I. Introduction. This thesis shows that Adrienne von Speyr interprets the Son’s entire kenosis through the Suscipe, making this prayer the essential interpretative key to her writings. Although others have noted an Ignatian influence, most dissertations focus on pastoral applications of her writings; none have expressed the Suscipe as the essential key to her work, to her influence on Hans Urs von Balthasar, and through him to twentieth century theology. As a contemplative, her writings more nearly resemble monastic theological writings that have been valued in the Church from before the development of scholasticism and that have continued alongside scholastics until the present day. Attempts to read and understand her writings through a scholastic or academic lens rather than contemplative modes and without the Suscipe key can lead to misunderstanding and misinterpretation. II. A Biography of Adrienne von Speyr. To her contemporaries, von Speyr lived a full and normal life, actively involved with her family and city life. She was known as a physician to the poor, devoted to her family, charitable to all even as an invalid. Her most controversial moment as an adult was converting from the state reformed church to the Roman Catholic Church. Not until her death did anyone, even her family, become aware of her mystical experiences. Von Balthasar as her personal confessor emphasizes the mystical experiences and qualities of von Speyr’s life in his hagiographical styled writings. Her own accounts report mystical experiences including apparitions of Ignatius of Loyola (a mystic) and Mary Mother of God. Von Balthasar attributes certain of these experiences as the impetus for founding the lay secular order of the Community of St. John. Her visionary experiences during Passion Week form the basis for her writings on Holy Saturday and von Balthasar’s.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:577660 |
| Date | January 2013 |
| Creators | Miles, Lois M. |
| Publisher | University of Aberdeen |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Source | http://digitool.abdn.ac.uk:80/webclient/DeliveryManager?pid=201694 |
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