The Spirituality of Martyrdom: to the Limits of Love

Description

Originally published in French in 2000, The Spirituality of Martyrdom is a brief and accessible yet sweeping study of the spiritual significance attached to martyrdom in the early centuries of the Christian Church. Although studies of early Christian martyrdom have proliferated in recent decades, this book stands out by conveying to a wider audience the essence of this spirituality in its relevance to both theology and the life of every astute Christian today. Pinckaers looks at the period from the New Testament through Augustine, with a concluding chapter tying in the theology of Thomas Aquinas. The volume is generally arranged chronologically, but also includes chapters on the 'Definition of Martyrdom,' 'Martyrdom as Eucharist' and 'Martyrdom and Eschatology' as well as more author-focused studies of the theologies of martyrdom of Ignatius of Antioch, Clement of Rome, Tertullian, and Augustine. An up-to-date bibliography on the topic is also provided by the translators to supplement the original citations. This book aims to illuminate the intelligibility of the Church's veneration of martyrs in relation to its fundamental beliefs and practices, and seeks to relate this intelligibility to the broader Catholic moral tradition. The introduction by Patrick Clark highlights how this volume is specifically oriented towards the fields of moral theology and Thomistic ethics in light of the other key contributions that the late Fr. Pinckaers has made to those disciplines. Translator’s Preface by Patrick M. Clark ix Theological Context and Genre of the Present Study ix Remarks on the Translation xiii Relation and Contribution to Martyrdom in the Contemporary World xiv the Spirituality of Martyrdom . . . to the limits of love Foreword 1 1. An Overview of the Spirituality of Martyrdom 9 I. The Meaning of the Term and Concept of “Spirituality” 9 Critique of the Modern Term “Spirituality” 11 The Problems 11 Reasons for This Narrowing of Perspectives Regarding Spirituality 12 A Broader Conception of Spirituality 13 Our Method 16 II. The Spirituality of Martyrdom 17 The Spirituality of Martyrdom and the Gospel 17 The Importance of the Beatitude of the Persecuted 18 The Christian Soul in Persecution 20 The Interpretation of St. Augustine and St. Thomas 22 The Context of Persecution Illuminates the Church 24 Persecution and Spiritual Combat 25 The Authenticity of the Beatitude of the Persecuted 27 The Old Testament Roots of the Beatitude of the Persecuted 29 Conclusion 30 The Importance of the Spirituality of Martyrdom in the First Three Centuries of the Church 30 The Importance of the Spirituality of Martyrdom in the Subsequent History of the Church 33 III. The Documents 34 2. The Definition of Martyrdom: The Martyr Is a Witness 37 I. The Common Conception of Martyrdom 37 II. The Martyr Is Essentially a Witness 39 In Nonbiblical Greek 39 In the Septuagint 39 The New Testament 40 St. Luke 41 St. John 41 The Testimony of Christ 44 In Subsequent Christian Vocabulary 48 Conclusion 50 The Object of the Martyrs’ Testimony 51 The Leading Responses 51 Our Response 53 The Internal Aspect of the Jesus Event 54 The External Aspect of the Jesus Event 60 Conclusion 62 Additional Notes 63 Note 1: The Juridical Basis of Christian Persecution 63 The System of Common Law Legislation 64 The System of Coercion 65 The Crime of Christianity 66 Conclusion 69 Note 2: The Difference between a Confessor and a Martyr 69 Note 3: Under What Conditions May a Christian Be Considered a Martyr? 71 3. Martyrdom and the Eucharist 73 I. The Link between the Eucharist and the Passion 73 II. The Link between the Eucharist and Martyrdom 74 Conclusion 80 4. Martyrdom and Eschatology 81 I. The Eschatological Perspective of Martyrdom 81 II. Objections from the Protestant Critique 84 5. The Summit of the Spirituality of Martyrdom 87 The Letters of St. Ignatius of Antioch 87 6. Clement of Rome’s Letter to the Corinthians 94 7. Tertullian: The Treatise Ad Martyras 98 I. The Prison as the Site of Spiritual Combat 99 II. Liberation from the True Prison of the World 100 III. The Martyrs as Soldiers and Athletes for Christ 104 IV. Fighting for the Spirit, Strengthening the Flesh 105 V. Final Exhortation 107 Conclusion 108 8. The Spirituality of Martyrdom in St. Augustine 109 The Texts 110 I. The Testimony of Martyrdom 111 II. The Martyrs’ Combat 116 The Martyrs’ Combat against Suffering 116 The Martyrs’ Combat against the Temptations of the Devil and the World 121 III. The Strength of the Martyrs Is a Gift from God 124 IV. What Makes the Martyr Is the Cause for Which He Suffers 128 V. Martyrs Are the Seed of the Church 130 9. Martyrdom in the Theology of St. Thomas Aquinas 134 Selected Bibliography 139 Index 145