Author: Joseph H. Nguyen
Publisher:
Published: 2015
Total Pages: 452
ISBN-13:
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This study compares Maximus the Confessor's concept of apatheia and Ignatius of Loyola's concept of "indifference," and their respective views of divine union. I demonstrate that the central concern in both theologians is the transformation of disordered human desires into the desire for God, whereby Christ, being both God and human, becomes the Mediator that makes possible that transformation. From this perspective, apatheia and "indifference" are not ends in themselves but means to divine union, realized in a life of clarity and service. The dissertation argues that the concept of apatheia in Maxiums, with its deep Christological grounding, helps us retrieve a more authentic sense of what "indifference" means for Ignatius, and that in turn, Ignatian "indifference" is a springboard for a life in action. I contend that for Ignatius and Maximus, the states of "indifference" and apatheia, respectively, do not imply a complete eradication of all desires so that what is left is a pure mind in pursuit of spiritual contemplation; rather, in the state of union with God, disordered desires continue to be transformed by the grace of Christ and are thus reoriented to a life of love and service. The dissertation studies the nature, cause, and function of Ignatian "indifference" and the early Christian understanding of apatheia as they developed within their respective historical contexts, considering each concept in the light of its theological underpinnings and corresponding spiritual practice. I explore "indifference" within the context of the Ignatian desire to discern God's will as presented in the Spiritual Exercises, and apatheia within the early Christian view articulated by Maximus the Confessor, focusing on Maximus' understading of deification of the human will. Finally, I compare the two spiritual states, considering how apatheia helps to clarify and reinforce the Ignatian concept of "indifference." Though I do not seek to establish a strict historical continuity between Maximus and Ignatius, I demonstrate that both theologians inherited certain Stoic insights regarding one's relationship to external factors and the internal disposition to them. For the Stoics this disposition conduces to eudaimonia (human flourishing), while for the Christian, to divine union. Maximus inherited this philosophical framework directly from Evagrius Ponticus, while Ignatius might have been inspired by the humanist Erasmus of Rotterdam. I show how Maximus and Ignatius made use of this common insight in their spiritual theologies. Essentially, the dissertation addresses the following three questions: 1) what are the cause, nature and function of Ignatian "indifference" and Maximian apatheia in the spiritual life of Christians? 2) How are the two concepts related to each other, historically and theologically? 3) How many the insights gained from the discussion contribute to a sound spiritual formation and pedagogy?