Spiritual Exercises: Encyclopedia II - Spiritual Exercises - Theological teachings of the Exercises

Spiritual Exercises - Theological teachings of the Exercises

Spiritual Exercises - Some historically contextual aspects of the Exercises

The teachings conveyed via the exercises appear to reflect the prominent Catholic views of the 1500's, during which time they were written. Such teachings include support for the Crusades, prayers to Mary, unquestioning and absolute obedience to one's religious superiors, and an implied antagonism towards Islam. (One of the exercises describes the physical location of all evil in the world to be located "in the region of Babylon", while the physical seat of all goodness is located "in the region of Jerusalem".)

Spiritual Exercises - Implied antagonism of Islam within the Exercises

The implied antagonism of Islam that can be found in the exercises may be the result of the historical context in which they were written. Ignatius of Loyola was a Spaniard, in a Spain that had only been finally and fully liberated from centuries of Muslim rule in Ignatius' own lifetime. During these tumultous times, it can reasonably be said that the single greatest military conflict raging throughout Europe was the centuries old contest for military and spiritual supremacy between Islam and Christianity.

Spiritual Exercises - Spiritual viewpoint of the Exercises

The Exercises are perhaps a reflection of some of the personal inner deliberations through which Ignatius once went during his own lifetime. They include considerations regarding humility, selflessness for the sake of the religious life, reflection upon one's tendency to fall into sin, the view that the human soul is continually drawn in two directions: both drawn towards Godliness, and at the same time tempted towards selfishness and baseness. Consistent with Roman Catholic theology, the Exercises make numerous references to the belief that man's highest purpose is to glorify God, and not one's self. Accordingly they provide several illustrations of how one might best be able to refrain from satiating one's 'lower' desires and instead how one might find a means to redirect one's energies towards the fulfillment of one's higher purpose in life.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Theological teachings of the Exercises", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki