Spirituality of the Counter-Reformation: England, Spain and the Orthodox East

With, Abbott Geoffrey Scott of Douai Abbey, Metropolitan Kallistos Ware and Dr Santha Bhattacharji

Abbot Geoffrey Scott, of Douai Abbey in Berkshire, explores ‘The Survival of Catholic Spirituality in Counter-Reformation England.’ His talk will concentrate on the impact of medieval survivalism and the European Catholic Reformation on the hidden world of the English Catholic recusant community, with particular reference to its book culture, from 1559 to 1700. Metropolitan Kallistos speaks on ‘Saint Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain and Counter-Reformation Spirituality’.Saint Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain (1748 – 1809), best known as co-editor of The Philokalia, also produced for Orthodox use editions of two Roman Catholic works of spirituality: the Spiritual Combat by Lorenzo Scupoli and the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits. As The Philokalia plainly indicates, Nicodemus was thoroughly familiar with the Eastern Christian tradition of inner prayer in its fullest and purest form. Why then did he think it appropriate also to draw on western sources, and what appealed to him in these 16th century writings? Dr Santha Bhattacharji, Senior Tutor at St Benets Hall, takes us to Counter-Reformation Spain, and the Carmelite mysticism of St Teresa of Avila.