PURE LOVE, Controversy on. - Famous theological-mystical debate concerning one of the most important subjects of Catholic spirituality. For the historical side see the entries: PÉNELON; GUYON, Mme de; MOLINOS; for the doctrinal side: CHARITY; QUIETISM; HOPE.
Since an object can be loved because it is suitable to the one who loves, or because it is lovable in itself, a distinction is drawn between the love of concupiscence and the love of friendship: the first makes its object a means; the second, the term or end to which it orders itself. And since supernatural charity is perfect love of friendship (v.), the question was raised whether man can love God in such a way as to exclude himself, that is, whether love of self is compatible with charity. If love of self were contrary to perfect charity, the love that every being must naturally bear to itself would be in conflict with charity, that is, nature would destroy grace, or vice versa. Since hope, moreover, is a theological virtue, a 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. So that true Christian perfection would imply not only the renunciation of our disordered appetites, but the annihilation of our whole being, as though this were necessary to leave more room for the glory of God.
This pure or disinterested love, more or less taught by the false mystics of all times, found a strenuous supporter in the Quietist Miguel de Molinos, condemned by Innocent XI in 1687. Meanwhile in France the widow Guyon was making herself its ardent apostle, managing to win Fénelon over to her doctrine in 1689. In 1693 Bossuet learned of the correspondence between the latter and Mme Guyon, whose writings he read and condemned. To bring Fénelon to amend, Bossuet had the Conferences of Issy convened (a house of the seminary of St. Sulpice, 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, re-examining 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 is 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 lively struggle between the two prelates (from Feb. 1697 to Feb. 1699) ended with the condemnation of the Maximes, brought about by Innocent XII with the brief Cum alias, of 12 March 1699.