Miłość jako fundament mistycznego zjednoczenia z Bogiem według św. Bernarda z Clairvaux

Abstract

Bernard’s mysticism has its source in the Holy Scripture and in the Church’s liturgy as well as in the works of the Fathers of the Church. He emphasized that the way to a perfect love in which a cognitive union of the soul with God is performed, leads through cognition of oneself and inner revival of the way of life. Bernard thought that mystical union is the highest level of love. It is performed owing to God’s grace that elevates the soul to the state of perfect love. Since in man only love is perfect, such a close relation between soul and God’s Word is reached that may be called «mystical marriage». The Abbot of Clairvaux also taught about the separateness of man and God while having a mystical experience; the separateness has its foundation in God’s transcendence and man’s accidental character. Pointing to a possibility that a human soul may acquire a divine character through love, he never identified the soul with Divine substance. Bernard had a great influence on forming the mysticism of the Middle Ages.