The Conception of Charity in St John of the Cross

Abstract

The problem of charity is a very essential part of the work of St John of the Cross (1542-1591). His doctrine bore a practical aim. Namely, he meant to bring man to a unity with God. He had in mind above all such a unity which makes man similar to God (aside to this, be distinguishes a natural unity), which consists in a very close intimacy with man, that is, his natural powers of reason, his memory, and his will with God. In such a unity man becomes God through participation (not substantial, that is!) in divine acts of cognition and charity. The Holy Doctor is interesed in charity first and foremost as a means to unity. While assuming the principle of the appropriateness and sufficiency of this means to accomplish the aim, he defines the nature of charity. If the latter is able to unite man with the divine reality, then it must be a spiritual power.

How is this unity made? St John of the Cross states that charity has an innate power to make its subject similar to its object. The problem is to properly select the object. If the will turns to some lower good, then it remains at this objet’s level. Thus it is important to purify and shape charity, on which problem the Holy Doctor dwells extensively. Being the power of the purified will turned to the most adequate Object (St John of the Cross talks about the openness of the soul’s powers), charity becomes the main efficient power of the unity, making the subject similar to its object. Basically, the latter is the result of a cooperation between the faith (the cognitive order) and charity (the order of desire), but, ultimately, this is just charity that creates unity through its power to make things similar.

According to St John of the Cross, charity (grasped in a way after the functional manner) appears as a spiritual power, a faculty of the soul which belongs to the wolitive order, and unites the soul in all its powers with God in a unity which makes the subject similar to its Object.