85-448: In Western Christianity , Lectio Divina ( Latin for "Divine Reading") is a traditional monastic practice of scriptural reading, meditation and prayer intended to promote communion with God and to increase the knowledge of God's word . In the view of one commentator, it does not treat Scripture as texts to be studied, but as the living word. Traditionally, Lectio Divina has four separate steps: read; meditate; pray; contemplate. First
170-598: A lesser festival on 13 January . From his writing St. Hilary's symbol came to be three books and a quill pen. Sulpicius Severus ' Vita Sancti Martini led to a cult of Saint Hilary as well as of St. Martin of Tours which spread early to western Britain . The villages of St Hilary in Cornwall and Glamorgan and that of Llanilar in Ceredigion bear his name. In France most dedications to Saint Hilary are styled "Saint-Hilaire" and lie west (and north) of
255-443: A Christian life of "constant prayer" in a monastic setting. Although the desert monks gathered to hear Scripture recited in public, and would then recite those words privately in their cells, sometimes meditating on them; this was not yet fully what later became Lectio Divina, since it did not necessarily involve a meditative step. After Origen, Church Fathers such as St. Ambrose , St. Augustine , and St. Hilary of Poitiers used
340-402: A Puritan theologian, championed the practice. By the middle of 19th century, the historical critical approach to biblical analysis which had started over a century earlier, and focused on determining the historicity of gospel episodes, had taken away some of the emphasis on spreading Lectio Divina outside monastic communities. However, the early part of the 20th century witnessed a revival in
425-595: A gift to the devil of that world for which Christ had suffered." According to Jerome , Hilary died in Poitiers in 367. While Hilary closely followed the two great Alexandrians, Origen and Athanasius , in exegesis and Christology respectively, his work shows many traces of vigorous independent thought. Among Hilary's earliest writings, completed some time before his exile in 356, is his Commentarius in Evangelium Matthaei , an allegorical exegesis of
510-524: A guiding light and a source of direction and stated "It should never be forgotten that the Word of God is a lamp for our feet and a light for our path." Contemplation takes place in terms of silent prayer that expresses love for God. The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines contemplative prayer as "the hearing the Word of God" in an attentive mode. It states "Contemplative prayer is silence ,
595-646: A hypocrite as he had been ignominiously expelled from Milan. Upon returning home, Hilary in 365, published the Contra Arianos vel Auxentium Mediolanensem liber, describing his unsuccessful efforts against Auxentius. He also, perhaps at a somewhat earlier date, published the Contra Constantium Augustum liber , accusing the deceased emperor as having been the Antichrist , a rebel against God , "a tyrant whose sole object had been to make
680-686: A monastery was to take part in the readings during Sunday, except those who had other tasks to perform. Early in the 12th century, Saint Bernard of Clairvaux was instrumental in re-emphasizing the importance of Lectio Divina within the Cistercian order. Bernard considered Lectio Divina and contemplation guided by the Holy Spirit the keys to nourishing Christian spirituality. Seek in reading and you will find in meditation ; knock in prayer and it will be opened to you in contemplation — The four stages of Lectio Divina as taught by John of
765-545: A part of the body ( contemplatio ). In Christian teachings, this form of meditative prayer leads to an increased knowledge of Christ . Unlike meditative practices in Eastern Christianity – for instance, hesychasm , where the Jesus Prayer is repeated many times – Lectio Divina uses different Scripture passages at different times. Although a passage may be repeated a few times, Lectio Divina
850-467: A passage of Scripture is read, then its meaning is reflected upon. This is followed by prayer and contemplation on the Word of God. The focus of Lectio Divina is not a theological analysis of biblical passages but viewing them with Christ as the key to their meaning. For example, given Jesus' statement in John 14:27 : "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you", an analytical approach would focus on
935-593: A prayer inviting the Holy Spirit to guide the reading of the Scripture that is to follow. The biblical basis for the preparation goes back to 1 Corinthians 2:9–10 which emphasizes the role of the Holy Spirit in revealing the Word of God. As in the statement by John the Baptist in John 1:26 that "in the midst of you standeth one whom ye know not," the preparatory step should open the mind to finding Christ in
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#17327730115211020-671: A slight deficiency, or a tendency toward sin yet without collective guilt , referred to as a "sin nature", to something as drastic as total depravity or automatic guilt of all humans through collective guilt. Most Western Christians use a version of the Nicene Creed that states that the Holy Spirit " proceeds from the Father and the Son ", where the original text as adopted by the First Council of Constantinople had "proceeds from
1105-539: A very short time of the accession of Emperor Julian . On returning to his diocese in 361, Hilary spent most of the first two or three years trying to persuade the local clergy that the homoion confession was merely a cover for traditional Arian subordinationism. Thus, a number of synods in Gaul condemned the creed promulgated at the Council of Ariminum (359). In about 360 or 361, with Hilary's encouragement, Martin ,
1190-475: Is Christ . In his view all Scriptural texts are secondary to Christ and are only revelations in as much as they refer to Christ as The Word of God . In this view, using Christ as the "interpretive key" unlocks the message in Scriptural texts. The "primordial role" of Origen in interpreting Scripture was acknowledged by Pope Benedict XVI . Origen's methods were then learned by Ambrose of Milan , who towards
1275-533: Is considered a principle, or cause, of contemplation, with its benefits delivered through the gifts of the Holy Spirit . While the Lectio Divina has been the key method of meditation and contemplation within the Benedictine , Cistercian and Carthusian orders, other Catholic religious orders have used other methods. An example is another four-step approach, that by Saint Clare of Assisi shown in
1360-527: Is likely that Teresa did not initially know of Guigo II's methods, although she may have been indirectly influenced by those teachings via the works of Francisco de Osuna which she studied in detail. Western Christianity Western Christianity is one of two subdivisions of Christianity ( Eastern Christianity being the other). Western Christianity is composed of the Latin Church and Western Protestantism , together with their offshoots such as
1445-483: Is not essentially repetitive in nature. these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God The first step is the reading of Scripture. In order to achieve a calm and tranquil state of mind, preparation before Lectio Divina is recommended. The biblical reference for preparation via stillness is Psalm 46:10 : "Be still, and know that I am God." An example would be sitting quietly and in silence and reciting
1530-515: Is stressed in the Anglican Communion as well. Historically, Lectio Divina has been a "community practice" performed by monks in monasteries. Although it can be taken up individually, its community element should not be forgotten. Lectio Divina has been likened to "feasting on the Word": first, the taking of a bite ( lectio ); then chewing on it ( meditatio ); savoring its essence ( oratio ) and, finally, "digesting" it and making it
1615-575: Is that the mind and heart be illumined by the Holy Spirit, that is, by the same Spirit who inspired the Scriptures, and that they be approached with an attitude of 'reverential hearing'." Since the latter part of the 20th century, the popularity of Lectio Divina has increased outside monastic circles and many lay Catholics, as well as some Protestants, practice it, at times keeping a "Lectio journal" in which they record their thoughts and contemplations after each session. The importance of Lectio Divina
1700-574: Is to this day the pillar of prayer in Carmel. Lectio Divina was practiced by St. Dominic de Guzman , founder of the Dominican order . In the 14th century, Gerard of Zutphen built on "Guigo's Ladder" to write his major work On Spiritual Ascents . Zutphen warned against considered meditation without reading of Scripture, and taught that the reading prepares the mind, so meditation will not fall into error. Similarly, he taught that meditation prepares
1785-604: Is used as a collective term for all these. Today, the geographical distinction between Western and Eastern Christianity is not nearly as absolute as in Antiquity or the Middle Ages, due to the spread of Christian missionaries , migrations , and globalisation . As such, the adjectives "Western Christianity" and "Eastern Christianity" are typically used to refer to historical origins and differences in theology and liturgy rather than present geographical locations. While
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#17327730115211870-577: The Church . Arianism was becoming popular among Christians in this era and this theological position was supported by Constantine the Great . There were a series of violent battles between Trinitarians and Arians. [cite source] In 353, the Trinitarian Christians of Arles elected Hilary as bishop as the existing bishop, Saturninus of Arles , was an Arian. At the Council of Arles ,
1955-602: The Council of Chalcedon (451), and then from Eastern Orthodoxy with the East-West Schism of 1054. With the last-named form of Eastern Christianity, reunion agreements were signed at the Second Council of Lyon (1274) and the Council of Florence (1439), but these proved ineffective. Historian Paul Legutko of Stanford University said the Catholic Church is "at the center of the development of
2040-666: The Julian calendar and Gregorian calendar respectively. However, before the Council of Nicea, various dates including Jewish Passover were observed. Nicea "Romanized" the date for Easter and anathematized a "Judaized" (i.e. Passover date for) Easter. The date of observance of Easter has only differed in modern times since the promulgation of the Gregorian calendar in 1582; and further, the Western Church did not universally adopt
2125-498: The Massif Central ; the cult in this region eventually extended to Canada . In northwest Italy the church of Sant'Ilario at Casale Monferrato was dedicated to St. Hilary as early as 380. In southern Spain the feast of San Hilario is celebrated in the village of Comares with a Mass, a procession and local Verdiales dances. In Wales the village St Hilary has a Church allegedly dedicated to St Hilary, from which
2210-659: The Old Catholic Church , Independent Catholicism and Restorationism . The large majority of the world's 2.3 billion Christians are Western Christians (about 2 billion: 1.2 billion Latin Catholic and 1.17 billion Protestant). One major component, the Latin Church, developed under the bishop of Rome . Out of the Latin Church emerged a wide variety of independent Protestant denominations , including Lutheranism and Anglicanism , starting from
2295-554: The Protestant Reformation in the 16th century, as did Independent Catholicism in the 19th century. Thus, the term "Western Christianity" does not describe a single communion or religious denomination but is applied to distinguish all these denominations collectively from Eastern Christianity. The establishment of the distinct Latin Church, a particular church sui iuris of the Catholic Church , coincided with
2380-860: The Roman province of Africa . There is evidence of a Latin translation of the Bible as early as the 2nd century (see also Vetus Latina ). With the decline of the Roman Empire , distinctions appeared also in organization, since the bishops in the West were not dependent on the Emperor in Constantinople and did not come under the influence of the Caesaropapism in the Eastern Church . While
2465-557: The apostles and other early preachers of the religion. In Western Christianity's original area, Latin was the principal language. Christian writers in Latin had more influence there than those who wrote in Greek , Syriac , or other languages. Although the first Christians in the West used Greek (such as Clement of Rome ), by the fourth century Latin had superseded it even in the cosmopolitan city of Rome , as well as in southern Gaul and
2550-605: The see of Constantinople became dominant throughout the Emperor's lands, the West looked exclusively to the see of Rome , which in the East was seen as that of one of the five patriarchs of the Pentarchy , "the proposed government of universal Christendom by five patriarchal sees under the auspices of a single universal empire. Formulated in the legislation of the emperor Justinian I (527–565), especially in his Novella 131,
2635-438: The synod of Biterrae ( Béziers ), summoned by the emperor in 356 with the professed purpose of settling the longstanding dispute, an imperial rescript banished the new bishop, along with Rhodanus of Toulouse, to Phrygia , a stronghold of Arianism. Hilary spent nearly four years in exile, although the reasons for this banishment remain obscure. The traditional explanation is that Hilary was exiled for refusing to subscribe to
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2720-407: The " Living Word ". The second movement in Lectio Divina thus involves meditating upon and pondering on the scriptural passage. When the passage is read, it is generally advised not to try to assign a meaning to it at first, but to wait for the action of the Holy Spirit to illuminate the mind, as the passage is pondered upon. The English word ponder comes from the Latin pondus which relates to
2805-534: The 'symbol of the world to come' or 'silent love.' Words in this kind of prayer are not speeches; they are like kindling that feeds the fire of love. In this silence, unbearable to the 'outer' man, the Father speaks to us his incarnate Word, who suffered, died, and rose; in this silence the Spirit of adoption enables us to share in the prayer of Jesus." The role of the Holy Spirit in contemplative prayer has been emphasized by Christian spiritual writers for centuries. In
2890-477: The 12th century, Saint Bernard of Clairvaux compared the Holy Spirit to a kiss by the Eternal Father which allows the practitioner of contemplative prayer to experience union with God. In the 14th century, Richard Rolle viewed contemplation as the path that leads the soul to union with God in love, and considered the Holy Spirit as the center of contemplation. From a theological perspective, God's grace
2975-536: The 3rd century, after whom Ambrose taught them to Augustine of Hippo . The monastic practice of Lectio Divina was first established in the 6th century by Benedict of Nursia and was then formalized as a four-step process by the Carthusian monk Guigo II during the 12th century. In the 20th century, the constitution Dei verbum of the Second Vatican Council recommended Lectio Divina to
3060-512: The Americas (especially South America), Africa, Asia, Australia and the Pacific. Protestantism, including Anglicanism, came to North America, Australia-Pacific and some African locales. Today, the geographical distinction between Western and Eastern Christianity is much less absolute, due to the great migrations of Europeans across the globe, as well as the work of missionaries worldwide over
3145-766: The Catholic Church accounting for over half and various Protestant denominations making up another 40%. Hussite movements of 15th century Bohemia preceded the main Protestant uprising by 100 years and evolved into several small Protestant churches, such as the Moravian Church . Waldensians survived also, but blended into the Reformed tradition . Relevant figures: Relevant figures: Relevant figures: Relevant figures: Relevant figures: Hilary of Poitiers Hilary of Poitiers ( Latin : Hilarius Pictaviensis ; c. 310 – c. 367 )
3230-626: The Christian church has been culturally divided between the Latin-speaking West, whose centre was Rome , and the Greek-speaking East, whose centre was Constantinople . Cultural differences and political rivalry created tensions between the two churches, leading to disagreement over doctrine and ecclesiology and ultimately to schism . Like Eastern Christianity , Western Christianity traces its roots directly to
3315-558: The Cross . The progression from Bible reading, to meditation, to prayer, to loving regard for God, was first formally described by Guigo II , a Carthusian monk and prior of Grande Chartreuse who died late in the 12th century. The Carthusian order follows its own Rule, called the Statutes, rather than the Rule of St Benedict. Guigo II's book The Ladder of Monks is subtitled "a letter on
3400-669: The Eastern Orthodox Church, has traditionally held a distinction between God's essence, or that which He is, with God's energies, or that which He does. They hold that while God is unknowable in His essence, He can be known (i.e. experienced) in His energies. This is an extension of Eastern Christianity's apophatic theology , while Western Christians tend to prefer a view of divine simplicity , and claim that God's essence can be known by its attributes. Today, Western Christianity makes up close to 90% of Christians worldwide with
3485-527: The Father" without the addition of either "and the Son" or "alone". This Western version also has the additional phrase "God from God" ( Latin : Deum de Deo ), which was in the Creed as adopted by the First Council of Nicaea , but which was dropped by the First Council of Constantinople. The date of Easter usually differs between Eastern and Western Christianity, because the calculations are based on
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3570-624: The Gregorian calendar at once, so that for some time the dates of Easter differed between the Eastern Church and the Roman Catholic Church, but not necessarily as between the Eastern Church and the Western Protestant churches. For example, the Church of England continued to observe Easter on the same date as the Eastern Church until 1753. Even the dates of other Christian holidays often differ between Eastern and Western Christianity. Eastern Christianity, and particularly
3655-542: The Latin Church maintains the use of the Latin liturgical rites , Protestant denominations and Independent Catholicism use various liturgical practices. The earliest concept of Europe as a cultural sphere (instead of simply a geographic term) appeared during the Carolingian Renaissance of the 9th century, which included territories that practiced Western Christianity at the time. For much of its history,
3740-572: The Roman calendar of saints, Hilary's feast day is on 13 January, 14 January in the pre-1970 form of the calendar. The spring terms of the English and Irish law courts and Oxford and Dublin universities are called the Hilary term since they begin on approximately this date. Some consider Saint Hilary of Poitiers the patron saint of lawyers . Hilary is remembered in the Anglican Communion with
3825-743: The Semi-Arian bishops in Gaul , Germania and Britain , analyzing the views of the Eastern bishops on the Nicene controversy. In reviewing the professions of faith of the Oriental bishops in the Councils of Ancyra , Antioch , and Sirmium , he sought to show that sometimes the difference between certain doctrines and orthodox beliefs was rather in the words than in the ideas, which led to his counseling
3910-521: The Table 1, which is used by the Franciscan order . Saint Clare's method is more visual than Guigo II 's which seems more intellectual in comparison. Saint Teresa of Avila 's method of "recollection" which uses book passages to keep focus during meditation has similarities to the way Lectio Divina uses a specific Scriptural passage as the centerpiece of a session of meditation and contemplation. It
3995-489: The ancient tradition of Lectio Divina : the diligent reading of Sacred Scripture accompanied by prayer brings about that intimate dialogue in which the person reading hears God who is speaking, and in praying, responds to him with trusting openness of heart [cf. Dei verbum , n. 25]. If it is effectively promoted, this practice will bring to the Church – I am convinced of it – a new spiritual springtime. In his November 6, 2005 Angelus address, Benedict XVI emphasized
4080-656: The bishops of the West to be more reserved in their condemnation. The De trinitate libri XII , composed in 359 and 360, was the first successful expression in Latin of that Council's theological subtleties originally elaborated in Greek. Although some members of Hilary's own party thought the first had shown too great a forbearance towards the Arians, Hilary replied to their criticisms in the Apologetica ad reprehensores libri de synodis responsa . In his classic introduction to
4165-516: The churches", and his works continued to be highly influential in later centuries. Venantius Fortunatus wrote a vita of Hilary by 550, but few now consider it reliable. More trustworthy are the notices in Saint Jerome ( De vir. illus. 100), Sulpicius Severus ( Chron. ii. 39–45) and in Hilary's own writings. Pope Pius IX formally recognized him as a Doctor of the Church in 1851. In
4250-462: The condemnation of Athanasius and the Nicene faith. More recently several scholars have suggested that political opposition to Constantius and support of the usurper Claudius Silvanus may have led to Hilary's exile. While in Phrygia , however, he continued to govern his diocese, as well as writing two of the most important of his contributions to dogmatic and polemical theology: the De synodis or De fide Orientalium , an epistle addressed in 358 to
4335-472: The consolidation of the Holy See in Rome , which claimed primacy since Antiquity. The Latin Church is distinct from the Eastern Catholic Churches , also in full communion with the Pope in Rome , and from the Eastern Orthodox Church and Oriental Orthodox Churches , which are not in communion with Rome. These other churches are part of Eastern Christianity . The terms "Western" and "Eastern" in this regard originated with geographical divisions mirroring
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#17327730115214420-403: The contemplative life" and is considered the first description of methodical prayer in the western mystical tradition. In Guigo's four stages one first reads, which leads to think about (i.e. meditate on) the significance of the text; that process in turn leads the person to respond in prayer as the third stage. The fourth stage is when the prayer, in turn, points to the gift of quiet stillness in
4505-438: The cultural divide between the Hellenistic East and Latin West and the political divide between the Western and Eastern Roman empires . During the Middle Ages , adherents of the Latin Church, irrespective of ethnicity, commonly referred to themselves as "Latins" to distinguish themselves from Eastern Christians ("Greeks"). Western Christianity has played a prominent role in the shaping of Western civilization . With
4590-419: The decisions of Ariminum and Seleucia, Hilary responded with the bitter In Constantium , which attacked the Emperor Constantius as Antichrist and persecutor of orthodox Christians. Hilary's urgent and repeated requests for public debates with his opponents, especially with Ursacius and Valens, proved at last so inconvenient that he was sent back to his diocese, which he appears to have reached about 361, within
4675-417: The end of the 3rd or beginning of the 4th century A.D. His parents were pagans of distinction. He received a good education, which included a high level of Greek. He studied, later on, the Old and New Testament writings, with the result that he abandoned his Neoplatonism for Christianity , and with his wife and his daughter, traditionally known as Saint Abra of Poitiers , was baptized and received into
4760-401: The end of the 4th century taught them to Saint Augustine , thereby introducing them into the monastic traditions of the Western Church thereafter. In the 4th century, as the Desert Fathers began to seek God in the deserts of Palestine and Egypt, they produced early models of Christian monastic life that persisted in the Eastern Church. These early communities gave rise to the tradition of
4845-478: The ensuing pondering of its meaning, was their meditation . This spiritual practice is called "divine reading" or "spiritual reading" – i.e. lectio divina . Benedict wrote "Idleness is the enemy of the soul. Therefore, the brethren should have specified periods of manual labor as well as for prayerful reading [ lectio divina ]." The Rule of Saint Benedict (chapter #48) stipulated specific times and manners for Lectio Divina . The entire community in
4930-432: The expansion of European colonialism from the Early Modern era , the Latin Church, in time along with its Protestant secessions, spread throughout the Americas , much of the Philippines , Southern Africa , pockets of West Africa , and throughout Australia and New Zealand . Thus, when used for historical periods after the 16th century, the term "Western Christianity" does not refer to a particular geographical area but
5015-411: The fact that it was said at the Last Supper, and the context within the biblical episode. Other theological analysis may follow, e.g. the cost at which Jesus the Lamb of God provided peace through his obedience to the will of the Father, etc. However, these theological analyses are generally avoided in Lectio Divina , where the focus is on Christ as the key that interprets the passage and relates it to
5100-461: The first Gospel . This is the first Latin commentary on Matthew to have survived in its entirety. Hilary's commentary was strongly influenced by Tertullian and Cyprian, and made use of several classical writers, including Cicero, Quintilian, Pliny and the Roman historians. Hilary's expositions of the Psalms , Tractatus super Psalmos , largely follow Origen , and were composed some time after Hilary returned from exile in 360. Since Jerome found
5185-443: The future bishop of Tours , founded a monastery at Ligugé in his diocese. In 364, Hilary extended his efforts once more beyond Gaul. He impeached Auxentius , bishop of Milan , a man high in the imperial favour, as heterodox. Emperor Valentinian I accordingly summoned Hilary to Milan to there maintain his charges. However, the supposed heretic gave satisfactory answers to all the questions proposed. Hilary denounced Auxentius as
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#17327730115215270-429: The general public and its importance was affirmed by Pope Benedict XVI at the start of the 21st century. Before the beginning of the Western monastic communities , a key contribution to the foundation of Lectio Divina came from Origen in the 3rd century, with his view of "Scripture as a sacrament". In a letter to Gregory of Neocaesarea Origen wrote: "[W]hen you devote yourself to the divine reading ... seek
5355-456: The general public, as well as in monastic settings, quoted Saint Ambrose on the importance of prayer in conjunction with Scripture reading and stated: And let them remember that prayer should accompany the reading of Sacred Scripture, so that God and man may talk together; for "we speak to Him when we pray; we hear Him when we read the divine saying." Pope Benedict XVI emphasized the importance of using Lectio Divina and prayers on Scripture as
5440-420: The legates of Pope Liberius refused to condemn Arianism and considered formally opposing Athanasius of Alexandria , who was a strong advocate of Trinitarianism against Arianism. Hilary still managed to secure the local excommunication , by those of the Gallican hierarchy who were his allies, of Bishop Saturninus and two of his prominent supporters, Bishops Ursacius of Singidunum and Valens of Mursa . About
5525-408: The meaning of divine words which is hidden from most people". Origen believed that The Word (i.e. Logos ) was incarnate in Scripture and could therefore touch and teach readers and hearers. Origen taught that the reading of Scripture could help move beyond elementary thoughts and discover the higher wisdom hidden in the "Word of God". In Origen's approach, the major interpretive element of Scripture
5610-578: The meditator. So rather than "dissecting peace" in an analytical manner, the practitioner of Lectio Divina "enters peace" and shares the peace of Christ. The focus will thus be on achieving peace via a closer communion with God rather than a biblical analysis of the passage. Similar other passages may be "Abide in my love", "I am the Good Shepherd", etc. In the Christian tradition, prayer is understood as dialogue with God, that is, as loving conversation with God who has invited us into an embrace. The constitution Dei verbum which endorsed Lectio Divina for
5695-495: The mental activity of weighing or considering. To ponder on the passage that has been read, it is held lightly and gently considered from various angles. Again, the emphasis is not on analysis of the passage but to keep the mind open and allow the Holy Spirit to inspire a meaning for it. An example passage may be the statement by Jesus during the Last Supper in John 14:27 : "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you". An analytical approach would focus on why Jesus said that,
5780-408: The mind for contemplation. By the beginning of the 16th century, the methods of "methodical prayer" had reached Spain and St. John of the Cross taught the four stages of Guigo II to his monks. During the century, Protestant Reformers such as John Calvin continued to advocate the Lectio Divina . A Reformed version of the Lectio Divina was also popular among the Puritans : Richard Baxter ,
5865-406: The passage being read. Following the preparation the first movement of Lectio Divina is slow and gradual reading of the scriptural passage, perhaps several times. The biblical basis for the reading goes back to Romans 10:8–10 and the presence of God's word in the believer's "mouth or heart". The attentive reading begins the process through which a higher level of understanding can be achieved. In
5950-535: The past five centuries. Original sin , also called ancestral sin , is a Christian belief in a state of sin in which humanity has existed since the fall of man , stemming from Adam and Eve 's rebellion in the Garden of Eden , namely the sin of disobedience in consuming the forbidden fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil . Theologians have characterized this condition in many ways, seeing it as ranging from something as insignificant as
6035-460: The practice, and books and articles on Lectio Divina aimed at the general public began to appear by the middle of the century. In 1965, one of the principal documents of the Second Vatican Council , the dogmatic constitution Dei verbum ("Word of God") emphasized the use of Lectio Divina . On the 40th anniversary of Dei verbum in 2005, Pope Benedict XVI reaffirmed its importance and stated: I would like in particular to recall and recommend
6120-473: The presence of God's word in the believer's "mouth or heart". It was the recitation of the biblical text that provided the rationale for Lectio Divina . With the motto Ora et labora ("Pray and work"), daily life in a Benedictine monastery consisted of three elements: liturgical prayer, manual labor and Lectio Divina , a quiet prayerful reading of the Bible. This slow and thoughtful reading of Scripture , and
6205-548: The presence of God, called contemplation . Guigo named the four steps of this "ladder" of prayer with the Latin terms lectio , meditatio , oratio , and contemplatio . In the 13th century the Carmelite Rule of St. Albert prescribed to Carmelites the daily prayerful pondering on the Word of God, namely to ruminate day and night the Divine Law. Lectio Divina alongside the daily celebration of liturgy
6290-458: The reason for the statement during the Last Supper , the biblical context, etc. In Lectio Divina , however, the practitioner "enters" and shares the peace of Christ rather than "dissecting" it. In some Christian teachings, this form of meditative prayer is understood as leading to an increased knowledge of Christ . The roots of scriptural reflection and interpretation go back to Origen in
6375-499: The role of the Holy Spirit in Lectio Divina : In his annual Lenten addresses to the priests of the Diocese of Rome, Pope Benedict – mainly after the 2008 Synod of Bishops on the Bible – emphasized Lectio Divina 's importance, as in 2012, when he used Ephesians 4:1–16 on a speech about certain problems facing the Church. Beforehand, he and Pope John Paul II had used a question-and-answer format. "One condition for Lectio Divina
6460-403: The same time, Hilary wrote to Emperor Constantius II a remonstrance against the persecutions by which the Arians had sought to crush their opponents ( Ad Constantium Augustum liber primus , of which the most probable date is 355). Other historians refer to this first book to Constantius as the "Book Against Valens", of which only fragments are extant. His efforts did not succeed at first, for at
6545-469: The terms Lectio Divina and Lectio Sacra to refer to the reading of Scripture. According to Jean Leclercq, OSB , the founders of the medieval tradition of Lectio Divina were Saint Benedict and Pope Gregory I . However, the methods that they employed had precedents in the biblical period both in Hebrew and Greek. A text that combines these traditions is Romans 10:8–10 where Apostle Paul refers to
6630-463: The theory received formal ecclesiastical sanction at the Council in Trullo (692), which ranked the five sees as Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem." Over the centuries, disagreements separated Western Christianity from the various forms of Eastern Christianity: first from East Syriac Christianity after the Council of Ephesus (431) , then from that of Oriental Orthodoxy after
6715-434: The traditional Benedictine approach the passage is slowly read four times, each time with a slightly different focus. Although Lectio Divina involves reading, it is less a practice of reading than one of listening to the inner message of the Scripture delivered through the Holy Spirit . Lectio Divina does not seek information or motivation, but communion with God. It does not treat Scripture as text to be studied, but as
6800-696: The values, ideas, science, laws, and institutions which constitute what we call Western civilization ". The rise of Protestantism led to major divisions within Western Christianity, which still persist, and wars—for example, the Anglo-Spanish War of 1585–1604 had religious as well as economic causes. In and after the Age of Discovery , Europeans spread Western Christianity to the New World and elsewhere. Roman Catholicism came to
6885-516: The various documents relating to the Arian controversy in Fragmenta historica . Some consider Hilary as the first Latin Christian hymn writer, because Jerome said Hilary produced a liber hymnorum . Three hymns are attributed to him, though none are indisputable. Hilary is the pre-eminent Latin writer of the 4th century (before Ambrose ). Augustine of Hippo called him "the illustrious doctor of
6970-585: The work incomplete, no one knows whether Hilary originally commented on the whole Psalter. Now extant are the commentaries on Psalms 1, 2, 9, 13, 14, 51–69, 91, and 118–150. The third surviving exegetical writing by Hilary is the Tractatus mysteriorum , preserved in a single manuscript first published in 1887. Because Augustine cites part of the commentary on Romans as by "Sanctus Hilarius" it has been ascribed by various critics at different times to almost every known Hilary. Hilary's major theological work
7055-454: The works of Hilary, Watson summarizes Hilary's points: Hilary also attended several synods during his time in exile, including the council at Seleucia (359) which saw the triumph of the homoion party and the forbidding of all discussion of the divine substance. In 360, Hilary tried unsuccessfully to secure a personal audience with Constantius , as well as to address the council which met at Constantinople in 360. When this council ratified
7140-481: Was Bishop of Poitiers and a Doctor of the Church . He was sometimes referred to as the "Hammer of the Arians " ( Malleus Arianorum ) and the " Athanasius of the West". His name comes from the Latin word for happy or cheerful. In addition to his important work as bishop, Hilary was married and the father of Abra of Poitiers , a nun and saint who became known for her charity. Hilary was born at Poitiers either at
7225-657: Was the twelve books now known as De Trinitate . This was composed largely during his exile, though perhaps not completed until his return to Gaul in 360. Another important work is De synodis , written early in 359 in preparation for the councils of Ariminium and Seleucia. Various writings comprise Hilary's 'historical' works. These include the Liber II ad Constantium imperatorem , the Liber in Constantium inperatorem , Contra Arianos vel Auxentium Mediolanensem liber , and
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