Division of States
This article takes up the latter sense, according to the various classes of souls who aspire to perfection in this life. The Catholic Church Fathers and theologians distinguish three stages or states of perfection. These are the states of beginners, the state of progress, and the state of the perfect. These states are also designated "ways", because they are the ways of God by which souls are guided.
Hence, there is the division of the spiritual life adopted since the time of the Pseudo-Dionysius into the "purgative way", the "illuminative way", and the "unitive way".
Among the condemned propositions of Miguel de Molinos, the author of the Quietist "Spiritual Guide" was the following:
- "These three kinds of way, the purgative, illuminative, and unitive, are the greatest absurdity in Mystical Theology".
Various descriptions of these three ways are given by theologians.
Read more about this topic: State (theology)
Famous quotes containing the words division of, division and/or states:
“Between married persons, the cement of friendship is by the laws supposed so strong as to abolish all division of possessions: and has often, in reality, the force ascribed to it.
”
—David Hume (17111776)
“For a small child there is no division between playing and learning; between the things he or she does just for fun and things that are educational. The child learns while living and any part of living that is enjoyable is also play.”
—Penelope Leach (20th century)
“Colonel Bat Guano: Okay, Im going to get your money for you. But if you dont get the President of the United States on that phone, you know whats going to happen to you?
Group Captain Lionel Mandrake: What?
Colonel Bat Guano: Youre going to have to answer to the Coca-Cola company.”
—Stanley Kubrick (b. 1928)