Western Mysticism
Subtitle: The Teaching of SS. Augustine, Gregory and Bernard on Contemplation and the Contemplative Life
By: Dom Cuthbert Butler
Edition: Second edition with AFTERTHOUGHTS
Publisher: E. P. Dutton & Co Inc.
Published: 1951
Place of publication: Norwich and London
Language: eng
Number of pages: 316
Notes: Nihil obstat-- 
F. INNOCENTIUS APAP, S.Th.M., 
Censor Deputatus.

Imprimatur-- 
EDM. CAN. SURMONT
Vic. Gen.

Westmonasterii 
die 26a August, 1926

First Published ... 1922
Second Edition ... 1926
Reprinted ... 1951

Printed and made in Great Britain by 
Fletcher and Son Ltd, Norwich and 
The Leighton-Straker Bookbinding Co. Ltd, London
Table of contents: title: PREFACE
pagenum: v; title: AFTERTHOUGHTS
pagenum: ix; title: Current controversies on mystical theology--Prayer of Faith--Acquired contemplation--St Teresa and St John of the Cross--Bishop Hedley on contemplation--Intellect and will in contemplation--Points of mystical theology--Mixed contemplation--Practical agreements--General call to mystic union--The mystic experience and theology--The mystic experience and psychology--The vision of God--Summary of results.; title: PART I: SPECULATIVE CONTEMPLATION; title: PROLOGUE: WHAT MYSTICISM IS
pagenum: 3; title: Three aspects of the writings of the mystics--Mysticism and Contemplation--The mystics' claim--Pseudo-Dionysius--Richard of St Victor--St Thomas Aquinas--'Cloud of Unknowing'--Ruysbroeck--Blosius--St John of the Cross--St Francis of Sales--Fr Baker--Pascal--Mother Isabel--The great problem of mysticism: the truth of the claim.; title: 1. ST. AUGUSTINE; title: Introductory General Sketch
pagenum: 19; title: St Augustine, the prince of mystics--Himself the refutation of popular misconceptions.; title: 'Enarration' on Psalm XLI
pagenum: 20; title: A statement of mystical theology--Formulation of doctrine.; label: (A)
pagenum: 27
title: Preliminary Phases; title: Remote preparation: purgation--Proximate preparation: recollection, introversion.; label: (B)
pagenum: 31
title: Autobiographical Passages; title: Confessions, vii. 16, 23; ix. 23, 24, 25--A search for the Unchangeable.; label: (C)
pagenum: 34
title: The Act of Contemplation; title: The Object contemplated--Ultimate Reality--The Unchangeable--Truth--Light.; title: Excursus on St Augustine's Ideology
pagenum: 36; title: Theory of vision: corporal, imaginary, intellectual--Objects of intellectual vision the Platonic Ideas--Seen in the Light of God--Truth perceived in the Truth which is God--Theory of Divine illumination.; label: (D)
pagenum: 40
title: Mysticism or Platonism; title: Which is it?--Answer: it is full religious mysticism--God the Object of the contemplation--The mystic union--Rapturous joy--Transiency of the experience--Effects.; label: (E)
pagenum: 50
title: Psycho-physical Phenomena: Ecstasy; title: Physical side of ecstasy--Religious side--What takes place during it--Intellectual ecstasy--In it is seen the Light which is God.; label: (F)
pagenum: 55
title: The Vision of God; title: Moses' vision of God--He saw God's Essence--So did St Paul--St Thomas follows St Augustine--Did St Augustine believe he had himself enjoyed this vision?--The mystic experience not usually such as this.; title: 2. ST GREGORY THE GREAT; title: Introductory General Sketch
pagenum: 65; title: Homily on Ezechiel II. ii.
pagenum: 66; title: Exposition of St Gregory's mind on whole subject.; label: (A)
pagenum: 68
title: Preliminary Phases; title: Purgation--Recollection--Introversion--Contemplation.; label: (B)
pagenum: 71
title: Autobiographical Passages; title: Descriptions of contemplations.; label: (C, D)
pagenum: 76
title: The Act of Contemplation; title: Truth and Light--'Chink of contemplation'--God the Object--Fervour and joy--Transiency--Effects.; label: (E)
pagenum: 83
title: Psycho-physical Phenomena: Ecstasy; title: St Gregory's language examined--No reference to phenomena of rapture and trance--St Benedict's vision.; label: (F)
pagenum: 87
title: The Vision of God; title: God's Essence not seen in this life--God seen as through a mist--Moses' vision--Nature of St Benedict's vision.; title: 3. ST BERNARD; title: Introductory General Sketch
pagenum: 94; title: St Bernard's imagery--The Bride and Bridegroom.; label: (A)
pagenum: 98
title: Preliminary Phases; title: Purgation--Recollection--Introversion--Devotion.; label: (B)
pagenum: 100
title: Autobiographical Passage; title: Bernard's description of his mystic experience.; label: (C)
pagenum: 102
title: The Act of Contemplation; title: Contemplation of the heart--Contemplation of the intellect--Transiency--Effects--'Transformation'--'Deification'--'Nuptials.'; label: (D)
pagenum: 110
title: Spiritual Marriage: Union; title: Early Christian symbolism--Bernard's portrayal of the spiritual marriage--Safeguard against Pantheism.; label: (E)
pagenum: 115
title: Psycho-physical Concomitants; title: St Bernard's language examined--Evidence in regard to ecstasy, rapture, and bodily phenomena: little such--Evidence in regard to visions, locutions, revelations: none such.; label: (F)
pagenum: 119
title: The Vision of God; title: God not seen as He is in this life--St Benedict's vision.; title: 4. SUMMARY; title: Characteristics of Western Mysticism
pagenum: 123; title: It is (1) pre-Dionysian--(2) Pre-scholastic--(3) Without visions and revelations--(4) Without physical rapture--(5) Without psycho-physical concomitants--(6) Without haunting fear of diabolical delusion--It is a mysticism purely and solely religious, objective, empirical--Mysticism independent of philosophy--Not the privilege of the intellectual--St Gregory's mysticism held sway through Middle Ages till 1150--Though cultivated in Benedictine circles, not specifically 'Benedictine Mysticism', but 'Western'--Dangers of mysticism--This type safe--Formerly contemplation regarded as natural issue of a spiritual life--This idea obscured in modern times, but reasserting itself.; title: EPILOGUE; title: The Validity of the Mystics' Claim
pagenum: 135; title: The outstanding problem of mysticism: Is the claim of the mystics valid?--Claims of union with divinity a very common religious phenomenon--Nearly always illusion--Mystics in bad company--Is their witness such as to impose itself?--Writer holds it is--Attitude of modern psychologist--Certain preliminary considerations--(1) Claim of the mystics in light of theology--(2) In light of psychology--The apex or 'ground' of the soul--(3) Supernatural character of mystical experience--Is it miraculous--(4) Character of the great mystics as witnesses--(5) Quality of the content of the experience--(6) Its effect on life and character--St John of the Cross taken as the spokesman of the mystics in setting forth the claim--Catena of passages from his writings--Final question: Is this the language of illusion?; title: PART II: PRACTICAL; title: THE CONTEMPLATIVE AND ACTIVE LIVES; title: 1. ST AUGUSTINE; label: (G)
pagenum: 157
title: The Two Lives; title: Passages contrasting them--Typified by Lia and Rachel--Doctrine on Two Lives.; label: (H)
pagenum: 160
title: The Contemplative Life the Better; title: Martha and Mary--Wisdom (contemplation) and knowledge (action).; label: (J)
pagenum: 163
title: Claims of the Two Lives; title: Those of active life imperative--Three Lives: the leisured or contemplative, the busied or active, and the mixed--The last is to be adopted in practice--Warning against idleness in contemplative life.; label: (K)
pagenum: 166
title: Contemplation Open to All; title: Promised to all who faithfully pursue course God commands--Not for 'intellectuals' but 'little ones'.; title: 2. ST GREGORY THE GREAT; title: Introductory Sketch of Theory
pagenum: 171; title: Definition of the Two Lives--Exposition of theory from Hom. in Ezech. II. ii.--Martha and Mary--Lia and Rachel.; label: (G)
pagenum: 173
title: The Two Lives; title: The active life necessary, the contemplative optional--Only by exercising active life can one come to contemplative.; label: (H)
pagenum: 174
title: The Contemplative Life the Better; title: Martha and Mary.; label: (J)
pagenum: 176
title: Claims of the Two Lives; title: His conciliation of the mutual claims of the Two Lives on the individual is St Gregory's great contribution to the theory and practice of the spiritual life--(1) The union of the Two Lives should be aimed at--(2) Pastors of souls must exercise both lives--(3) Why pastors may not neglect either life--(4) External works should be undertaken by contemplatives with reluctance--(5) Contemplatives should accept office when called upon to do so--(6) In dearth of workers contemplatives should undertake active work--(7) Periods of retirement are necessary for those employed in active works--(8) Contemplative life aided by admixture of active--(9) For contemplation tranquillity of mind is necessary--(10) Conciliation of contemplative life with external works--(11) A true 'mixed life' the best--(12) The contemplative life as actually lived--(13) Reminder to contemplatives of their indebtedness to active livers.; label: (K)
pagenum: 186
title: Contemplation Open to All; title: Homilies on contemplation preached in Lateran Basilica to all comers--'Pastoral Rule' expects all pastors to exercise contemplation--Dangers in contemplation for restless minds--But the active life alone unsatisfying.; title: 3. ST. BERNARD; title: (G) and (H): nothing.; label: (J)
pagenum: 191
title: Claims of the Two Lives; title: Treatment substantially same as St Gregory's--Purely contemplative life impracticable--Mixed life best--Contemplation generates active zeal--Spiritual marriage leads to spiritual fecundity in winning souls for God--Alternations of both Lives.; label: (K)
pagenum: 197
title: Contemplation Open to All; title: Certainly to all monks--probably to all devout souls.; title: 4. SUMMARY; title: The Contemplative Life
pagenum: 201; title: History of thought on contemplative life not yet written--Outline sketched here--Plato and Aristotle--Philo--Clement and Origen--Cassian--St Augustine--Julianus Pomerius--St Gregory--Cluny--St Bernard and Richard of St Victor--St Thomas--Ruysbroeck--St Teresa--St John of the Cross--Bp Hedley--Modern conception of contemplative life different from traditional Western conception formulated by St Gregory and maintained until sixteenth century--Question depends on meaning attached to following terms: (1) 'Contemplation'--St John of the Cross thereon--Two grades of contemplation--(2) 'Contemplative prayer'--(3) 'A contemplative'--(4) 'Contemplative state'--(5) 'Contemplative life'--The sum of the matter: contemplation not a thing out of reach--The four elements of a well-balanced personal religion.; title: APPENDIX; label: (1)
pagenum: 227
title: Nature Ecstasy; title: William James' experiences under nitrous oxide--Tennyson--Bucke--Richard Jefferies' Story of My Heart.; label: (2)
pagenum: 232
title: Intellectual Ecstasy of Plotinus; title: Extracts from passages translated by Montgomery and Inge--St Augustine's estimate.; title: Addition to Appendix
pagenum: 237; title: Further consideration of natural contemplation--Plotinus--Mahommedan mystics.