Illusion in Spiritual Experience and the Quest for Resilience: Phenomenology in Conversation with Ignatian Discernment
AUC THEOLOGICA November 1, 2024 DOI: 10.14712/23363398.2024.5 (opens in new tab) via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractIllusions in spiritual life, especially harmful ones like religiously motivated sexual abuse, abuse of authority, and terrorism, are resilient and can enter at different phases of experience. The article brings together phenomenology and the Ignatian tradition of discernment to explore how individuals and communities can learn resilience in coping with misperceptions, serious errors of judgment, and their consequences.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Discernment Conversation Phenomenology philosophy Aesthetics Illusion |
| Key finding | Argues that illusions in spiritual life, including harmful ones, exhibit resilience and that learning resilience can help persons or communities cope with misperceptions and errors of judgment. |
Abstract
The article brings into conversation phenomenology and the Ignatian tradition of discernment as it explores phenomena of illusion in spiritual life. Special attention is paid to harmful illusions, such as religiously motivated and/or justified sexual abuse, abuse of authority, and terrorist acts. Here the article explores both the resilience of illusions, as they enter at different phases of experience, and a process of learning resilience as a person or a community learns to cope with misperceptions, serious errors of judgment and their consequences.