‘Resurrection’ in William of Saint-Thierry’s Expositio Super Cantica Canticorum

William of Saint-Thierry's moral reading of the Song of Songs argues that the concept of 'resurrection' gives an eschatological orientation to the deification of the human person. The research examines various imageries from the Song of Songs that shaped William's understanding of resurrection and its implications for present life. It proposes that William's pursuit of mystical consciousness is not merely an internal spiritual project but is directed toward the eschatological transformation of the whole person.

Study at a glance

Abstract

William of Saint-Thierry’s exploration on the theme of ‘resurrection’ in his moral reading of the Song of Songs argues for an eschatological orientation for the human person’s deification. This detailed research on the concept of ‘resurrection’ in the Exposition does not confine itself to a literary study of the term ‘resurrection’ as it appears in William’s the Latin critical edition text. Rather it explores the different imageries from the Song of Songs which formed William’s understanding of the ‘resurrection’ and the implications for believing in the ‘resurrection’ to the present life. This research suggests that William’s pursuit of mystical consciousness is not a merely internal spiritual project, but is oriented towards the eschatological transformation of the whole human person.