Pure Love, Controversy On

AMORE PURO, CONTROVERSIA sull’. — A celebrated theological-mystical debate concerning one of the most important subjects of Catholic spirituality. For the historical aspect, see the entries: PÉNELON; GUYON, M.me de; MOLINOS; for the doctrinal aspect: CARITÀ; QUIETISMO; SPERANZA.

Since an object may be loved because it is advantageous to the one who loves, or because it is lovable in itself, a distinction is made between the love of concupiscence and the love of friendship: the former

makes its object a means; the latter, the term or end toward which it directs itself. And since supernatural friendship (v.), the question arose whether man can love God in such a way as to exclude himself, that is, whether self-love is compatible with charity. If self-love were contrary to perfect charity, the love that every being naturally ought to bear toward itself would be in conflict with charity; that is, nature would destroy grace, or vice versa. Moreover, since hope, a theological virtue, is love of God not insofar as he is good in himself, but insofar as he is our supreme good, it too would be incompatible with perfect charity. Thus true Christian perfection would imply not only the renunciation of our disordered appetites, but the annihilation of our entire being, as though this were necessary to leave greater room for the glory of God.

This pure or disinterested love, taught to a greater or lesser degree by the false mystics of all ages, found a vigorous supporter in the Quietist Michele Molinos, condemned by Innocent XI in 1687. Meanwhile in France its ardent apostle was the widow Guyon, who succeeded in winning Fénelon over to her doctrine in 1689. In 1693 Bossuet learned of the correspondence between him and M.me Guyon, whose writings he read and condemned. In order to bring Fénelon to a change of heart, Bossuet had the Conferences of Issy convened (at the seminary villa of S. Sulpizio, in Paris), where Bossuet, de Noailles, then bishop of Châlons, and Tronson sought, from July 1694 to 10 March 1695, to define the limits of orthodoxy by reexamining the Quietist doctrines followed by Guyon. The result was the 35 Articles of Issy, signed by Fénelon, in which the correct doctrine concerning pure love, contemplation, and certain passive mystical trials was expressed. Having become archbishop of Cambrai (1695), Fénelon resumed defending his ideas with the publication of Explication des maximes des saints (1697), which he set against Bossuet’s Instruction sur les états d’oraison (1697). The vigorous struggle between the two prelates (from February 1697 to February 1699) ended with the condemnation of the Maximes by Innocent XII in the brief Cum alias, of 12 March 1699.