Quietism (Christian Philosophy)

Quietism (Christian Philosophy)

Quietism is a Christian philosophy that swept through France, Italy, and Spain during the 17th century, but it had much earlier origins. The mystics known as Quietists insist, with more or less emphasis, on intellectual stillness and interior passivity as essential conditions of perfection. All have been officially proscribed as heresy in very explicit terms by the Roman Catholic Church. The term quietism was not used until the 17th century, so the early aspect is often dubbed pre-quietism.