SCHWANDA, TOM (2009) Soul Recreation: Spiritual Marriage and Ravishment in the Contemplative-Mystical Piety of Isaac Ambrose. Doctoral thesis, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/55/
Abstract
This thesis examines the theology and piety of Isaac Ambrose
(1604-1664), a moderate Lancashire Puritan minister. More specifically
it raises the question about the nature of his spiritual practices and
whether they reflect what Bernard McGinn calls the “mystical element” of
Christianity? This research is distinctive since Ambrose has never
been the primary focus of research. There are six chapters to this
thesis.
Chapter 1 examines the definition of three key terms: “mysticism”, “Puritanism”, and “Puritan mysticism” and then substitutes “contemplative-mystical piety” for McGinn’s mystical element since this language is more familiar to the Reformed community. A review of the literature reveals the prevalence of contemplative-mystical piety within mainstream Puritanism.
Chapter 1 examines the definition of three key terms: “mysticism”, “Puritanism”, and “Puritan mysticism” and then substitutes “contemplative-mystical piety” for McGinn’s mystical element since this language is more familiar to the Reformed community. A review of the literature reveals the prevalence of contemplative-mystical piety within mainstream Puritanism.
Chapter 2
explores the biblical and theological foundations of union with Christ,
which the Puritans often called spiritual marriage. Contrary to common
perception, the Puritans encouraged intimacy and sexual enjoyment in
their godly marriage that they often perceived as a reciprocal
relationship with their spiritual marriage.
The third chapter creates a
contemplative biography of Ambrose through his diary entries and
examines his relationship with God and his neighbor through his annual
retreats, the struggles of his soul, serving as a physician of the soul,
times of public fasting and worship, and the significance of specific
places or environment to his piety.
Chapter 4 narrows the focus to
Ambrose’s teaching on meditation and contemplation. The influence of
Bernard of Clairvaux is clearly evident as Ambrose contemplatively looks
at Jesus throughout all the manifestations of Jesus’ life.
The fifth
chapter considers Ambrose’s use of ravishment and examines the nature,
dynamics and benefits of this ambiguous term of delight and enjoyment.
The final chapter moves from the seventeenth-century to the present and
inquires whether Ambrose’s contemplative-mystical piety can guide
contemporary Reformed Christians. That requires an examination into the
resistance of Karl Barth as well as the more receptive possibility of
retrieval through Herman Bavinck. This work concludes with seven
principles from Ambrose to encourage those who are members of the
Reformed tradition.
(more on Tom Schwanda here)
(more on Tom Schwanda here)
