Also known as:
Dom Augustine Baker, Father Augustine Baker
BAKER, DAVID AUGUSTINE. - English Benedictine and ascetical writer, b. at Abergavenny on 9 Dec. 1575, d. in London on 9 Aug. 1641. Brought up in Protestantism, then converted during his studies at Oxford (1603), he entered the Benedictines of Padua (1605), whence, on account of his health, he was forced to return to his homeland. Ordainedpriest at Reims (ca. 1612), he was first a chaplain in Devonshire, then from 1633 to 1638 spiritual director of the Benedictine nuns of Douai; having returned to London, he died there of the plague.
He was one of the most effective ascetical writers of his time; but of his numerous works written at Douai and in London, the greater part has remained unpublished. Only after his death did D. S. Cressy publish a kind of "summa" of them, clear and precise, in 2 vols. (Douai 1657; English trans.: Holy Wisdom, London 1876, 1908, 1932) under the title Sancta Sophia.
Although, as regards the contemplative life, B. follows the traditional path, he nevertheless has certain points that did not escape partial controversies: he shows little esteem for methodical meditation, which does not seem to him suited to nuns, who should rather abandon themselves to affective prayer; external and detailed spiritual direction is not worth as much as abandoning oneself to the inner inspirations of the Holy Spirit, obtained through prayer; an abandonment, however, surrounded by scrupulous restrictions and justified and defended in his work.
Bibliography4 worksD. Knowles, The English Mystics, London 1927, pp. 150-77; J. Mc Cann, The Life of father A. B., ibid. 1933, with ample bibl.; J. Mc Cann-H.
BIBL.: D. Knowles, The English Mystics, London 1927, pp. 150-77; J. Mc Cann, The Life of father A. B., ibid. 1933, with ample bibl.; J. Mc Cann-H. Connolly, Memorials of father A. B. and others documents, ibid. 1933; id., D. B., in Downside Review, 51 (1933), pp. 577-95.
Testore, Celestino. “Baker, david augustine.” In Enciclopedia Cattolica, vol. II, coll. 710–711. Città del Vaticano: Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico, 1949. https://azioneromana.com/article/baker-david-augustine.
MLA
Testore, Celestino. “Baker, david augustine.” Enciclopedia Cattolica, vol. II, Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico, 1949, coll. 710–711. Azione Romana, https://azioneromana.com/article/baker-david-augustine.
BibTeX
@incollection{ec2_baker_david_augustine,
author = {Testore, Celestino},
title = {Baker, david augustine},
booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica},
volume = {II},
pages = {710--711},
note = {Cited by column},
publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico},
address = {Città del Vaticano},
year = {1949},
url = {https://azioneromana.com/article/baker-david-augustine}
}
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