Issue6_art4

4HE !UTHOR OF THE #LOUD OF 5NKNOWING AS 4EACHER AND $ISCIPLE 2OBERT (ALE / 3 " #AM !BSTRACT 4HE AUTHOR OF THE #LOUD OF 5NKNOWING DID NOT ATTACH HIS NAME TO HIS WORK WHICH IS RECOGNIZED AS A MAJOR TEXT IN #HRISTIAN MYSTICISM DATING FROM FOURTEENTH CENTURY %NGLAND )T SEEMS LIKELY HOWEVER THAT HE WAS A MONK 4HE PAPER THAT FOLLOWS DESCRIBES SOME OF THE RECURRENT IMAGERY AND SPIRITUAL INSTRUCTIONS FOUND IN THIS REMARKABLE AND INm UENTIAL WORK 4HIS PAPER WAS PRESENTED TO THE FOURTH ANNUAL .ORTHERN #ALIFORNIA #HAN :EN #ATHOLIC $IALOGUE *ANUARY

4

HE #LOUD OF 5NKNOWING IS WIDELY RECOGNIZED AS A CLASSIC OF -EDIEVAL G #ATHOLIC SPIRITUALITY #LIFTON 7OLTERS HAS WRITTEN h4HIS BOOK IS ONE OF THE DEVOTIONAL CLASSICS OF THE %NGLISH #HURCH AND PERHAPS THE GREATEST OF THEM ALL .O ONE WHO READS IT CAN FAIL TO CATCH SOMETHING OF ITS SPLENDOUR AND CHARM v $OM $AVID +NOWLES THE "ENEDICTINE SCHOLAR OF %NGLISH SPIRITUALITY

WRITES OF THE AUTHOR THAT HE IS hPERHAPS THE MOST SUBTLE AND INCISIVE AS WELL AS THE MOST ORIGINAL SPIRITUAL WRITER IN THE %NGLISH LANGUAGE v %VELYN 5NDERHILL WRITES OF THE WORK h)T SPRINGS FROM AN AGE WHEN %NGLISH MYSTICISM WAS IN FULL m OWER 4HIS IS THE PURE DOCTRINE OF MYSTICISM v !ND THE OTHER WRITINGS CLEARLY BY THE SAME AUTHOR ARE BECOMING EVER MORE KNOWN AND APPRECI ATED 7ILLIAM *OHNSTON WHO HAS SPENT MOST OF HIS LIFE IN *APAN ENGAGED IN THE :EN #ATHOLIC DIALOGUE WROTE HIS DOCTORATE ON THE MYSTICAL TEACHING OF THE #LOUD WHICH HAS SIGNIl CANTLY INm UENCED HIS SUBSEQUENT WRITINGS AND DIALOGUE 4HOMAS -ERTON HIGHLY PRAISED THE WRITER AND WAS SIGNIl CANTLY INm UENCED BY HIM *OHNSTON WRITES THAT AN EARLY ON TRANSLATION INTO ,ATIN OF THE #LOUD WHICH MADE ITS WAY TO THE CONTINENT MIGHT WELL HAVE INm UENCED A RANGE OF CONTINENTAL CONTEMPLATIVES AND MYSTICS INCLUDING *OHN OF THE #ROSS 4HE CONTEMPORARY hCENTERING PRAYERv MOVEMENT SPREAD THROUGHOUT >HHJ: D8ID7:G

2OBERT (ALE

THE 5NITED 3TATES AND EVEN THE WORLD HAS BEEN SIGNIl CANTLY INm UENCED BY THE #LOUD INDEED "ASIL 0ENNINGTON HAS AFl RMED THAT CENTERING PRAYER IS SIMPLY A REPACKAGING OF THE #LOUD 4HE AUTHOR OF THE #LOUDD THUS EVIDENTLY CAN BE CLAIMED TO BE A SIGNIl CANT SPIRITUAL TEACHER 4HIS PAPER WILL BE MORE EXISTENTIAL THAN RIGOROUSLY ACADEMIC PROPOS ING ELEMENTS OF THE AUTHOR S TEACHING WHICH HAVE BEEN VERY IMPORTANT FOR THIS WRITER AND WHICH MIGHT RESONATE WITH #HAN :EN AND OTHER "UDDHIST TRADITIONS 4HE AUTHOR OF THE #LOUD SIGNIl CANTLY CHOSE TO REMAIN ANONYMOUSˆ CERTAINLY A REm ECTION OF HIS HUMILITY A VIRTUE APPRECIATED BY THE #ATHOLIC AND ALSO ) BELIEVE THE "UDDHIST TRADITIONS "UT BY A VERY CAREFUL READING OF HIS TEXTS SCHOLARS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DEDUCE A GREAT DEAL ABOUT HIS HISTORI CAL CONTEXT HIS SOURCES AND HIS SPIRITUAL HERITAGE #ERTAINLY THE FOURTEENTH CENTURY IN WHICH HE LIVED AND WROTE WAS A TROUBLED AND DARK TIME 4HERE WAS THE HORRENDOUS PLAGUE WHICH CAUSED THE DEATH OF A THIRD TO A HALF OF THE POPULATION OF %NGLAND 4HE 0APACY WAS IN THE PERIOD OF THE h"ABYLONIAN #APTIVITYv IN !VIGNON &RANCE HATED ENEMY OF %NGLAND AND THIS SITUATION WAS A CAUSE OF SCANDAL FOR %NGLISH #ATHOLICS 4HE TERRIBLE (UNDRED 9EAR 7AR BLED %NGLAND OF ITS YOUTH AND BURDENED ITS ECONOMY 4HERE WAS SOCIAL UNREST WITH 7ATT 4YLER AND THE 0EASANTS 2EVOLT 3KEPTICISM WAS CREEPING INTO PHILOSOPHY AND THEOLOGY "ISHOP *OHN -OORMAN SAYS WITH %NGLISH UNDERSTATEMENT h)T WAS AN UNHAPPY TIME FOR THE PEOPLE OF %NGLAND v 3OCIAL HISTORIANS HAVE DRAWN PARALLELS WITH OUR OWN SUFFERED DARK TIME /N THE OTHER HAND AND FASCINATINGLY IT WAS AN AGE MARKED ALSO BY THE m OURISHING OF THE CONTEMPLATIVE AND MYSTICAL LIFE 4HIS WAS THE CENTURY OF h4HE %NGLISH 3CHOOL v WITH 2ICHARD 2OLLE THE AUTHOR OF THE #LOUD 7AL TER (ILTON AND *ULIAN OF .ORWICH /N THE CONTINENT #ATHERINE OF 3IENA

%CKHART 4AULER 3USO AND 2UYSBROEK LIVED AND WROTE )S THERE HOPE IN OUR OWN DIFl CULT TIME BOTH FOR THE #ATHOLIC AND THE #HAN :EN HERITAGES IN THIS REGARD D #ONCERNING THE AUTHOR OF THE #LOUD HIMSELF SEVERAL SCHOLARS FEEL THERE IS SIGNIl CANT INTERNAL EVIDENCE TO POINT TO HIS BEING A PRIEST AND A CONTEM PLATIVE MONK LIKELY A #ARTHUSIAN OR A #ISTERCIAN (E CLEARLY LEARNED AND DREW FROM SEVERAL RICH CURRENTS OF THE #ATHOLIC CONTEMPLATIVE HERITAGE

PRINCIPALLY FROM 3CRIPTURE 4HERE ARE ALMOST A HUNDRED CITATIONS OR ALLU SIONS TO 3CRIPTURE IN THE #LOUD OF 5NKNOWING ALONE INCLUDING A SIGNIl CANT NUMBER FROM THE 0SALMS UNDERSTANDABLE FOR A MONK RECITING PSALMS DAILY IN THE MONASTIC OFl CE 4HEN ALSO A SIGNIl CANT NUMBER FROM THE #ANTICLE OF #ANTICLES ALSO UNDERSTANDABLE GIVEN THE MONASTIC PREDILECTION FOR A CONTEMPLATIVE AND MYSTICAL READING OF THAT SUBLIME BOOK !S FOR THE .EW

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4HE !UTHOR OF THE #LOUD OF 5NKOWING AS 4EACHER AND $ISCIPLE

4ESTAMENT WRITINGS THERE ARE SOME SIXTY l VE REFERENCES TO THE 'OSPELS AND TWENTY THREE REFERENCES TO THE 0AULINE %PISTLES 4HE AUTHOR CERTAINLY WISHES TO BE A FAITHFUL DISCIPLE OF THE 3CRIPTURES THOUGH HIS INTERPRETATIONS OF THE TEXTS TEND TO BE EMPHATICALLY CONTEMPLATIVE AND MYSTICAL 4HERE ARE ALSO LITURGICAL REFERENCES TO THE $IVINE /Fl CE AND MANY REFERENCES TO 0ATRISTIC AND -EDIEVAL CONTEMPLATIVE AUTHORS SUCH AS 0SEUDO $IONYSIUS "ERNARD AND 2ICHARD OF 3AINT 6ICTOR INDEED HE TRANSLATED IMPORTANT WORKS OF ALL THREE OF THESE INTO -IDDLE %NGLISH A MINISTRY CERTAINLY OF A DEVOTED DISCIPLE 4HERE ARE ALSO REFERENCES TO !UGUSTINE AND 'REGORY THE 'REAT AND SCHOLARS BELIEVE THERE IS AN IMPLICIT UTILIZATION OF THE CONTEMPLATIVE THEOLOGY OF 4HOMAS OF !QUINAS 4HIS EVIDENT ROOTEDNESS IN #ATHOLIC TRA DITION IS SUFl CIENT *OHNSTON AND OTHERS STRESS TO REFUTE 0ROGOFF S THESIS THAT #ATHOLIC THEOLOGY SACRAMENTS AND 3CRIPTURE ITSELF ARE FOR THE AUTHOR OF THE #LOUD D MERELY PREPARATORY PRO FORMA REFERENCES NOT INTRINSICALLY CONNECTED WITH HIS MYSTICAL TEACHING ITSELF /N THE OTHER HAND *OHNSTON WHO HAS SPENT MUCH OF HIS LIFE 4HE AUTHOR OF THE #LOUD IN *APAN ENGAGED IN THE #ATHOLIC :EN DIALOGUE ALONG WITH OTHER SCHOLARS DOES ACKNOWLEDGE THE hMANY PARAL ARGUES THAT THE SACRED TREE LELS IN THOUGHT AND EXPRESSIONv STRIKING BUT OF COURSE UNINTENDED BETWEEN THE WRITINGS OF THE AUTHOR OF THE IS WITHIN EACH OF US #LOUD AND THE TEACHINGS OF :EN WHILE URGING CAUTION AGAINST EXCESSIVELY FACILE EQUATIONS 7HAT THEN ARE SOME OF THE ELEMENTS OF THE AUTHOR OF THE #LOUD WHICH SEEM TO RESONATE WITH "UDDHISM !LTHOUGH VERY APOPHATIC IN HIS SPIRITU ALITY TO HELP THE DISCIPLE THE AUTHOR EMPLOYS A SERIES OF CONCRETE IMAGES

ARCHETYPAL IN THEIR DEPTH THAT ARE ALSO SHARED BY "UDDHISM 4HE IMAGE OF THE SACRED TREE FOR EXAMPLE REMINDS THE #HRISTIAN OF THE TREE OF LIFE IN PARADISE WHICH WAS FULl LLED IN THE TREE OF LIFE ON -T #ALVARY THAT IS THE CROSS WHICH THROUGH DEATH BRINGS LIFE !ND ONE RECALLS THE TREE THAT THE TAX COLLECTOR :ACCHAEUS CLIMBED IN ORDER TO SEE *ESUS IN THE MIDST OF A CROWD /F COURSE IT IS UNDER THE "ODHI TREE THAT 3IDDHARTHA BECOMES THE "UDDHA

THE AWAKENED ONE !ND TREES PLAY AN IMPORTANT PART IN THE h'ANDHAVYUHA v

THE PENULTIMATE CHAPTER OF THE !VATAMSAKA 3UTRA FOR EXAMPLE IN THE BE JEWELED TREES OF !SHA S GARDEN AS WELL AS THE TREE OF KNIVES THAT THE PILGRIM 3UDHANA MUST CLIMB 4HE AUTHOR OF THE #LOUD ARGUES THAT THE SACRED TREE IS WITHIN EACH OF US IS EACH OF US AND THAT WE NEED TO GO DOWN INTO THE DEEP ROOTS OF OUR FEAR PRINCIPALLY OUR FEAR OF DEATH AND TO ACKNOWLEDGE BY FAITH THAT THE ,ORD OF LIFE WILL BRING US THROUGH DEATH 4HEN LIKE :ACCHAEUS AND 3UDHANA WE SHOULD CLIMB THE TRUNK THROUGH LIVELY HOPE AND PLUCK THE FRUIT OF LOVE WHICH IS CONTEMPLATION AND ETERNAL LIFE

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2OBERT (ALE

!NOTHER ARCHETYPAL SYMBOL IN THE #LOUDD IS THE SACRED MOUNTAIN WHICH IS ALSO PRESENT IN SO MANY CURRENTS OF "UDDHISM !ND OF COURSE IT IS DECISIVE FOR *EWISH #HRISTIAN SALVATION HISTORY WITH 3INAI -OUNT 3ION THE -OUNT OF THE "EATITUDES THE -OUNT OF THE 4RANSl GURATION -OUNT #ALVARY THE -OUNT OF THE !SCENSION ETC 4HE AUTHOR OF THE #LOUD TEACHES THAT HERE D AGAIN WE WANT TO REALIZE THAT THE SACRED MOUNTAIN IS WITHIN EACH OF US THAT N WE ARE CALLED TO ASCEND FROM THE LOWER LEVELS INTO THE MYSTERIOUS hCLOUD OF UNKNOWINGv AT THE SUMMIT 4HE CLOUD ITSELF IS ARCHETYPAL APPEARING IN KEY TEXTS OF THE *EWISH SCRIPTURES AS A THEOPHANOUS ELEMENT VEILING AND YET REVEALING THE $IVINE 0RESENCE SEE FOR INSTANCE %XODUS FF FF 0SALMS

*UDGES %ZEKIEL ETC )N THE .EW 4ESTAMENT IT IS FROM THE CLOUD THAT THE &ATHER SPEAKS AT #HRIST S TRANSl GURATION ON THE MOUNTAIN -ATTHEW -ARK ,UKE AND *ESUS ASCENDS INTO A CLOUD AT THE END OF HIS EARTHLY MINISTRY !CTS *ESUS PREDICTS THAT HE HIMSELF WILL RETURN IN THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN -ATTHEW -ARK :EN TEACHERS HAVE MENTIONED "UDDHIST TEXTS THAT DESCRIBE THE DISCIPLE IN A THICK FOG HIS ROBES BECOMING DRENCHED WITH MOISTURE FROM THE FOG SYMBOLIZING BEING BATHED IN ENLIGHTENMENT 4HE AUTHOR OF THE #LOUD IN THE APOPHATIC TRADITION INSISTS THAT THESE AND OTHER SUCH IMAGES ARE MERE METAPHORS INTENDED TO POINT BEYOND THEMSELVES TO THE INEFFABLE -YSTERY 4HUS HE WRITES $O NOT THINK THAT BECAUSE ) CALL IT A hDARKNESSv OR A hCLOUDv THAT IT IS THE SORT OF CLOUD YOU SEE IN THE SKY OR THE KIND OF DARKNESS YOU KNOW WHEN THE LIGHT IS OUT ) DO NOT MEAN THAT AT ALL "Y hDARKNESSv ) MEAN A LACK OF KNOWING FOR YOU CANNOT SEE IT WITH YOUR INWARD EYE &OR THIS REASON IT IS CALLED A CLOUD NOT OF THE SKY OF COURSE BUT OF UNKNOWING 4HUS THE AUTHOR STRESSES THE PROFOUND PARADOX OF THE CONTEMPLATIVE EXPERIENCE QUOTING 0SEUDO $IONYSIUS h4HE MOST GODLY KNOWING OF 'OD IS THAT WHICH IS KNOWN BY UNKNOWING v 4HE AUTHOR OF THE #LOUDD STRESSES THIS AGAIN AND AGAIN "UT NOW YOU WOULD ASK ME h(OW MIGHT ) THINK OF 'OD OF HOW HE IS IN HIMSELF v !ND ) CAN ONLY ANSWER h) HAVE NO IDEA v &OR WITH YOUR QUESTION YOU HAVE BROUGHT ME INTO THAT SAME DARKNESS THAT SAME CLOUD OF UNKNOWING WHERE ) WOULD THAT YOU YOURSELF BE 'OD IS INEFFABLE MYSTERY AND THE HUMAN PERSON ALSO 4HE AUTHOR S EX HORTATION IS THAT hTHE SPIRITUAL WORKER SHOULD ALWAYS ABIDE AT THE SUPREME AND SOVEREIGN POINT OF THE SPIRIT v "UT HE IMMEDIATELY GOES ON TO NOTE THAT

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4HE !UTHOR OF THE #LOUD OF 5NKOWING AS 4EACHER AND $ISCIPLE

ONE COULD SPEAK AS WELL OF THE hDEPTHv OF THE SPIRIT hFOR IN THE SPIRITUAL REALM

HEIGHT AND DEPTH LENGTH AND BREADTH ARE ALL THE SAME v (E IS SIMILARLY CAUTIOUS ABOUT OTHER INTERIORITY LANGUAGE IF TAKEN TOO SIMPLISTICALLY )F SOMEONE WERE TO DIRECT YOU TO GATHER TOGETHER WITHIN YOURSELF YOUR FACULTIES AND POWERS AND WORSHIP 'OD THERE ) WOULD BE UNEASY WITH SUCH COUNSEL LEST THESE WORDS BE TAKEN IN A BODILY WAY EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE TRULY SAID AND NONE MORE TRUE IF UNDERSTOOD RIGHTLY -Y COUNSEL IS TO TAKE CARE THAT YOU ARE IN NO SENSE WITHIN YOURSELF 4O PUT IT BRIEm Y ) WOULD HAVE YOU BE NEITHER OUTSIDE NOR ABOVE NOR BEHIND NOR ONE SIDE OR OTHER OF YOURSELF 7HERE THEN YOU MIGHT ASK AM ) TO BE !CCORDING TO SUCH LANGUAGE NOWHERE 4HAT IS WHERE ) WOULD HAVE YOU BE "ECAUSE NOWHERE BODILY IS EVERYWHERE SPIRITUALLY )N A SIMILAR WAY THE AUTHOR QUALIl ES HIS OWN BASIC IMAGE OF ASCENDING THE MOUNTAIN WHEN HE WRITES OF THE EXPERIENCE OF UNION )F AND WHEN IT PLEASES 'OD THOSE WHO AT l RST ACHIEVE IT BUT SELDOM

AND ONLY WITH GREAT EFFORT SHALL AFTERWARDS HAVE IT WHEN THEY WILL AND AS OFTEN AS THEY LIKE -OSES AGAIN IS OUR EXAMPLE WHO AT l RST COULD ONLY SEE THE ARK IN A SORT OF WAY RARELY AND AFTER GREAT EFFORT ON THE MOUNTAIN BUT AFTERWARDS AS OFTEN AS HE LIKED SAW IT IN THE VALLEY 3OME DISCIPLES SEEK CONSOLATIONS AND UNION WITH 'OD OR IN THE "UD DHIST TRADITION ENLIGHTENMENT WITH A HUMAN CRAVING THAT IS NOT HELPFUL D )N THIS REGARD THE AUTHOR OF THE #LOUD HAS A DELIGHTFUL RECOMMENDATION THAT EXPRESSES SOMETHING MUCH DEEPER PERHAPS THAN JUST %NGLISH RESERVE 3O BEWARE OF BEHAVING WILDLY LIKE SOME ANIMAL AND LEARN TO LOVE 'OD WITH QUIET EAGER JOY AT REST IN BODY AND IN SOUL 2EMEMBER YOUR MANNERS AND WAIT HUMBLY UPON OUR ,ORD S WILL $O NOT SNATCH AT IT LIKE SOME FAMISHED GREYHOUND HOWEVER MUCH YOU YEARN FOR IT )F ) MAY USE AN AMUSING EXAMPLE ) WOULD SUGGEST YOU DO ALL YOU CAN TO CONCEAL YOUR GREAT AND IMPASSIONED SPIRITUAL URGE AS THOUGH YOU WERE ALTOGETHER UNWILLING THAT 'OD SHOULD KNOW HOW VERY MUCH YOU DESIRE TO SEE AND HAVE AND EXPERIENCE 'OD 4HE AUTHOR DOES HOWEVER PROPOSE SOME CONCRETE PRACTICES THAT WILL

IF NOT AUTOMATICALLY POSSESS 'OD AT LEAST DISPOSE THE DISCIPLE FOR THE GRACE OF UNION /NE OF THESE IS A BRIEF PRAYER RECITED AGAIN AND AGAIN IN THE HEART /NE IS REMINDED OF THE *ESUS 0RAYER OR h0RAYER OF THE (EARTv OF THE %ASTERN #HRISTIAN TRADITION AND PERHAPS OF THE MANTRA TRADITION IN (INDUISM AND "UDDHISM AND OF THE "UDDHIST TRADITION OF RECITING THE "UDDHA S NAME >HHJ: D8ID7:G

2OBERT (ALE

4HE AUTHOR OF THE #LOUD THUS DESCRIBES HIS MONOLOGISTIC PRAYER D 4HINK NO THOUGHT ABOUT 'OD ! NAKED INTENTION DIRECTED TO 'OD ALONE IS WHOLLY SUFl CIENT )F YOU WANT THIS INTENTION SUMMED UP IN A WORD

TO RETAIN IT MORE EASILY TAKE A SHORT WORD PREFERABLY OF ONE SYLLABLE TO DO SO 4HE SHORTER THE BETTER MORE IN ACCORD WITH THE 3PIRIT ! WORD LIKE 'OD OR ,OVE #HOOSE WHICH YOU LIKE OR PERHAPS SOME OTHER JUST SO IT IS SHORT AND l X THIS WORD TO YOUR HEART SO THAT WHATEVER HAP PENS IT WILL NOT GO AWAY 7ITH THIS WORD YOU ARE TO PRESS DOWN ALL THOUGHTS UNDER THE CLOUD OF FORGETTING SO THAT IF ANY THOUGHT PRESS UPON YOU AND ASK WHAT YOU WOULD HAVE YOU RESPOND WITH NOTHING ELSE THAN THIS !ND IF YOU WOULD GO ON TO ANALYZE LEARNEDLY THE WORD

TELL YOURSELF RATHER THAT YOU WILL STICK WITH THE WORD AS IS AND NOT TAKEN APART IN PIECES !MONG THE FEW PRACTICES SUGGESTED BY THE AUTHOR OF THE #LOUD MORE SEVERE FORMS OF ASCETICISM ARE NOT NUMBERED )N FACT HE IS CONCERNED THAT T l XATION ON SUCH THINGS hCAN DESTROY COMPLETELY AND l NALLY THE FREEDOM OF #HRIST FOR @WHERE THE 3PIRIT OF THE ,ORD IS THERE IS FREEDOM )) #OR v (E ADDRESSES SPECIl CALLY QUESTIONS ABOUT FASTING VIGILS AND SILENCE IN HIS SHORT WORK 4HE $ISCERNMENT OF 3TIRRINGS ! YOUNG DISCIPLE HAS WRITTEN HIM ASKING ABOUT THESE ASCETICAL FORMS AND THE AUTHOR RESPONDS BY NOTING THAT THOSE WHO hHAVE BEEN STRICTESTv IN THESE SEEM REGULARLY TO SUFFER hTHE MOST DISASTROUS FALLS v (E NOTES THAT THESE PRACTICES CAN SOMETIMES IN A WISE MEASURE BE HELPFUL SOMETIMES NOT BUT THEY ARE ALL ONLY MEANS NOT THE END IN ITSELF 4HEY IN FACT hARE IN THEMSELVES UNIMPORTANT v 4HE AUTHOR HERE OFFERS A CAVEAT WHICH GIVES EVIDENCE OF HIS GREAT HUMILITY AS TEACHER AND GUIDE (E WRITES THAT HE HESITATES TO GIVE SPECIl C RECOMMENDATIONS TO HIS DISCIPLE AND FOR TWO REASONS 4HE l RST IS THIS ) DARE NOT RELY ON MY OWN VIEW AND ASSERT THAT IT IS ABSOLUTELY TRUE THE OTHER IS THAT YOUR INNER MAKE UP AND YOUR CAPAC ITY FOR ALL THE THINGS YOUR LETTER SPEAKS OF ARE NOT AS WELL KNOWN TO ME AS THEY OUGHT TO BE IF ) AM TO GIVE YOU ADEQUATE ADVICE 7OULD THAT ALL SPIRITUAL DIRECTORS IN ALL TRADITIONS MIGHT BE SO AWARE OF THEIR LIMITS 4HE AUTHOR THEN PROPOSES A GENERAL APPROACH TO ASCETIC PRACTICES (E SAYS TO LINE THEM UP ON THE ONE SIDE PUT THEIR OPPOSITE ON THE OTHER AND CHOOSE SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE BETWEEN FASTING AND EATING

SILENCE AND SPEAKING SOLITUDE AND COMMUNITY ETC "UT OF COURSE YOU WILL ASK ME WHAT THAT hSOMETHINGv IS )T IS 'OD FOR WHOSE SAKE YOU ARE QUIET IF YOU SHOULD BE QUIET FOR WHOSE SAKE YOU

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4HE !UTHOR OF THE #LOUD OF 5NKOWING AS 4EACHER AND $ISCIPLE

SPEAK IF YOU HAVE TO SPEAK FOR WHOSE SAKE YOU FAST IF YOU OUGHT TO FAST AND SO ON 4HEN CHOOSE 'OD AND YOU WILL SPEAK BY YOUR SILENCE

AND THERE WILL BE A SILENCE IN YOUR SPEECH YOU WILL BE FASTING WHILE YOU EAT AND EATING WHEN YOU FAST AND ALL THE REST 4HIS MIDDLE WAY AT ITS DEEPEST INEFFABLE #ENTER IS THE AUTHOR S WAY hTO BE /NED WITH 'OD v THE 'OD WHO IS KNOWN AND LOVED BY UNKNOWING s

.OTES #LIFTON 7OLTERS h)NTRODUCTION v IN #LOUD OF 5NKNOWING -IDDLESEX 0ENGUIN "OOKS

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$AVID +NOWLES 4HE %NGLISH -YSTICAL 4RADITION .EW9ORK (ARPER

%VELYN 5NDERHILL -YSTICS OF THE #HURCH .EW 9ORK 3CHOCKEN "OOKS

#F FOR INSTANCE 'EORGE -ALONEY 3 * h0REFACEv IN 4HE 0URSUIT OF 7ISDOM AND /THER 7ORKS BY THE !UTHOR OF THE #LOUD OF 5NKNOWING .EW 9ORK 0AULIST 0RESS

G #F 7ILLIAM *OHNSTON 3 * 4HE -YSTICISM OF THE #LOUD OF 5NKNOWING 3T -EINRAD

)NDIANA !BBEY 0RESS 4HE PUBLISHED WORK INCLUDES A LAUDATORY FOREWORD BY 4HOMAS -ERTON *OHN -OORMAN ! (ISTORY OF THE #HURCH IN %NGLAND ,ONDON ! # "LACK

#F FOR INSTANCE "ARBARA 4UCHMAN ! $ISTANT -IRROR 4HE #ALAMITOUS &OURTEENTH #ENTURY .EW 9ORK +NOPF

#F FOR INSTANCE *AMES 7ALSH 3 * IN HIS INTRODUCTION TO 4HE #LOUD

#F FOR INSTANCE *OHNSTON 4HE -YSTICISM OF THE #LOUD FF )BID

FF ETC #F -ALONEY 4HE 0URSUIT OF 7ISDOM FF #F FOR INSTANCE #LOUD CHAPTER 0URSUIT OF 7ISDOM

#LOUD CH ) SHALL USE IN CITATIONS MY OWN RENDERING OF THE CRITICAL TEXTS OF 0HYLLIS (ODGSON WITH THE HELP OF THE 7OLTERS AND THE 7ALSH RENDERINGS )BID CH )BID CH )BID CH )BID )BID CH )BID CH )BID CH "ISHOP +ALLISTOS 7ARE HAS DRAWN THIS PARALLEL BETWEEN MONOLOGISTIC PRAYER IN THE #LOUD AND IN 2ICHARD 2OLLE ON THE ONE HAND AND THE %ASTERN #HRISTIAN TRADITION D ON THE OTHER #LOUD CH -ALONEY 4HE 0URSUIT OF 7ISDOM

) SHALL USE FOR PAGE REFERENCES THE ELEGANT MODERN %NGLISH READING BY #LIFTON 7OLTERS

! 3TUDY OF 7ISDOM 4HREE 4RACTS BY THE !UTHOR OF THE #LOUD OF 5NKNOWING &AIRACRES

/XFORD 3,' 0RESS

)BID

)BID

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2OBERT (ALE )BID

)BID 4HIS IS THE SUBTITLE OF THE #LOUD OF 5NKNOWING THOUGH IT UNFORTUNATELY IS NOT INCLUDED IN CONTEMPORARY VERSIONS 3EE (ODGSON

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