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Social Responsibility and the Late Medieval Mystics*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 July 2009

Ray C. Petry
Affiliation:
Duke University

Extract

Charges of social irresponsibility have frequently been hurled against the medieval mystics, in their own day as in our yet more activist age. Mysticism and monasticism, to whose discipline the mystics owed much, have often been condemned for selfish withdrawal from public obligation. A major cause of this unjustifiable indictment is doubtless traceable to a predominant area of ignorance within the Western World. This is the growing unawareness of the balance maintained in the Christian tradition between contemplative worship of the Divine and active service of the human.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © American Society of Church History 1952

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References

1 Recognition of and reaction to such charges are found, for example, in The Cloud of Unknowing, chaps. 18, 24, and 25, in the modernized edition of MeCann, Dom Justin (London, 1943), pp. 2930, 3638Google Scholar, and in the critical Middle English text of Hodgson, Phyllis, Early English Text Society, No. 218 (London, 1944), pp. 4849, 5861Google Scholar; likewise in von Huüel, Baron Friedrich, The Mystical Element in Religion … (London, 1927), II 351–66Google Scholar, Inge, W. R., Christian Mysticism … (London, 1899, 1925), pp. 11, 160–61, 188 ffGoogle Scholar.; also his Mysticism in Religion … (Chicago, 1948), pp. 144 ff.Google Scholar

2 Butler, Dom Cuthbert, Western Mysticism … (New York, 1923)Google Scholar, recapitulates with a brilliant selection, translation, and commentary of source-texts the Church's true balance. Hereafter abbreviated as WM.

3 See the Tract. In loan. cxxiv. 5 as translated in WM, 196, and closely paraphrased here.

4 Consult Contra Faustum, XXII, 5258Google Scholar, in the edition of Péronne, M. et al. ; Oeuvres complétes de Saint Augustin (Paris, 1870), XXVI, 199208Google Scholar; cf. WM, 198–200.

5 Sermones ad populum, I Ser., Sermones, CIII–CIV, Péronne, op. cit., XVII, 128–136; II Ser. Sermo, CCLV, Péronne, op. cit. XVIII, 313–16; also WM, 200 f.

6 De Civ. Dei, XIX, 2 and 19.

7 The above quotations are from De Civ. Dei, XIX, 19, in the edition of Oates, W. J., Basic Writings of Saint Augustine (New York, 1948), II, 495–96.Google Scholar

8 Especially influential in later thought were Gregory the Great and Bernard of Clairvaux. Both emphasized the necessity of preachers', pastors', and superiors' following a mixed life. Gregory noted that Jesus spent prayerful night-watches in mountain retreats; but he blessed the people all the more with a day-time ministry in field, village, and town. Bernard insisted that action and contemplation are room-mates. Martha is sister to Mary. One must ever be prepared for the summons from indispensable contemplation to unavoidable action. But woe to him who attempts social benevolence out of contemplative penury. Cf. WM, 212 ff. Pertinent resumes and source references apropos Augustine, Gregory, Bonaventura, the Victorines, Thomas Aquinas, and others are provided in Stelzenberger, J., Die Mystik des Johannes Gerson (Breslau, 1928), pp. 25 ff.Google Scholar, and in Hodgson, , The Cloud of Unknowing, pp. lxix–hxvii.Google Scholar

9 In the translation of Peers, E. A. (London, 1925), chap. IV, 6, pp. 4849Google Scholar. Abbreviated as ACPe (IV, 6), 48–49 etc.

10 ACPe (II, 6), 31; cf. pp. 11–12, See the illuminating study of J. H. Probst, La mystique de Ramon Lull et l 'art de con-teplació, together with an edition of the Catalan text in Baeumker's, C.Beiträge zur Geschichte der Philosophic des Mittelalters: Texte and Untersuchungen (Münster, i/w., 1914), XIII, 23; 1124.Google Scholar

11 Translated by Peers, E. A. (New York, 1923), No. 61, p. 38=BLBGoogle Scholar (61), 38 etc.

12 BLB (134). 56; cf. (354, 364–65), 111, 114.

13 From the Dispidatio clerici et Raymundi phantastici as edited by Golubovich, P., Biblioteca Bio-Bibliografica della Terra Santa (Quaracchi, 1906), I (19), 388Google Scholar. Indispensable source-texts, summaries, and references are found also in Longpré, E., “Raymond (Le bienheureux) L u l l e,”' Dictionnaire Théologie Catholique IX. 1 (Paris, 1926)Google Scholar; Hauréau, M-P-E. Littré-B. et al. , “Raimond Lulle,” Histoire littéraire de la France, XXIX (Paris, 1900)Google Scholar; Ottaviano, C., L' ars compendiosa de R. Lull … (Paris, 1930)Google Scholar; P. Otto Keicher, “Raymundus Lullus und seine Stellung zur arabischen Phiosophie”, in Baeumker's, C.Beiträge (Münster, 1909), VII, 45: 1223Google Scholar; Atiya, A. S., The Crusade in the Later Middle Ages (London, 1938), pp. 7494Google Scholar. These are abbreviated with reference to item numbers and /or columns, pages, etc. as follows: Go (19), 388; Lg (3), 1096; Lt (LIV), 240–41; Ot (158), 76; Ke, 42, etc. Ot is indispensable for its table of Lullian works cross-referenced to leading editions and commentators.

14 Liber contemplationis [in Deum,] Majorea, after 1277, OT (5), 33, analyzed in Lg (1), 1090, and more fully in Lt (XLVIII), 220–35.

15 Liber de consilio divinarum dignitatum, drawn from the De civitate mundi, 1314. as reproduced, in part, by Lg (5928), 1102.

16 Summary of the Arbor Scientiae, Rome, 1295Google Scholar, in Lg (2), 1090–91; cf. Ot (57), 47; Lt (LXXII), 249–50.

17 Note the significance of the Ars generalis (Ke, 18–23); the Liber clericorum, Pisa, 1308 [OT (117), 66; Ke, 42 and a. 3; Lt (LXXVIII), 255–56; Lg (30), 1099]; the Doctrina pueril., Majorca, C. 1275 [Ot (1), 32; Lg. (2), 1108; Lt. (CCXV), 325; Ke, 42); De lege meliore, Majorca, 1313 [Ot (171), 80; Ke, 42 and n. 2; Lt (CCXIX), 327–28; Lg (52), 1101];Disputatio cleici, 1311 [OT (158), 76; Go (19), 388; Ke, 40–41 and n. 1; Lt (LIV), 240–41; Lg (7), 1109].

18 BLB (138), 57.

19 Peculiar importance attaches to the following works: The Petitio Raymundi (per conversione Infidelium) ad Coelestinum V et ad cardinales directa Naples, 1294, pleads with pope, cardinals, and priests to make available at whatever cost the Church's spiritual and physicaltreasures for recalling the infidel to the saving light of truth. (The Latin text is given in full by Go (3), 373–75, and a French translation in Lt (IX), 104–07: cf. Ot (54), 46; Lg (2), 1108). The Petitio Raymundi pro conversione infidelium et pro recuperatione Terrae Sanctae [ad Bonifacium VIII], Rome, 1295–96Google Scholar, is quite similar [Ot (59), 48; Go (4), 375; Lt (CCLIII), 341; Lg (3), 1109] The Raymundi Lulli epistolae tres, 1298–99, includes one to the University of Paris arguing for linguistic studies looking to peaceful missionization of adversaries: possimus in gladio veritatis eorum vincere falsitates, et reddere populum Deo acceptabilem, et inimicos convertere in amieos— Go (5), 375. [Cf. Denifle, H., et Chatelain, A., Chartu1arium Unirersitatis Parisiensis (Paris, 18891897), II, i, 8384Google Scholar; Lt (XC), 261, 33]. Liber de fine, i.e. the De expugnation Terrae Sanctae, Montpellier, 1305, gives detailed plans for both peaceful conversion and an armed Crusade. It is well analyzed with quotation of key texts in Atiya, , The Crusade, pp. 7785 and notesGoogle Scholar. [Cf. Lt (CCXLII), 337; Ot (108), 63; Go (14) 382–83]. The Disputatio Raymundi Lulli et Homerii Saraceni, Pisa, 1308, asks provision for monasteries emphasizing study of languages by regulars and seculars, a union of military orders, and the rededication of the Church's tithes, now deflected to other purposes, for the crusading cause [See the extended analysis in Lt. (XXV), 152–58; Ot (112), 65; Go (15), 383–85). Liber de acquisitione Terrae Sanctae, Montpellier, 1309, proposes a maritime crusade, propaganda assaults on Saracens, Jews, heretics, Greek schismatics, and Tartars in accordance with the Ars generalis, and the establishment of monastic courses in oriental languages at Rome, Paris and Toledo [Go (16), 385–86; Lt (CCLIV), 342–43; Ot (123), 68]. The Liber natalis or De natali pueri parvuli Christi Jesu, Paris, 1310Google Scholar. calls for recovery of the Holy Land for the honor of Christ, with the express approval of His Virgin Mother. It poignantly focuses Lull's own sense of frustration. It is extensively and critically analyzed as “cet ecrit bizarre” in Lt (LIII), 237–40, more sympathetically in Go (18), 386–88; Ot (142), 72. Disputatio clerici … et phantastici, 1311, presents a dialogue between the dreamer Raymond and his critic, a blasé, wellendowed priest, as Lull goes to the Council of Vienne to press for schools of language, united military orders, and proscription of Averroism in the universities [Go (19), 388; Lt (LIV), 240–41; Lg (7), 1109; Ke, 40–41; Ot (158), 76], Petitio Raymundi in concilio generali …, Vienne, 1311Google Scholar, contains the famous ten proposals for: (1) Papal establishment of three colleges of language at Paris, Rome, and Toledo; (2) Occupation service by coalesced military orders; (3) Crusading provisions with excommunication for princes opposing papal tax levies; (4) Papal diversion, ad passagium, of one part of all the prebends and spoils of deceased Bishops; (5) Reform of the Church, internally; (6) Interdiction of all philosophies held contrary to Christian theology; (7) Withdrawal of all usurers’ testamentary rights; (8) Substitution of syllogism for declamation in sermons before Jews and Saracens; (9–10) mandatory use by all professors of law and medicine of Lull's Ars jris and Ars rnedicinae [Go (20), 388; Lt (CCLII), 340–41; Ot (160), 76; Lg (8), 1109]. De participatione Christianorum et Saracenorum, Majorca, 1312Google Scholar, after Lull's post-conciiar arrival at Vienne, responds with appreciation for the Council's provision for linguistic instruction and the resumption of the Templars’ previous crusade functions by the Order of St. John; with suggestions that Christian and Muslim professors meet in a joint commission looking to irenic settlement rather than armed decision [Go (21), 389–92; Ot (165), 78; Lt (CCLV), 343; Lg (9), 1109; cf.Canon 11, Council of Vienne, in Schroeder, H. J., Disciplinary Decrees of the General Councils (St. Louis 1937)Google Scholar, Latin text, pp. 615–16, translation, pp. 395–96; Denifle, and Chatelain, , Chart., II, No. 695, a. 1].Google Scholar

20 In addition to the biographies by Go (1), 365–72; Ke, 8–35; Lg (I), 1072–88; Lt, 1–67, etc., see the useful summaries of his career and significance in Gratien, O., Histoire … de 1' ordre des freres mineurs an XIIIe siécle (Paris 1928), pp. 660 ff.Google Scholar, and de Sessevalle, F., Histoire générale de l'ordre de Saint François (Le Puy-En-Velay, 1937), I Pt. Tome II, pp. 713–28.Google Scholar

21 Predigt III: “Diz ist ouch Meister Eckehart der lêrte die Wârheit alle vart,” in Pfeiffer, F., Meister Eckhart (Leipzig, 1857; Göttingen, 1924), pp. 1624Google Scholar. See a translation into modern German by Büttner, H., Meister Eckeharts Schriften und Predigten… (Jena, 1923), I, 91101Google Scholar. An English translation based on Pfeiffer is that of C. de Evans, B., Meister Eckhart (London, 1924), 1420Google Scholar. The passage is quoted from Blakney, R. B., Meister Eckhart: A Modern Translation (New York, 1941), p. 111Google Scholar. Cf. de Gandillac, M. et al. , Maître Eckhart: Traités et sermons (Paris, 1942)Google Scholar, for translations into French. These key works are abbreviated by sermon number and/or pp. as follows: Pf (3), 16–24; Bu, Ev, Bl, Gn, etc. The reference to Thomas Aquinas is evidently Summa Theologica, IIa, IIae, Q. 182. a.1: “Yet, in a restricted sense and in a particular case one should prefer the active life on account of the needs of the present life. Mezard, P. D.McEniry, E. C., Saint Thomas Aquinas Meditations for Every Day (Somerset, Ohio, 1938), P. 406.Google Scholar

22 Redem der Unterweisung, VI, as translated into modern German by Bernhart, J. (München, 1922), pp. 2834, especially, pp. 3234Google Scholar. Cf. Bu (4), II, 11–14; Bl (6), 7–10; Gn (VI), 31–34.

23 Compare Chap. II of Clark, J. M., The Great German Mystics: Eckhart, Tauler, and Suso (Oxford, 1949)Google Scholar—where the entire issue is subjected to closest scrutiny after the sources and cumulative literature—with documents, appendices, and notes in BI. Cf. also Gn. 263–67.

24 Reden der Unterweisung, XX-XXIII, in Bernhart, op. cit., 65 ff.; Bl, 27 ff., Bu (12), II, 32 ff.; Gn (XX-XXIII), 51 ff. Note, especially, Sermon XXII in Pf (LXXVI), 238 if.; Ev (LXXVI), 185 ff; Bu, II 143 ff.; Bl, 197 if.; Gn, 239 if.

25 Fragment 14 quoted from Bl, 238; Pf (33), 607; Ev. 425.

26 “Divisiones ministracionum sunt, idem autem spiritus et Cetea,” I Cor. 12:6 f., is no. 42 in Vetter's, F., Die Predigten Taulers [Deutsche Texte des Mittelalters, Xl] (Berlin, 1910), pp. 176–81Google Scholar. See a modern German version in Lehmann, W., Johannes Tauler Predigten (Jena, 1913), I, 186–91Google Scholar. A French translation from the Latin of Surius is Noël, E. P., Oeuvres complètes de Jean Tauler (Paris, 1911), III, 454–64Google Scholar. For an English translation see Elliott, W., The Sermons and Conferences of John Tauler … (Washington, D. C., 1910), pp. 472–76Google Scholar. These are hereafter abbreviated as Ve (42), 176–81; Le, No, El, etc.

27 “Johannes est nomen eius.” Luc. 1:63 [Ve. (40), 162–69; Le (40) 1, 171 f.; El, 646–53, particularly, 648 f. Compare Hutton, A. W., The Inner Way: Being Thirty-six Sermons for Festivals by John Tauler (London, n. d.), pp. 82 ff.=Hu (X), 82.Google Scholar

28 These are, in the Strasburg MS of Vetter, Nos. 29, 30, 31 (Engelberger, 60 d, c. f), 32 and 33; also 34 and 35 Strasburg (=Engelberger 60 g and h). They are dispersed in EI and No.

29 “Karissimi, estote unanimes in oratone” [Ve (39), 154–62; Le (39), 1, 162–71; No. III, 316 f.; El, 434–41. Compare “Ecee prandium meum pamvi” [Ve (74), 398–403; Le (74), II, 207 ff.; No. IV, 210–25; El, 564–69]. See the apparently complete subordination to Pope, Church, Sacraments, in “Sequere me,” Matt. 9:9, Hu (XXIII), 201–02; El, 706 f. Cf. Jones, R., Studies in Mystical Religion (London, 19091923), 275–76.Google Scholar

30 “Estote misericordes sicut et pater vester misericors est,” Luc. 6: 36 f. [Ve (62), 336–41; Le (62), II, 142–47; El, 428–33; No. III, 300–15; Cf. Petry, R. C., No Uncertain Sound (Philadelphia, 1948) 47: 241–46Google Scholar; Hu (IX), 73]. See also, “Bene omnia fecit: surdos fecit audire et mutos loqui,” Marc. 7:31 f. [Ve (44), 190–94; Le (44), I. 200–04; No. IV, 26–33; El, 494–97; Pc, 48: 24649; Ru (IV), 28–30; also the more apparent than real contradiction in Hu (XV), 127 ff.

31 Comper, F. M. M., Ed., The Fire of Love (London, 1914), chap. XXI, pp. 9396Google Scholar, and the Form of Perfect Living, chap. XII, in Horstman, C., Yorkshire Writers: Richard Rolle of Hampole (London, 1895), I, 4647, 416–17—Middle English texts.Google Scholar

32 Contrast the strong appeal for the “medled” life, following Gregory, in Hilton's, WalterEpistle on Mixed Life, in Perry, G. G., English Prose Treatises: Richard Rlle of Hampole, EETS, 20 (London, 1866)Google Scholar, where it is wrongly attributed to Rolle, and in Horstman, op. cit., I, 264 ff., where it is properly ascribed to Hilton.

33 All the foregoing quotations are from chap. XXI of the Fire of Love, ed. by Comper, op. cit., pp. 93–96.

34 Cf. the “Translation of the Legenda in the Office Prepared for the Blessed Hermit Richard,” reproduced in Comper, op. cit., pp. xlv, ff.

35 Consult the edition of Hodgson, G., Rolle and “Our Daily Work” (London, 1929)Google Scholar; cf. Horstman, op. cit., I, 310–21.

36 Cf. Comper, op. cit., p. x.

37 Cf. Hodgson, G., Richard Rolle's Version of the Penitential Psalms (London, 1928)Google Scholar, Ps CI, 23 n. 9, 41; Cf. Hodgson, , Our Daily Work, pp. 5659.Google Scholar

38 Compare the editions of Dom McCann and P. Hodgson described in note 1, and hereafter abbreviated as CUM and CUH, by chapters and pages. Cf. CUH, lvii-lxxvii.

39 CUM (17–20), 28–32.

40 Chaps. 16–23, especially.

41 CUM (8), 15–16; CUR (8), 31.

42 CUM (18), 29 f.; CUR (18), 48 f.

43 Compare CUM (24–25). 36–38, with the unmodernized text of CUR (24–25), 58–61.

44 CUM, p. xxi.

45 D'Aygalliers, A. W.Ruysbroeck 1' Admirable (Paris, 1923), pp. 286 ff.Google Scholar, has an excellent, source-documented discussion of the three ways. Cf. Underhill, E., Ruysbroeck (London, 1914)Google Scholar, chaps. VVIII on the active, the interior, and the superessential life. For the three unities and the three lives see Book II, chapter ii. of the Adornment of Spiritual Marriage, edited together with The Sparkling Stone, and the Book of Supreme Truth, by Underhill, E. (New York, 1916), pp. 52 ffGoogle Scholar. The above works are hereafter abbreviated as Ay, UR, ASM, 85, BST, etc. Cf. BST, chaps. 1-VI, especially, for union with means, without means, etc. Cf. Axters, St., La spiritualité des pays-bas (Louvain, 1948), pp. 4160.Google Scholar

46 On the contemplative life in balanced relation to practical action see Ày, 299–304 in connection, particularly, with ASM, III, i-iv, and the superb chaps. IX and XIV of the 85; Cf. BST, IV, VIII, XIII, etc. and UR, 19–20.

47 Cf. SS, XI, and Ay, 304.

48 Pp. xv-xvi, introd. to ASM etc.

49 SS, 220–21. Compare SS, VII: “We find nowadays many silly men who would be so interior and so detached, that they will not be active or helpful in any way of which their neighbours are in need. Know, such men are neither hidden friends nor yet true servants of God, but are wholly false and disloyal; for none can follow Hi counsels but those who obey His laws.” Cf. UR, 117. See also Bizet, J. A., Ruysbroeck: Oeuvres Choisies (Paris, 1946)Google Scholar, “Le royaume des amants,” V. v, 176–78, on the common life.

50 See Ay, 306–09.

51 ASM, I, vii, 19; II, xlv, 109–10.

52 ASM, II, xxxix-xliii, 102–07.

53 Note the basic life by Vansteenbergho, E., Le cardinal Nicolas de Cues 1401–1464, l 'action, la pensée (Paris, 1920).Google Scholar

54 Consult The Vision of God, translated by E. G. Salter (New York, 1928)Google Scholar and De la docte ignorance, French translation by L. Moulinier (Paris, 1930)Google Scholar. de Gandillae's, M.Oeuvres choisies de Nicoas de Cues (Paris, n. d.)Google Scholar gives well-balanced, if all too brief, selections. Note, especially, in the Vision, chap. VIII: That the Gaze of God is Itself the Loving, Effecting, Reading, and Possessing of All Things in Itself; XIII: That God is Seen to be Absolute Infinity; XIX: How Jesus is the Union of God and Man; XXIV: How Jesus is the Word of Life. Compare in De la docte ignorance, I, i: Comment “savior” est “ignorer”; III, 11: Les mysteres de Ia foi; III, 12: L'église.

55 These themes predominate in the Excitationum ex sermonibus edited in the Opera Omnia of H. Petri, 3 vols. (Basal, 1565)Google Scholar. See also the Wichtigste Schriften ia deutscher Uebersetung von Dr. F. N. Scharpff (Freiburg i/B, 1862)Google Scholar. Cf. the late editions of Koch, J. et al. , Predligten (Heidelberg, 1937)Google Scholar. See also the references in Petry, R. C., “Emphasis on the Gospel and Christian Reform in Late Medieval Preaching,” Church History: Studies in Christianity and Culture XVI (06, 1947), especially pp. 88 ff. and nn. 51 ff.Google Scholar

56 From the sermon, “Where is He Who is Born King of the Jews?”— Matt. 2:2 (On the Epiphany: at Brixen, 1456), as translated from Koch, in Petry, NUS, 58: 293–94.

57 See the Docte, III, 11, 210 ff.Google Scholar; cf. the Vision, XXV: How Jesus is the Consummation, pp. 126 f.

58 The remarkable First Book of the De Corcordantia Catholica may be studied in the excellent edition of the Opera Omnia by G. Kallen (Leipzig, 1939)Google Scholar. Cf. Vansteenberghe, op cit., pp. 34–51. See French translations of portions from later Books in Gandillac, op. cit., pp. 51 ff. Note materials from Excit, VIII, 603–05Google Scholar translated into German by Scharpff, op. cit., pp. 417–20. Cf. also Petry, “Emphasis on the Gospel,” pp. 88 ff. and nn. 51 ff.

59 “From a Sermon on the Eucharist,” translated in Petry, NUS, 57:291.

60 See note 1, for the works of 1899 and 1948. The quotation on Eckhart 's pupils is from Christian Mysticism (1899), p. 188Google Scholar. All others are from Mysticism in Religion (1948), pp. 143–44Google Scholar. Cf. note 49, SS VII.