Letters of Ascent: Spiritual Direction in the Letters of Bernard of Clairvaux

by Michael C. Voigts

Overview

Bernard of Clairvaux is best known by many today for his mystical approach to spirituality and his eloquent sermons on the Song of Songs. In his letters, however, a different Bernard emerges--one who had fled the world for the cloister yet possessed a soaring vision for the Church on earth. By examining select letters and placing them in the larger context of the people and the world around him, we discover a man who loved the Church--but who realized that the Church is comprised of individuals who did not share his ideals and agendas. In Letters of Ascent, we travel to medieval Europe and view society through the eyes of one of history's most passionate ecclesiastical reformers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781621897552
Publisher:	Pickwick Publications
Publication date:	07/12/2013
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	190
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Michael Voigts is an Affiliate Professor at Asbury Theological Seminary in the School of Theology and Formation. He holds a PhD in Historical Theology (Brunel University) and a DMin in Spiritual Formation (Asbury Seminary). An ordained minister in The United Methodist Church, he serves as the Senior Pastor of Centenary United Methodist Church in Danville, KY.
Michael C. Voigts is an Associate Professor of Spiritual Formation at Asbury Theological Seminary and a Lay Cistercian of Gethsemani Abbey. He is author of Letters of Ascent: Spiritual Direction in the Letters of Bernard of Clairvaux (2013).

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Chapter 1: Bernard in the Twelfth-Century World
Chapter 2: Bernard and the Direction of Souls
Chapter 3: An Introduction to the Letters of Bernard of Clairvaux
Chapter 4: Bernard’s Letters to Monks
Chapter 5: Bernard’s Letters to Abbots
Chapter 6: Bernard’s Letters to Bishops
Chapter 7: Bernard’s Letters to Popes
Chapter 8: Bernard’s Letters to Laity
Chapter 9: Bernard’s Letters as a Methodology for Twelfth-Century Ecclesiastical Reform
Abbreviations for the Works of Bernard of Clairvaux
Bibliography

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"At a time when classic Christian formation is contributing to the renewal of the church, Michael Voigts has written a book that helps restore the ministry of spiritual direction, historically practiced often through letters. And there's no better guide from the past than Bernard of Clairvaux to shed good light on our pathway today. Read this book as if the letters are for you. They are!"
—Steve Harper, Asbury Theological Seminary, Florida-Dunnam Campus

"Bernard's letters are a rich mine of spiritual wisdom. Michael Voigts capably expounds this wisdom in a way that will be of interest to Bernard scholars and to those concerned with spiritual direction. Definitely to be recommended."
—Tony Lane, London School of Theology

Editorial Reviews

"This book should be of interest to practical theologians, systematic theologians as well as Christians who want a glimpse into medieval monastic life."-J. Gaius Song, The Expository Times, Vol. 127 No. 10, July 2016"...the volume will easily stand alongside other studies on this great Cistercian saint."-Greg Peters, Theological Book Review, Vol. 26 No. 2, 2015

From the Publisher

This book should be of interest to practical theologians, systematic theologians as well as Christians who want a glimpse into medieval monastic life.

Vol. 127 No. 10, July 2016 - J. Gaius Song