to spiritual fecundity in winning souls for God--Alternations of both Lives.
(K).
Contemplation Open to All
Page 197
Certainly to all monks--probably to all devout souls.
4. SUMMARY
The Contemplative Life
Page 201
History of thought on contemplative life not yet written--Outline sketched here--Plato and Aristotle--Philo--Clement and Origen--Cassian--St Augustine--Julianus Pomerius--St Gregory--Cluny--St Bernard and Richard of St Victor--St Thomas--Ruysbroeck--St Teresa--St John of the Cross--Bp Hedley--Modern conception of contemplative life different from traditional Western conception formulated by St Gregory and maintained until sixteenth century--Question depends on meaning attached to following terms: (1) 'Contemplation'--St John of the Cross thereon--Two grades of contemplation--(2) 'Contemplative prayer'--(3) 'A contemplative'--(4) 'Contemplative state'--(5) 'Contemplative life'--The sum of the matter: contemplation not a thing out of reach--The four elements of a well-balanced personal religion.
APPENDIX
(1).
Nature Ecstasy
Page 227
William James' experiences under nitrous oxide--Tennyson--Bucke--Richard Jefferies' Story of My Heart.
(2).
Intellectual Ecstasy of Plotinus
Page 232
Extracts from passages translated by Montgomery and Inge--St Augustine's estimate.
Addition to Appendix
Page 237
Further consideration of natural contemplation--Plotinus--Mahommedan mystics.
Edition Notes
Nihil obstat--
F. INNOCENTIUS APAP, S.Th.M.,
Censor Deputatus.
Imprimatur--
EDM. CAN. SURMONT
Vic. Gen.
Westmonasterii
die 26a August, 1926
First Published ... 1922
Second Edition ... 1926
Reprinted ... 1951
Printed and made in Great Britain by
Fletcher and Son Ltd, Norwich and
The Leighton-Straker Bookbinding Co. Ltd, London
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