Devotio Moderna and Pietism, 14th through 18th centuries

I.Breakdown of the Medieval Synthesis, Rise of Nominalism
     A.Medieval Synthesis: compatability of divine and human knowledge
          1.Revelation and Reason compatable
          2.Faith and Reason compatable
     B.William of Ockham (1300-1349)
          1."Knowledge" of God only by intuition & mystical experience
          2.Scientific knowledge through sense perceptions of individual
          objects
          3.Rational inquiry must confine itself to tangible objects
     C.Learning becomes more secular, more oriented to worldly concerns
          1.Universities often become distant from the faith
          2.Universities often become hotbeds of heresy & unbelief
     D.Emergence of Humanism
          1.Classical rather than Medieval values emphasized in schools
          2.not anti-Christian, but often anti-clerical, anti-Church
II.Devotio Moderna
     A.Supplement to ritual and ceremony of "High Church"
     B.Response to growing emphasis on humanism & secularism in schools
     C.Focused on personal devotion & piety
          1.prayer, meditation, mysticism
          2.seeking personal experience with God
          3.visions, dreams, apparitions, direct inspiration
          4.often form lay communities
               a.Beghards, Beguines, Sisters of the Common Life
III.Pietism
     A.Catherine of Sienna (1347-1380) "Dialogue"
     B.Thomas a Kempis (1379-1471) "Imitation of Christ"
     C.Catherine of Genoa (1447-1510) "Purgation and Purgatory"
     D.Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)
          1.Carmelite Nun (discalced)
          2.Prolific author
               a.The Interior Castle
               b.Life of Theresa of Jesus
               c.The Way of Perfection
               d.Meditation on the Song of Songs
          3.The Way of St. Teresa
               a."more learned than the learned men"
               b.silent, mental prayer
               c.intimate communion with God, receipt of grace, ecstacies,
               visions, realization of one's sins leads to mending one's ways
               d.love of and humility before God
               e.enthusiasm for the work of God
               f."Jesus is at your side"
               g."hold yourself within Jesus"
               h.teachings applicable to the common man
     E.St. John of the Cross (1542-1591)
          1.Collaborator with St. Teresa
          2.Prolific author
               a.The Ascent of Mount Carmel
               b.The Dark Night of the Soul
               c.Spiritual Canticle
               d.The Living Flame of Hope
          3.The Way of St. John of the Cross
               a.silent mental prayer & recollection
               b.purification and enlightenment of the soul
               c.renunciation of & detatchment from worldly cares
               d.emptying one's self in anticipation of the inpouring of
               divine love and grace
               e.human values and concerns will reappear in their true glory
               when perfected by Christ
               f.grow in the love of God
               g.the dignity and value of each person
     F.Saint Francis of Sales (1567-1622)
          1.Prominent Bishop in France
          2.emphasizes love & understanding, patience & gentleness
          3.Writings:
               a.On the Love of God
               b.Introduction to the Devout Life
               c.hundreds of letters of spiritual direction
          4."Let us belong to God ... in the midst of so much busyness
          brought on by the diversity of worldly things."
     G.Saint Jane Chantal (1572-1641)
          1.collaborator with Francis of Sales
          2.Mother Superior of a religious community
          3.emphasizes living in the true spirit of Jesus
          4.abandonment of the will to God's good pleasure
          5.the possibility of human perfection through God
          6."we cannot always offer God great things, but at each instant we
          can offer him little things with great love"
          7."walk in the presence of God in holy and absolute liberty of
          spirit."
     H.Saint Vincent de Paul (1581-1660)
          1.manifest God's love in helping one's fellow man
          2.organized charitable societies for men & women
          3.attracted a great deal of bourgeois & noble support
          4.Releif to the poor, relief to war victims
IV.Pietism among Protestants
     A.Moravian Brethren
          1.Philip Spener (1635-1705)
          2.Count Zinzendorf (1700-1760)
     B.Society of Friends (Quakers)
          1.George Fox (1624-1691)
     C.Social Reform through private action, not government action
          1.reform of education, health care, slavery, poverty
          2.But politically accomodationist
               a.low expectations regarding government(s)