Gender and the Christian Spiritual Life Cover Image

Płeć a chrześcijańskie życie duchowe
Gender and the Christian Spiritual Life

Author(s): Cezary Sękalski
Subject(s): Christian Theology and Religion, History, Social Sciences, Sociology, Theology and Religion
Published by: Wydawnictwo Karmelitów Bosych
Keywords: gender; Christian spiritual life; femininity; masculinity; hesed; rahamim; sanctity; perfection; ascetism; mysticism

Summary/Abstract: In Christianity, the goals of the spiritual life, namely sanctity and perfection, can also be considered from a male and female perspective. The female perspective would mean, most of all, the reality of belonging to God, a close relationship in which we welcome the gratuitous gift leading to divinization. The male perspective is more mission-oriented and moral in its character; it focuses on an obligation, a concrete response to the gift of love. We can say that the perspective based on a relationship is more feminine, and the one which evokes moral ability rather masculine. The spiritual life, as such, should include a specific balance between these two factors.

  • Issue Year: IX/2016
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 193-210
  • Page Count: 17
  • Language: English, Polish, Italian