Devotio moderna

The devotio moderna , or “modern devotion”, is a movement of reform and a current of spirituality diffused by the Frères of the common life and the canons of Windesheim to the Netherlands. This denomination is due to Jean Busch, chronicler of the abbey of Windesheim. This movement marked a considerable change in the Christian Spiritualité.

With its origin Gerard Groote is. This one, born in 1340 in an easy family of Deventer in the diocese of Utrecht, orphan at 10 years, fact of brilliant academic works to Paris and Cologne. Into 1374, it “is converted”, namely that it rejects profane sciences and burns all its books. It then is very influenced by the Rhenish mystics, in particular Henri Suso of which it reads the Horlogium and especially Jean de Ruysbroeck. Nevertheless it does not share the speculative and intellectual sprituality of it. After a stay with chartreuse of Munnikhuisen and the refusal by Humilité of the priesthood, wanting to remain simple Diacre, it launches out starting from 1379 in a violent preaching itinerant through the Netherlands, which makes it compare to the heretics. He criticizes with virulence ecclesiastical manners of his time and preaches conversion and penitence. He dies in 44 years without to have been able to carry out that of which he dreamed. He however throws the bases of a new religious form of life, that of fraternities of the Brothers of the common life and especially that of a new design of spirituality, the devotio moderna . Both will be developed and diffused by its disciples, in particular Florens Radewijns ( Ca 1350 - 1400).

Gerard Groote leaves a great number of ascetic, oratorical and autobiographical works which make it possible to determine its orientations. The conversion of the heart and the practice of the Christian virtues precede. Contemplation loses the intellectual aspect that had given him the Rhenish mystics and becomes simple. He insists on the need for the preliminary examination of that which will request. According to him, it is especially necessary to imitate the humanity of the Christ and to combine working life and contemplation.

The disciples of Gerard Groote proceed in the way of the refusal of the mystical speculation and that of the attachment to the Christian virtues. They reject the Ascèse except if it is inspired by the love of Christ. The imitation of the life and of died of Christ is in the middle of this spirituality. The believer must remain on ground to act there. Its heart is inhabited by Christ. He is not thus any more question, like wanted it medieval spirituality, to melt itself as a God while rising towards him, but of a step which is completely the reverse since it is the Christ who comes to live the Christian and whom the latter exerts an action where he is, on ground.

The followers of this at the same time emotional and concrete spirituality consider that the life of the Christian proceeds with deepest of itself and that it must thus maintain it. The modern devotion caused many writings proposing of the methods of Méditation. Is one of the first developed by Henri Eger de Calcar (? - 1408), prior of chartreuse of Munnikhuisen. According to him, the reading must precede the meditation, itself followed by the Oraison (prayer), then of the compoction (feeling of affliction tested in front of the unworthiness of the man with regard to God). The Contemplation, a form of communion of the heart with God, completes the spiritual route of the Christian:

reading --> meditation --> speech --> componction --> contemplation

Calcar describes the aspects, the conditions and the topics of this exercise. The Chartreux will be enthusiastic followers of the modern devotion.

Brothers of the common life, and the Canons of Windesheim, a traditional religious institution founded by themselves in 1387, multiply the opuscules and systematize the pious meditation. Their method, which comprises personal observations and reflections, is founded on crowned texts. They are drawn from Saint Augustin, Jean Cassien, ascetic and spiritual author of the 5th century, Bernard de Clairvaux, Bonaventure, theologist Franciscain of the 13th century, and Henri Suso, Rhenish mystic of the 14th century. The techniques of meditation develop throughout the 15th century. The Rosetum exercitionum spiritualium of Jean Mombaer, canon of Windesheim become reforming abbot of Livry, ends up being primarily a catalog of methods for a very directed meditation. At his place for example, each line of the Hand and each Articulation must recall precepts and be prone of meditation. Anonymous collections of opuscules like the Hortulus devotionis or the evangelic Pearl , written by a pious person towards 1463, exert a considerable and durable influence (until the 17th century in this last case).

The opuscule the most important remainder the Imitation of Jesus-Christ . The majority of the writers of the modern devotion wanted to keep anonymity, by preoccupation with a humility. Also the attribution of the Imitation of Jesus-Christ it is remained problematic a long time. After allotbeing allotted to Jean de Gerson, it seems that she is due to a canon, Thomas A. Kempis (1379 - 1451), a long time Master of the beginners at the Monastère of Mount-Holy-Agnes with Zwolle (Netherlands). The work is undoubtedly completed towards 1427. Thomas A. Kempis gathered the contents of it and was the writer. The Imitation includes/understands actually four little books different. Three treat interior life by making the apology for the renouncement and the praise of the Pauvreté which makes it possible to approach Christ. But the topic of the imitation of Christ is only secondary there. The fourth part is devoted to the Eucharistie. The book shows a constant worry to make the life spiritual accessible to all. It constitutes one of the best spiritual guides of the Moyen-âge and symbolizes the new ideal. Its influence will be considerable: the Imitation becomes the work more read in the Christian world after the Bible.

The practice of the modern devotion touches many Religious orders. The Franciscain Cisneros (1436 - 1517), abbot of the monastery of Montserrat in Spain, writes the first whole of systematic exercises. The majority of the monastic orders and beggars, especially the franciscains, adopt new spirituality. She survives the Réforme. Luther had regard for it; Ignace de Loyola always considered that the reading of the Imitation had been determining for him.

This new spirituality was a “healthy reaction” against the intellectual and abstracted mystic developed in XIVe century. She allowed a return at a more realistic sight of the Christian life. But at the same time, it dug more and for a long time the ditch which separates Théologie and Christian life.

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