There is a depth of personal experience and conviction in the book that is captivating. Its hard to know how to characterize bernard of clairvaux. Augustine and the cost of discipleship by dietrich bonhoeffer, i selected on loving god because it is broken up into. Igniting flames of revival across europe, bernard of clairvaux was one of the most powerful preachers in two thousand years of christian history. Bernard reminds us that not only did god give us life, but he gave us himself. This volume contains saint bernard s sermons for the liturgical seasons of lent and easter. Everything bernard of clairvaux was involved inpromoting the monastic life, preaching crusades, condemning heretics, advising popes, intervening with kings.
In 1115, only two years after he arrived at citeaux, bernard was sent to clairvaux as abbot of a new monastery. Apr 05, 2019 at twentythree years of age, bernard set off for newly founded monastery at citeaux, and, as a foreshadowing of his great influence to come, the young man convinced thirty of his companions to go along with him. The image and likeness of god in bernard of clairvauxs free choice and grace. Bernard of clairvaux has 123 books on goodreads with 6734 ratings. These are the ancient words of bernard of clairvaux 1090 1153, a great lover of god and considered the last of the church fathers. Talks on the song of songs 9781557252951 by bernard of clairvaux. See all books authored by bernard of clairvaux, including watch for the light. Bernard of clairvaux 10901153 french theologian and philosopher. The experience of god according to st bernard of clairvaux. Oracle of the twelfth century pdf, epub, docx and torrent then this site is not for you. List of books and articles about bernard of clairvaux online.
Having taken an annual retreat with cistercian monks for the past twenty years, where collections of st. You wish me to tell you why and how god should be loved. Bernard was cistercian monk and followed very strict disciplines. The paper examines the observations of st bernard on what is now known as religious experience. Bernard of clairvaux oriented the whole first movement of twelfth century culture.
Bernard, son of tescelin sorrel, and aleth, daughter of the lord of montbard, was born in the family castle of fontaines, near dijon, in burgundy. The experience of god according to st bernard of clairvaux ewtn. Bernard looks beyond the obvious literal interpretations of the text, using the passionate poetry as a springboard into a major exposition of scripture and a detailed. Bernard of clairvaux the legacy of saint bernard of clairvaux to 20thcentury christians, as multifaceted as it is, lies most significantly in his profound human psychology of selfesteem and selfawareness grounded in the mercy and love of god. The legacy of saint bernard of clairvaux to 20thcentury christians. There are those who seek knowledge in order to serve. The figure in question is bernard of clairvaux, a cistercian monk, abbot, mild mystic, and formidable theologian.
Bernard of clairvaux 10901153 on loving god is one of the bestknown and most influential works of medieval christian mysticism. Bernard surveys the four types of love that christians experience as they grow in their relationship with god. With great simplicity and poetic grace bernard writes of the deepest experiences of the mystical life in ways that became normative for all succeeding writers. Saint bernard of clairvaux, abbot, doctor of the church ewtn. Bernards repeated appeal to the book of experience is not meant to lessen the role of the book of scripture. Bernard of clairvaux s most popular book is on loving god. Sermons on the song of songs volume 1 9780879077044 by saint bernard of clairvaux and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. It stands at a point where all the others cul minate.
Bernard of clairvaux abbot, theologian, and poet 20 august 1153 bernard, third son of a burgundian nobleman, was born in 1090. In 1115 he headed the group sent to found a house at clairvaux. The language of inner experience in christian mysticism. The thought and teaching of st bernard of clairvaux was so saturated with scripture that the reader often cannot decide where the bible ends and bernard begins. C this article has been rated as cclass on the projects quality scale. Bernard of clairvaux and mysticism by stephen nichols. The cul ture of monastic mores with its committed relationships within a praying community gives experience a specifically monastic character. Up to the time of st bernard of clairvaux, learning in the church was based on the bible and the teaching of the church fathers, and on learning from the book of creation. Included are sermons for the purification, septuagesima, the feast of saint benedict, and the feast of the annunciation, al of which are interpreted by bernard in light of the paschal mystery. Known as doctor mellifluus the honeymouthed doctor, bernard was a monk of the cistercian order and one of the most. His brothers were trained as soldiers, but bernard from youth was destined for scholarship.
A classic in the field of medieval scriptural tradition, turners work aims to demarcate the. Feb 03, 2000 in this book the renowned medievalist g. Experience in bernard of clairvaux 5 experience is broad, embedded in desire, delight, love, awe, wonder, and anticipation. Such was my experience recently when reading a passage from st. Professor evans assessment of bernard is offered on the last page 172 of this book. Bernard of clairvaux 10901153, a figure of towering importance on the twelfthcentury monastic and theological scene. The bread of gods book christian history christianity. Readings for advent and christmas, and bernard of clairvaux.
The image and likeness of god in bernard of clairvauxs. Selected works harpercollins spiritual classics saint bernard of clairvaux, g. Discover book depositorys huge selection of saint bernard clairvaux books online. The image and likeness of god in bernard of clairvauxs free. Bernard of clairvaux, founder of the cistercian monastic order, devoted eighteen years of his life to composing sermons on the song of songs, a brief, eightchapter secular love song in the old testament.
Bernard became the abbot that is, the spiritual leader of the abbey in clarivaux in the early 12th century, right around the height of the medieval theological tradition. The legacy of saint bernard of clairvaux to 20thcentury christians, as multifaceted as it is, lies most significantly in his profound human psychology of selfesteem and selfawareness grounded in the mercy and love of god. There are those who seek knowledge for the sake of knowledge. Bernard of clairvaux quotes author of on loving god. Bernard of clairvaux is the little tract, on loving god. For pope eugene he wrote five books on consideration, the bedside reading of pope john xxiii and many other pontiffs through the centuries. Of all the great doctors of the church, bernard of clairvaux, the 12th century mystic and reformer, is probably the one. Bernard of clairvauxs writings on violence and the sacred. Reflections both philosophical and theological 9781420829761 by luke anderson.
Bernard of clairvaux books list of books by author bernard. Only the touch of the spirit can inspire a like this, and only personal experience can meaning. This volume contains saint bernards sermons for the liturgical seasons of lent and easter. In this 11th century text, st bernard of clairvaux, doctor of the. As abbot of the cistercian monastery of clairvaux, which he founded, he was constantly involved in the political, religious, and philosophical issues of his time, in.
He chose to live in a primitive hut in a marshy valley rather than a wealthy benedictine monastery nearby. List of books and articles about bernard of clairvaux. Saint bernard, the founding abbot of clairvaux abbey in burgundy, was one of the most commanding church leaders in the first half of the twelfth century as well as one of the greatest spiritual masters of all times and the most powerful propagator of the cistercian reform. There are those who seek knowledge to be known by others. The best christian book of all time tournament to pick up a few classic christian books that i had yet to read.
Bernard of clairvaux sermons on the song of songs bernard of clairvaux ca. Bernard of clairvaux on kisses in the song of songs. This is why, in the book of the song of songs, the language of physical love. Born of noble family, in 1112 he entered the cistercian abbey of citeaux, taking along 4 or 5 brothers and some 25 friends. For indeed, god deserves to be loved very much, yea, boundlessly, because. You must therefore turn your attention inwards, each one must take note of his own particular awareness of the things i am about to discuss. There are times when one reads something from one of the saints and is stunned by the tremendous insight, the piercing analysis, like a surgeons scalpel dividing diseased from healthy tissue. My answer is that god himself is the reason he is to be loved. This summer i was inspired by the the best christian book of all time tournament to pick up a few classic christian books that i had yet to read. Complete summary of saint bernard of clairvauxs on loving god. Discover book depositorys huge selection of bernard of clairvaux books online. Bernard of clairvaux 10901153, an early cistercian and the bestknown preacher of his day, brought a passionate and poetic eloquence to his exegesis of the biblical song of songs and in the process expanded the manysplendored language of love.
Bernard of clairvaux 10901153, a french abbott, and one of the very few saints designated as a doctor of the church. Bernard of clairvaux is within the scope of wikiproject catholicism, an attempt to better organize and improve the quality of information in articles related to the catholic church. In this 11th century text, st bernard of clairvaux, doctor of the church, gives the reader his insights and advice on love, describing the four separate kinds of love that seekers experience on their path to loving god. One has to appreciate a medieval figure whom martin luther and john calvin looked on with favor and, to a certain degree, approval. On loving god by bernard of clairvaux free at loyal books. Up to the time of st bernard of clairvaux, learning in the church was. For further clarity one needs to look at his environment. In this 11th century text, st bernard of clairvaux, doctor of the church, gives the reader his insights and advice on love. Bernards writings abound and silence prevails, bernard bangley notes that his book is one of the fruits of cistercian hospitality. The image and likeness of god in bernard of clairvaux s free choice and grace. After a brief overview of bernards life, evans focuses on a few major themes in his work, including his theology of spirituality and his theology of the political life of the church. What bernard is doing is asking his hearersreaders to place themselves in a new intertextual situation in which the book of scripture and the book of inner experience are meant to illuminate each other, leading the soul i. Bernard of clairvaux this book is in the public domain. Passionately in love with christ, he proclaimed a message of gods grace and called people to turn from temporal pleasures to pursue a vital.
Jul 11, 2019 bernard of clairvaux, on the song of songs. All this makes him a good theologian and an important theologian, but only if we can share his priorities and re. Selected works classics of western spirituality, and more on. Bernard of clairvaux christian history christianity today. All this makes him a good theologian and an important theologian, but only if we can share his priorities and regard it as more important not to rock the boat then to push the boat a. Written at the request of one of the cardinals of rome, it describes the four levels of love for god, and puts christian devotion in the context of gods love for mankind. Monastic reflection on the song of songs had already been a huge deal for centuries before bernards sermons on the song of songs public library on the book. Discover librarianselected research resources on bernard of clairvaux from the questia online library, including fulltext online books, academic journals, magazines, newspapers. Books by bernard of clairvaux author of on loving god. A collection of 20 sermons from bernards reflections on the song of songs. Bernard of clairvaux books list of books by author.
While there are many books in the tournament that i have on my list to read, like city of god by st. In this work, bernard offers us much to think and pray and meditate upon. Today the text we are to study is the book of our own experience. No zealot in the churchs history has spoken more eloquently about right rule in the church. He was a monk, an abbot, but hardly a retiring figure. Love is the fountain of life, and the soul which does not drink from it cannot be called alive.
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