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- Herausgeber: Cervantes Digital
- Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
- Sprache: Englisch
- Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023
Albertus Magnus, the renowned medieval philosopher and theologian, presents "On Cleaving to God," a profound work that delves into the depths of spirituality and the unbreakable bond between humanity and the Divine. In this timeless treatise, Albertus Magnus explores the means by which individuals can draw closer to God, highlighting the importance of devotion, prayer, and unwavering faith.
"On Cleaving to God" serves as a spiritual roadmap, guiding readers toward a deeper understanding of the human soul's innate yearning for divine communion. Albertus Magnus elucidates the significance of cultivating a contemplative life, emphasizing that the path to God involves personal transformation, humility, and a steadfast commitment to spiritual growth.
This philosophical and theological masterpiece invites readers to embark on a profound journey of self-discovery and divine connection. Albertus Magnus's insights continue to inspire seekers of truth and spiritual wisdom, offering profound guidance for those who seek to cleave to God with unwavering devotion.
If you're eager to explore the profound mysteries of spirituality and strengthen your connection with the Divine, "On Cleaving to God" by Albertus Magnus is a must-read, promising enlightenment, solace, and spiritual growth.
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Copyright 2023
Cervantes Digital
All rights reserved
On Cleaving to God
Attribute to
Albertus Magnus
Translator’s Introduction
Chapter 1. On the highest and supreme perfection of man, in so far as it is possible in this life.
Chapter 2. How one can cling to and seek Christ alone, disdaining everything else.
Chapter 3. What the perfection of man consist of in this life.
Chapter 4. How man’s activity should be purely in the intellect and not in the senses.
Chapter 5. On purity of heart which is to be sought above all things.
Chapter 6. That the devout man should cleave to God with naked understanding and will.
Chapter 7. How the heart should be gathered within itself.
Chapter 8. How a religious man should commit himself to God in all circumstances whatsoever.
Chapter 9. How much the contemplation of God is to be preferred to all other exercises.
Chapter 10. That one should not be concerned about feeling tangible devotion so much as about cleaving to God with one’s will.
Chapter 11. How one should resist temptations and bear trials.
Chapter 12. How powerful the love of God is.
Chapter 13. The nature and value of prayer, and how the heart should be recollected within itself.
Chapter 14. That we should seek the verdict of our conscience in every decision.
Chapter 15. How contempt of himself can be produced in a man, and how useful it is.
Chapter 16. How God’s Providence includes everything.
Index of Scripture References.
Translator’s Introduction
This famous and much loved little treatise, On Cleaving to God, (De Adhaerendo Deo) has always been attributed to Saint Albert the Great, who lived from about 1200 to 1280, and was one of the most respected theologians of his time. He was moreover a voluminous writer in the scholastic tradition, and, amongst other things, Bishop of Ratisbonne and one of the teachers of Eckhart at Paris University. The Latin text of which this is a translation is found in volume 37 of his Opera Omnia published in Paris in 1898.
However almost all modern scholars are agreed that the work could not have been written by him, at least certainly not in its present form. It contains many implicit references and quotations from writers who lived well after Albert the Great. It is quite clear from the opening words of the treatise that it is in essence the private anthology of a contemplative or would-be contemplative, culled from many different sources, and including thoughts of his own. From the references included, it would seem to belong, at least in its present form to an unknown writer of the fifteenth century.
However, it has often been pointed out that the first nine chapters seem to be of a somewhat different character to the remaining seven. Indeed most of the directly contemplative and mystical material in the work is contained in this first half, while the second section is concerned largely with more general matters of ordinary Christian piety. It has therefore been suggested that it is perhaps possible that a later hand has to some extent reworked and extended an original, shorter text, that could perhaps even go back to Albert the Great. Albert, we know, wrote a commentary on the teachings of the famous St. Dionysius, and this work, particularly in the first nine chapters is full of “Dionysian” themes. This could indicate that these chapters at least may belong to Albert the Great, or, alternatively, it could explain how it came to be attributed to him. The fact remains, whichever way round, that the work stands on its own merits as a classic of Western contemplative mysticism in the Via Negativa tradition. It has indeed been frequently called a supplement to the Imitation of Christ.
In view of all these considerations, and in view of the fact that the work has always been attributed to Albert the Great (and all libraries and catalogues include it under his name), I have felt it best to leave it attached to his name, though with the above reservations. After all, Anonymous has dozens of works attributed to him that were actually written by someone else, so perhaps for once it is only fair to attribute an anonymous work to an actual person. Anyone who has ever tried to look for a work by Anonymous in a big library catalogue will, I feel confident, be grateful to me!
Like Anonymous, I lay no claims to copyright on this translation. I commit it, and a copy of the Latin original, to the deep in sure and certain hope that it will do its own work.
John Richards
Chapter 1. On the highest and supreme perfection of man, in so far as it is possible in this life.
I have had the idea of writing something for myself on and about the state of complete and full abstraction from everything and of cleaving freely, confidently, nakedly and firmly to God alone, so as to describe it fully (in so far as it is possible in this abode of exile and pilgrimage), especially since the goal of Christian perfection is the love by which we cleave to God. In fact everyone is obligated, to this loving cleaving to God as necessary for salvation, in the form of observing the commandments and conforming to the divine will, and the observation of the commandments excludes everything that is contrary to the nature and habit of love, including mortal sin. Members of religious orders have committed themselves in addition to evangelical perfection, and to the things that constitute a voluntary and counselled perfection by means of which one may arrive more quickly to the supreme goal which is God. The observation of these additional commitments excludes as well the things that hinder the working and fervour of love, and without which one can come to God, and these include the renunciation of all things, of both body and mind, exactly as one’s vow of profession entails. Since indeed the Lord God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth, in other words, by knowledge and love, that is, understanding and desire, stripped of all images. This is what is referred to in Matthew 6.6, ‘When you pray, enter into your inner chamber,’ that is, your inner heart, ‘and having closed the door,’ that is of your senses, and there with a pure heart and a clear conscience, and with faith unfeigned, ‘pray to your Father,’ in spirit and in truth, ‘in secret.’ This can be done best when a man is disengaged and removed from everything else, and completely recollected within himself. There, in the presence of Jesus Christ, with everything, in general and individually, excluded and wiped out, the mind alone turns in security confidently to the Lord its God with its desire. In this way it pours itself forth into him in full sincerity with its whole heart and the yearning of its love, in the most inward part of all its faculties, and is plunged, enlarged, set on fire and dissolved into him.
Chapter 2. How one can cling to and seek Christ alone, disdaining everything else.
Certainly, anyone who desires and aims to arrive at and remain in such a state must needs above all have eyes and senses closed and not be inwardly involved or worried about anything, nor concerned or occupied with anything, but should completely reject all such things as irrelevant, harmful and dangerous. Then he should withdraw himself totally within himself and not pay any attention to any object entering the mind except Jesus Christ, the wounded one, alone, and so he should turn his attention with care and determination through him into him - that is, through the man into God, through the wounds of his humanity into the inmost reality of his divinity. Here he can commit himself and all that he has, individually and as a whole, promptly, securely and without discussion, to God’s unwearying providence, in accordance with the words of Peter, cast all your care upon him (1 Peter 5.7), who can do everything. And again, In nothing be anxious (Philippians 4.6), or what is more, Cast your burden upon the Lord, and he will sustain you. (Psalm 55.22) Or again, It is good for me to hold fast to God, (Ps. 73.28) and I have always set up God before me. (Psalm 16.8) The bride too in the Song of Songs says, I have found him whom my soul loves, (Canticle 3.4) and again, All good things came to me along with her. (Wisdom 7.11) This, after all, is the hidden heavenly treasure, none other than the pearl of great price, which must be sought with resolution, esteeming it in humble faithfulness, eager diligence, and calm silence before all things, and preferring it even above physical comfort, or honour and renown. For what good does it do a religious if he gains the whole world but suffers the loss of his soul? Or what is the benefit of his state of life, the holiness of his profession, the virtue of his habit and tonsure, or the outer circumstances of his way of life if he is without a life of spiritual humility and truth in which Christ abides through a faith created by love. This is what Luke means by, the Kingdom of God (that is, Jesus Christ) is within you. (Luke 17.21)
