Volume 5 Issue 2 FALL 2019

2 4 S p i r i t ua l i t y S t u d i e s 5 - 2 Fa l l 2 0 1 9 The Influence of Emotions on Spiritual Life in the Discernment of Saint Ignatius of Loyola and Saint John of the Cross Received July 5, 2019 Revised July 12, 2019 Accepted July 14, 2019 Spiritual life must be seen as an integration of physical, psychological and spiritual dimensions. Neglecting an integral approach has resulted in many misconceptions and problems among Christians. The presented paper introduces the notion of spiritual discernment that reflects the role that emotions and God’s grace have in creating a more profound relationship with God. The paper outlines the principal themes of Ignatius of Loyola and John of the Cross, whose personal experience with spiritual life became a lasting inspiration in spirituality in the Christian West. For both Ignatius of Loyola and John of the Cross, understanding emotions and their place in spiritual life played a major role in their effort to retain some realism. In Christian spirituality, this is a very important precondition for attaining interior freedom and maturity. Key words Ignatius of Loyola, John of the Cross, spirituality, emotions, discernment of spirits Radovan Šoltés

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