Christian spirituality
Under Christian spirituality refers to specific forms of spirituality in the context of practicing Christian. The focus is on an experienced or desired personal relationship of the Christian believer to God or to Jesus Christ . Christian spirituality is therefore usually also biblical spirituality (and tied back to early Christian experiences.) Therefore, it also points beyond the later confessional boundaries and peculiarities.
In Christian spirituality, individual perfection is seen as not attainable by technique, but experienced as grace . Christian spirituality not only includes a special preoccupation with spiritual things, but also expresses itself in everyday life. Experience of God and action that grows or is inspired by it ( ethics ) belong together.
history
Christian spirituality is first and foremost the spirituality of the New Testament in dealing with Jewish spirituality , especially the Old Testament . The main theme of this spirituality is the relationship between the old covenant and the new covenant sealed by Jesus Christ . While the Jews are still awaiting the first Messiah , the Christians are already expecting his return at the end of time. The kingdom of God has already dawned through his incarnation , his vicarious love death and his resurrection . Without knowing the day and the hour, Christians prepare for their own death and the general apocalypse . The New Testament spirituality itself is characterized by a greater expectation .
The "spirituality of the catacombs " is an example of the spirituality of the early church - between world conquest and martyrdom . In the image of the “Good Shepherd” it is clearly Christocentric based on the Pauline motto: “What can separate us from the love of Christ? Perhaps confusion and fear, persecution and hunger? ”(Rom. 8:35). Nevertheless, the message had to be veiled during this period of persecution, the symbol of the cross integrated into the anchor symbol , the confession "Jesus Christ, Son of God, our Savior" to be expressed in the fish symbol ( Ichthys ). Baptism and the Eucharist are omnipresent in the catacombs, while the focus is on the social dimension, which includes the living and the deceased in a large community of prayer and life. The eschatological awareness that Christians have no permanent place and home here, but rather seek the future in heaven (Hebr. 13:14; Phil. 3:20), becomes particularly clear in the time of persecution. Last but not least, the spirituality of the catacombs is a “spirituality of silence”.
The spirituality of the desert fathers (for example Anthony the Great ), the first church fathers (for example Augustine of Hippo ) and the first founders of the order (for example Benedict of Nursia ) tries to differentiate itself from the dualistic Gnostic spirituality . This spirituality is particularly impressive in the Augustine Confessions , but also in the traditional texts of Eucherius of Lyon , St. Patrick and Gregory the Great .
In the Middle Ages it is primarily women's mysticism that further developed Christian spirituality. Elisabeth von Schönau , Hildegard von Bingen , Mechthild von Magdeburg and Birgitta von Sweden revolve around the topics of “strangers to God” and “healing knowledge”. Meister Eckhart , Thomas von Kempen , Jacob Böhme , Niklaus von Flüe , Heinrich Seuse , Johannes Tauler , Thomas von Aquin , Nikolaus von Kues and Bernhard von Clairvaux strive for the right " following of Christ ".
During the Reformation, it was mainly Martin Luther , Philipp Melanchthon and Jean Calvin on the part of the Reformation and Ignatius of Loyola , Teresa of Ávila and John of the Cross on the part of the Counter-Reformation that set the tone. Through Ignatius von Loyola, the form of the spiritual retreat was significantly deepened. Above all, Francis of Sales tried to integrate the legitimate concerns of Reformation spirituality into his Christian-humanist spirituality, which formed the starting point for numerous new apostolic religious orders .
In the first half of the 19th century, Vincent Pallotti developed a spirituality of the apostolic vocation of every person. Responsibility for the apostolic mission should be shared together in the presence of different vocations and ways of life.
At the beginning of the 20th century there was an “awakening of the Church in the soul” ( Romano Guardini ) in Catholicism and Protestantism ; H. to search for a common form of mysticism that respects the dignity of the person in the face of the cultural struggle between individualism and collectivism . For example, for Edith Stein , Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Alfred Delp , the vehement representation of Christian spirituality as their form of resistance ended with the murder by the National Socialists.
After 1945, however, this gave the impetus to a “spirituality after Auschwitz” and a “spirituality of liberation” - analogous to the respective theological and pastoral currents. It was on the background of these experiences that the first New Spiritual Communities and Movements emerged (for example the Focolare Movement by Chiara Lubich ), which aimed at charismatic- evangelical renewal and ecumenical impulses. Depending on the orientation, the Pentecostal or the evangelical element was emphasized more strongly.
The specific spirituality of Orthodox Christianity , on the other hand, has shown basic constants over the centuries, within which only a few general variations exist, because it feels bound to the teaching of the Church Fathers.
At the end of the second millennium, in view of the confrontation with postmodernism , a change in Christian spirituality was partly demanded and partly already stated. Connections between Christian spirituality and other spiritual attitudes are increasingly being sought ( yoga , Zen , Enneagram ). It is not uncommon for the demarcation between mysticism and esotericism to be difficult and controversial.
to form
- Forms of prayer: Prayer from the heart - inner prayer - hour prayer
- Forms of reflection: retreats , lectio divina
- Forms of movement: sacred dance - pilgrimage - pilgrimage
- Musical forms: Church music - New Spiritual Song
- Biblical Forms: Bible Parts - Bibliodrama
- Spiritual Integration: Integrative Spirituality
Important representatives
- Anthony the Great (around 251–356)
- Gregory of Nyssa (335–394?)
- Augustine of Hippo (354-430) - Rule of St. Augustine
- Johannes Cassianus (around 360–463) - Prayer of rest
- Eucherius of Lyon († around 450)
- St. Patrick (around 390 - around 461) - Lorica (self-blessing)
- Johannes Hesychastes (454–559) - Hesychasmus
- Benedict of Nursia (around 480-547) - Benedictine spirituality
- Gregory the Great (around 540–604)
- Symeon the New Theologian (949-1022)
- Anselm of Canterbury (1033? -1109)
- Robert von Molesme (around 1028–1111) - Cistercian spirituality
- Hugo of St. Viktor (1097? –1141)
- Bernhard of Clairvaux (around 1090–1153)
- Elisabeth von Schönau (around 1129–1164)
- Hildegard of Bingen (1098–1179)
- Dominic (around 1170–1221) - Dominican spirituality
- Francis of Assisi (around 1181 / 82–1226) - Franciscan spirituality
- Jordan of Saxony († 1237)
- Bonaventure (1221-1274)
- Thomas Aquinas (around 1225–1274)
- Mechthild of Magdeburg (1208 / 1210–1282)
- Mechthild von Hackeborn (1241–1299)
- Gertrud von Helfta (1256–1301?)
- Master Eckhart (1260-1328)
- Gregor Palamas (1296-1359) - Imjaslavie
- Johannes Tauler (approx. 1300-1361)
- Heinrich Seuse (Suso) (around 1296-1366)
- Birgitta of Sweden (1303-1373)
- Catherine of Siena (1347-1380)
- Jan van Ruysbroek (1293-1381)
- Nikolaos Kabasilas (around 1320-1391?)
- Juliana of Norwich (around 1342-1413)
- Nikolaus von Kues (1401–1464)
- Thomas a Kempis (1379 / 80–1471)
- Niklaus von Flüe (1417–1487)
- Paracelsus (1493-1541)
- Martin Luther (1483–1546)
- Ignatius of Loyola (1491–1556)
- Philipp Melanchthon (1497-1560)
- Jean Calvin (1509–1564)
- Teresa of Ávila (1515–1582)
- Luis de Granada OP (1504–1588)
- John of the Cross (1542–1591)
- Luis de León (1527–1591)
- Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621)
- Francis de Sales (1567–1622) - Salesian spirituality
- Jacob Böhme (1575-1624)
- Angelus Silesius (1624–1677)
- Blaise Pascal (1623-1662)
- Paul Gerhardt (1607–1676)
- Nicolaus Steno (1638–1686)
- Fénelon , François de Salignac de la Mothe (1651–1715)
- Ludwig Maria Grignion de Montfort (1673-1716)
- Madame Guyon , Jeanne Marie Bouvier de la Mothe (1647-1717)
- Jean-Pierre de Caussade SJ (1675–1751)
- Gerhard Tersteegen (1697–1769)
- Alphons Maria of Liguori (1696–1787)
- Vincent Pallotti (1795-1850)
- Sören Kierkegaard (1813–1855)
- Johannes Maria Vianney , holy pastor of Ars (1786-1859)
- John Henry Newman (1801-1890)
- Charles H. Spurgeon (1834-1892)
- Theophan der Klausner , Bishop of Vischenka (1815-1894)
- Theresa of Lisieux (1873-1897)
- Elisabeth of Dijon (1880–1906)
- Edith Stein (1891–1942)
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906–1945)
- Alfred Delp (1907-1945)
- Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (1881–1955)
- Réginald Garrigou-Lagrange OP (1877–1964)
- Madeleine Delbrêl (1904–1964)
- William Branham , End-Time Prophet (1909-1965)
- Adrienne von Speyr (1902–1967)
- Romano Guardini (1885–1968)
- Thomas Merton (1915–1968)
- Gertrud von Le Fort (1876–1971)
- Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer (1902–1975)
- Anthony de Mello (1931-1987)
- Karl Rahner (1904–1984)
- Hans Urs von Balthasar (1905–1988)
- Hugo Makibi Enomiya-Lassalle SJ (1898–1990)
- Henri JM Nouwen (1932-1996)
- Mother Teresa (1910-1997)
- Brother Roger (1915-2005)
- John Paul II (1920-2005)
- Jörg Zink (1922-2016)
- Phil Bosmans (1922-2012)
- Thomas Keating OCSO (* 1923) - Centering Prayer
- Ernesto Cardenal (1925-2020)
- Willigis Jäger (1925-2020)
- Lothar Zenetti (1926-2019)
- Franz Jalics (* 1927)
- Emmanuel Jungclaussen (1927-2018)
- Huub Oosterhuis (* 1933)
- Peter Dyckhoff (* 1937)
- Richard Rohr (* 1943)
- Anselm Grün (* 1945)
- Wolfgang J. Bittner (* 1947)
- Peter Zimmerling (* 1958)
- Sabine Bobert (* 1964)
Magazines
- Inspiration. Journal for Christian Spirituality and Lifestyle (renamed in 2016, previously "Meditation")
- Spirit and life . Journal for Christian Spirituality (formerly: Journal for Ascese and Mysticism)
Institutes and chairs with a focus on Christian spirituality
- Chair for Christian Spirituality and Homiletics at the Catholic University of Eichstätt with the series "Geist und Wort"
- Endowed professorship for theology of spiritual life at the Catholic Theological Faculty of the University of Augsburg
- Institute for theology of spirituality at the University of Vienna
- Institute for Spirituality at the Philosophical-Theological University of Münster
- Institute for Pastoral Psychology and Spirituality at the Jesuit University St. Georgen
- Institute for Salesian Spirituality at the Philosophical-Theological College of the Salesians of Don Bosco
- Franciscan Institute for Spirituality (affiliated to the Pontificio Ateneo Antonianum)
- Titus Brandsma Instituut voor spiritualiteitsstudie, Radbouduniversiteit Nijmegen, Netherlands
Centers
- Center for Christian Meditation and Spirituality of the Diocese of Limburg
- Church of Silence, Hamburg-Altona
- Center St. Michael, Munich old town
See also
literature
- Sabine Bobert : Jesus prayer and new mysticism. Foundations of a Christian mystagogy. Kiel 2010, ISBN 978-3-940900-22-7 .
- Anton Mattes: Christian Spirituality. Unity and diversity. 1985, ISBN 3-7721-0076-7
- Wolfhart Pannenberg : Christian Spirituality. Theological Aspects. 1986, ISBN 3-525-33522-9
- Jürgen Thomassen: Christian spirituality for our time. Creation, meditation, forms of life. 1991, ISBN 3-429-01340-2
- Bernard McGinn (Ed.): History of Christian Spirituality , 3 vol., Echter, Würzburg 1993–1997, ISBN 3-429-01500-6 , ISBN 3-429-01657-6 , ISBN 3-429-01880-3
- Jakobus Kaffanke (Ed.): About the sources: the spirituality of the desert fathers and St. Benedict. , Catholic Academy of the Archdiocese of Freiburg, Freiburg i. Br. 1997., (Conference reports of the Catholic Academy of the Archdiocese of Freiburg 1997), ISBN 3-928698-14-1
- Balthasar Fischer: Piety of the Church. Collected Studies on Christian Spirituality. Borengässer, Bonn 2000, ISBN 3-923946-48-1
- Gordon Mursell: The History of Christian Spirituality. Two thousand years in east and west. Berlin 2002, ISBN 3-7831-2102-7
- Klaus Berger : What is Biblical Spirituality? , 2003 (GTB 1456) ISBN 3-579-01456-0
- Peter Zimmerling : Evangelical Spirituality. Roots and Approaches , Göttingen 2003, ISBN 978-3-525-56700-5
- Peter Zimmerling (Ed.): Handbook of Evangelical Spirituality. Volume 1: History , Göttingen 2017, ISBN 978-3-525-56719-7
- Peter Zimmerling (Ed.): Handbook of Evangelical Spirituality. Volume 2: Theology , Göttingen 2018, ISBN 978-3-525-56720-3
- Anton Rotzetter : Lexicon of Christian Spirituality. Darmstadt 2008, ISBN 3-534-16689-2
- Christian Schütz (Ed.): Practical Lexicon of Spirituality. Herder, Freiburg i.Br. u. a. 1992, ISBN 3-451-22614-6 , 1504 Sp.
- Corinna Dahlgrün : Christian Spirituality. Forms and traditions of the search for God. Berlin 2009, ISBN 978-3-11-017802-9
- Erwin Möde : Christian spirituality and mysticism. A systematic introduction , Regensburg 2009, ISBN 978-3-7917-2182-8
- Michael Plattig: Canon of Spiritual Literature . Münsterschwarzach 2010, ISBN 3-89680-477-4
Web links
- Christian Spirituality: Authors and Texts
- Institute for Spirituality at the Philosophical-Theological University of Münster
- Institute for theology of spirituality at the University of Vienna
Individual references and sources
- ↑ What is Christian Spirituality . Retrieved February 16, 2015.
- ↑ Spirituality of the catacombs using the example of the Callixtus catacombs ( Memento from August 3, 2005 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Cf. on this fundamentally Metropolitan Hierotheos (Vlachos) of Nafpaktos: Orthodox Spirituality. A brief introduction .
- ↑ Archive link ( Memento from October 19, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Franciscan Institute for Spirituality (IFS)