Miguel de Molinos: The Spiritual Guide (Classics of Western Spirituality (Paperback))

As such, the term has come to be applied to beliefs far outside its original context. The term quietism was not used until the 17th century, so some writers have dubbed the expression of such errors before this era as "pre-quietism".

Miguel de Molinos and Quietism | westernmystics

Although both Molinos and other authors condemned in the late seventeenth century, as well as their opponents, spoke of the Quietists in other words, those who were devoted to the "prayer of quiet", an expression used by Teresa of Avila , John of the Cross and others , "Quietism" was a creation of its opponents, a somewhat artificial systematisation made on the basis of ecclesiastical condemnations and commentary upon them. No single author, even Molinos generally seen as the main representative of Quietist thought advocated all the positions that formed the Quietism of later Catholic doctrinal textbooks — as such, at least one author suggests that it is better to speak of a Quietist tendency or orientation, one which may be located in analogous forms through Christian history.

Quietism is particularly associated with Miguel de Molinos , referred to by the Catholic Encyclopedia as the "founder" of Quietism. Molinos was imprisoned in the Castel Sant'Angelo , where he died in Quietism spread among Roman Catholicism through small groups into France. Madame Guyon won an influential convert at the court of Louis XIV in Madame de Maintenon , and influenced the circle of devout Catholics in the court for a time. A commission in France found most of Madame Guyon's works intolerable and the government confined her, first in a convent, then in the Bastille , leading eventually to her exile to Blois in The inquisition 's proceedings against remaining quietists in Italy lasted until the eighteenth century.

It is possible to isolate similar tendencies and similar concerns from the accusers as those condemned in the seventeenth century "Quietist" controversy in earlier periods. In classical philosophy, the state of imperturbable serenity or ataraxia was seen as a desirable state of mind by Epicurus , Pyrrhonian , and the Stoic philosophers alike, and by their Roman followers, such as the emperor Marcus Aurelius. In the Eastern Orthodox Church, an analogous dispute might be located in Hesychasm in which "the supreme aim of life on earth is the contemplation of the uncreated light whereby man is intimately united with God".

In early Christianity, suspicion over forms of mystical teaching may be seen as controversies over Gnosticism in the second and third centuries, and over the Messalian heresy in the fourth and fifth centuries.

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The Cathars ' denial of the need for sacerdotal rites has been perceived as a form of quietism. This may be a tacit reference to the Cathars or Albigenses of southern France and Catalonia , and that they are not subject to any human authority or bound by the precepts of the Church. Similar assertions of individual autonomy on the part of the Fraticelli led to their condemnation by John XXII in Alternatively, it is likely to be a direct reference to the so-called Beguine, Margaret Porette, burned alive at the stake in Paris in formally as a relapsed heretic, but also on account of her work "the Mirror of Simple Souls", written, importantly in the French vernacular.

Margaret is truly unique in her thought, but that the perfected soul becomes free of virtue and of its obligations and of those of the church she states clearly in her work and it is a theme throughout.

The condemnation of the errors of Meister Eckhart in may also be seen as an instance of an analogous concern in Christian history. Eckhart's assertions that we are totally transformed into God just as in the sacrament the bread is changed into the body of Christ see transubstantiation and the value of internal actions, which are wrought by the Godhead abiding within us, have often been linked to later Quietist heresies.

In early sixteenth century Spain, concern over a set of beliefs held by those known as alumbrados raised similar concerns to those of Quietism. These concerns continued into the mid-sixteenth century, and the writings of Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross. Both were very active reformers and both cautioned against a simple-minded "don't think anything" no pensar nada approach to meditation and contemplation; [ citation needed ] further, both acknowledged the authority of the Catholic Church and did not oppose its teaching concerning contemplative prayer.

Thus, their work was not condemned as heresy, being consistent with Church teaching. This did not stop John's work, however, coming under suspicion after his death; the fact he was not canonised until is largely due to seventeenth-century suspicions of beliefs similar to those termed "Quietist" later in the century. George Fox came to the conclusion that the only real spirituality was achieved by paying attention to the Holy Spirit the godhead through silence, and founded the Quaker movement on this basis — one which shared much resemblance with "Quietist" thought.

Turner and caused sharp controversy with evangelicals in the society. There, in internal regions, walk and live. You must walk the path of temptation. You will not walk down this road very far before you discover that the most internal parts of you are scattered; scattered and active, moving from one thing to another.

Collect yourself in His presence with the one purpose and intent of loving Him. Come to Him as one who is giving himself to God. The consistency of true prayer is in faith, and in waiting on Him. First you believe that you are in His presence. You believe that you are turning to Him with all your heart.

And you wait there before Him, tranquilly. You can expect to suffer through problems of a multitude of thoughts, problems of the imagination, provocation of your natural desires, and problems of an inward life that is very dry. All of these temptations must yield to the spirit. And if it seems to you that you have done nothing in the time that you have set aside for the Lord, do not be deceived. A good heart — a firmness in prayer — is something that is very pleasing to your Lord. When we come to the Lord in this way we labor without personal interest.

We are as the young men who work in the field with their father.

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At the end of the day, unlike the hired labor, we receive no pay. But at the end of the year, we enjoy all things. When there is no emotional experience nor intellectual insight into His way, the enemy may suggest to you that God has not spoken.

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But your Lord is not impressed with a multitude of words. He is impressed with the purity of the intent of your heart. He wishes to see the inward part of you humbled, quiet, and totally surrendered to Him and to His will, whatever it may be. There are those people who have begun a practice of collecting their inmost being but turned away from it almost immediately because they did not find any pleasure in it! There was no sense of God, there was no power, there was no sense of being pleased with their own thought, or being impressed with the way they formed their words and sentences to God.

Actually all of these approaches to God are nothing but a hunt for sensible pleasures. This, to God, is but self -love and seeking after self. It is really not seeking after God at all. But the less you care for the outward thrills of spiritual things…ah, here is something which delights the Lord. Your occupation is not against the resignation to His will, which you presented to Him.

You see, resignation encompasses all the activities of our daily life. Whether it be study, reading, preaching, earning your living, doing business, or the like…you are resigned to whatever it is that comes into your life each day, each hour, each moment. If you are drawn away from Him — if you are drawn away from prayer — revert to God, return to God, return to His presence — then renew an act of faith and renew an acquiescence to His will.

You will never attain to the mountain of internal peace if you govern yourself according to your own will.

Quietism (Christian philosophy)

This self-nature of your soul must be conquered. There must come a holocaust of your own values and judgments and will. It would be better that you gather dung by obedience than be caught up into the third heaven by your own will. Obedience that is pure has no personal interest or thought of gain for oneself. Pure obedience is solely for the gain of God.

About Bob OHearn

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