Nauka o kontemplacji nabytej w polskim piśmiennictwie teologicznym XX-lecia międzywojennego

Abstract

The Polish Theologians of the period between the First and Second World Wars assumed the existence of the received contemplation as the distinct and intermediary state between the prayer of feelings and the infused contemplation. The presented doctrine proves that they represented the Carmelitan and Dominican schools which take for granted its existence: The authors did not embark upon discussions caried on in Westem Europe regarding its existence, but apart from a very general analysis of that prayer they declared themselves for the opinion assurriing its existence. Writing about that prayer they were not so much engaged in analyzing itsessence as they pointed out the fruits and advantages of the prayer of simplicity for the Christians spiritual life. Though they represented different spiritual schools, in that question, they followed the Theresian one. Fathers A. Żychliński and J. Woroniecki O. P. most broadly des,cribed the received contemplation showing properly the practical importance of that way of prayer, its nature and signs by which it may be dis.cerned in the soul and the way of the man's co-operation with God's grace. The representatives of the Liguorian school as Fr. L. Pyżalski and Fr. J. Puchalik gave less attention to that kind of prayer, they restricted themselves to present ,some essential characteristics of that prayer. The founder of that schoolr St. Alfonso, mainly stresses the exceptional character of the infused graces hence he gives very little attention to the active contemplation. It should be mentioned that Polish theologians were not only based on traditional masters of the internal life (St. Theresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross), but. they also referred to the teachings of the contemporary Western Theologians, first, of all to the doctrine of Fr. Poulain. The choice of that West Europeean theologian was not a fortuitous one. Fr. Poulain, an expert in perceptive and descriptive psychology, had taken for granted the existence of received contemplation. The Polish authiors were very well - informed of different currents, often contradictory ones, concerning that prayer. They were acquainted with the whole of polemics taking place in Western Europe. Describing that kind of prayer they made use of already existing world literature. Consequently their teaching on received contemplation was not a copy of the doctrines worked our by Western theologians but their own, theologically well proved and mature elaboration.