The Spiritual Exercises And The Ignatian Mystical Horizon

This book is a revision and condensation of a doctoral dissertation which its author wrote under the direction of the well-known Father Karl Rahner at the University of Münster. It focuses on the importance of St. Ignatius’ small book, the Spiritual Exercises, as a source of theological investigation. Thus it stems from Rahner’s own “conviction,” as he states in his foreword, “that the real theological (and not only the spiritual) significance of Ignatius’ Spiritual Exercises . . . presents a non-yet accomplished task to today’s theology.” Absorbing, synthesizing, and completing past studies on the Exercises, Father Egan summarizes the finding of modern scholars such as Przwara, Fessard, Karl Rahner, Hugo Rahner, Marxer, Cusson, Gil, Bakker, and Gonzalez de Mendoza—all hitherto relatively unavailable in English—and then presents his own fresh viewpoint. His quest is for Ignatius’ mystical horizon, “the lived internal unity, . . . the roots of all of Ignatius’ experiences, knowledge, and love.” Applying the contemporary methodology in theology to the study of the Ignatian Exercises, the author offers a penetrating and comprehensive treatment of Ignatius’ “consolation without previous cause,” of the “Three Times of Election,” including intellectual and affective discernment, the trinitarian dimensions of the Exercises, and other important Ignatian themes. The book is scholarly and extensively documented and seems to be the most comprehensive and up to date theological commentary in English on the Exercises. One experienced critic has called it “one of the greatest contributions to the present commentary on the Exercises.”

This book is a revision and condensation of a doctoral dissertation which its author wrote under the direction of the well-known Father Karl Rahner at the University of Münster. It focuses on the importance of St. Ignatius’ small book, the Spiritual Exercises, as a source of theological investigation. Thus it stems from Rahner’s own “conviction,” as he states in his foreword, “that the real theological (and not only the spiritual) significance of Ignatius’ Spiritual Exercises . . . presents a non-yet accomplished task to today’s theology.” Absorbing, synthesizing, and completing past studies on the Exercises, Father Egan summarizes the finding of modern scholars such as Przwara, Fessard, Karl Rahner, Hugo Rahner, Marxer, Cusson, Gil, Bakker, and Gonzalez de Mendoza—all hitherto relatively unavailable in English—and then presents his own fresh viewpoint. His quest is for Ignatius’ mystical horizon, “the lived internal unity, . . . the roots of all of Ignatius’ experiences, knowledge, and love.” Applying the contemporary methodology in theology to the study of the Ignatian Exercises, the author offers a penetrating and comprehensive treatment of Ignatius’ “consolation without previous cause,” of the “Three Times of Election,” including intellectual and affective discernment, the trinitarian dimensions of the Exercises, and other important Ignatian themes. The book is scholarly and extensively documented and seems to be the most comprehensive and up to date theological commentary in English on the Exercises. One experienced critic has called it “one of the greatest contributions to the present commentary on the Exercises.”

"Long before there was Freud, there was the brilliant Doctor of the Soul, Ignatius Loyola. Mystical Healing is an in-depth analysis of his famous exercises at work. The Spiritual Exercises are a type of map of the human heart and therefore a trustworthy guide to follow in prayer. Through the use of case studies, Fr. Horn shows the Exercises to be as useful and cogent today as they were four hundred years ago. With each individual study there is a penetrating theological and spiritual-psychological analysis of the person, the process, and the wooing of the Spirit. This is a rare blend of the experiential and the theoretical as Ignatian prayer is illuminated and taught."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

This work explores the influential Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius Loyola, the sixteenth-century Spanish soldier, saint, mystic, and founder of the Jesuit Order. The Ignatian Exercises, including the Examen, are brought into dialogue with the psychologies of C.G. Jung and Viktor Frankl, the philosophies of Eric Voegelin and Bernard Lonergan, as well as the thought of Teilhard de Chardin, von Balthasar, and Eastern philosophy. Their enduring relevance and implications for the Recovery and wellness movement are also articulated. Drawing on key themes such as gratitude, forgiveness and consciousness as a springboard for reflection and interpretation, the mystical dimension of Ignatian spirituality is emphasised throughout. This book will benefit the beginner, serious scholar, spiritual seeker and anyone intent on gaining an understanding of this unique 'way of proceeding'.

In view of the double vocative that characterizes the relation of Creator to creature, this book offers critiques of modern and postmodern philosophy for the ways in which they have separated philosophy, theology, and spirituality. This collection examines the complicated relationship of God to Being and the meaning of Revelation, as well as highlighting the context and the role of the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius Loyola. Discussions include the Catholic Principle and its relevance in contemporary times, and Christian epic visionaries such as Dante, Milton, Blake, and Joyce, providing scholars a forum to debate their theological identity and its meaning for future studies. This volume contributes a unique engagement from many perspectives with the Catholic intellectual tradition in its philosophical, theological, spiritual, literary, and artistic dimensions.

Ever since the Spiritual Exercises were first published in 1548, they have been a popular and important resource for spiritual directors and directees. In this new translation, Michael Ivens draws on the wealth of previously published materials, as well as his extensive experience, to produce a new commentary that unravels the inner workings of the Spiritual Exercises. This new translation with detailed introductions to each section, helps directors arrive at a firm and nuanced understanding of this classic of western spirituality.