The concept of the spiritual path in the views of Augustine and Bernard of Clairvaux: comparative analysis

• Main Author: A. V. Timofeev
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Publishing House "Grani" 2015-01-01
• Series: Granì
• Subjects: стремление; самопознание; внутренний опыт; интроспекция; образ и подобие; желание; тождественность; Бог
• Online Access: https://grani.org.ua/index.php/journal/article/view/138

The article examines the transformation of St. Augustine’s anthropological views in virtually unexplored in Ukraine philosophical and theological teachings of the medieval mystic Bernard of Clairvaux. Research field focused on the issues of negative and positive theological approaches, metaphysical and existential position of philosophical view of the problem of man. Based on the study of foreign scientists, outlines the key aspects of Augustinian doctrine of the human desire for God, the theoretical basis for philosophical and theological views of St. Bernard of Clairvaux. The conclusions substantiated regarding the impact of anthropological views of St. Augustine on the formation of existential components in the concept of the spiritual path of Bernard of Clairvaux. Transforming an ontological approach to the problem of man in practical sense of being in God as a form of spiritual path, St. Bernard complements the existential aspect of Christian anthropology. By means of a comparative analysis revealed the originality of the author’s approach St. Bernard to the problem of man’s spiritual development, which finds expression in the symbolic images of the spiritual marriage ­ an allegorical interpretation of the relationship between God and the soul at the highest levels of mystical contemplation. Dominant moral and practical sense in the teaching of St. Bernard is presented as a justification for the tendency to anthropological turning in medieval philosophy.