Quietism

Quietism is a theological and spiritual movement that emerged in the 17th century within the context of Roman Catholicism, emphasizing a form of deep spiritual passivity and contemplative stillness. Adherents of Quietism taught that the highest form of spiritual life is achieved through complete surrender to God, in which the individual remains passive, quiet, and detached from any form of personal effort or active participation in the spiritual journey. Quietism downplayed the importance of external actions, sacraments, or even the moral struggle against sin, focusing instead on an inner state of quiet union with God.

The movement was officially condemned as heretical by the Catholic Church because it undermined the biblical and traditional Christian understanding of sanctification, human will, and the necessity of active cooperation with God's grace in the Christian life.

History of Quietism

1. Origins in Catholic Mysticism: Quietism has its roots in mystical movements within Catholic spirituality, particularly those associated with the practices of contemplative prayer and detachment. While Catholic mysticism has a long and rich tradition (in figures like Teresa of Ávila and John of the Cross), Quietism took these mystical teachings to an extreme, advocating for a total passivity that rejected human effort or cooperation with grace.

2. Miguel de Molinos (1628–1696): The most famous proponent of Quietism was Miguel de Molinos, a Spanish priest and mystic whose teachings were the most influential expression of the movement. Molinos published his major work, The Spiritual Guide (1675), in which he advocated for a spiritual life characterized by the annihilation of the self, passive contemplation, and total submission to God’s will without the need for external rituals or active pursuit of virtue. According to Molinos, the soul could reach the highest form of union with God by entering into a state of interior quietness or stillness where all personal desires, thoughts, and efforts are completely abandoned.

   Molinos' teachings gained a significant following in Italy and France, particularly among those seeking a more interior form of piety. However, his views soon attracted criticism from Catholic theologians and church authorities.

3. Condemnation by the Catholic Church: In 1687, Molinos' teachings were formally condemned by Pope Innocent XI, and Molinos himself was arrested and tried by the Inquisition. He was found guilty of heresy, and his writings were placed on the Index of Forbidden Books. Molinos spent the remainder of his life in prison, where he died in 1696. His followers in France, including notable figures such as Madame Guyon, continued to spread Quietist ideas, which eventually led to further investigations and condemnations by the church.

   Madame Jeanne Guyon (1648–1717), another prominent Quietist, was also condemned by the church for advocating similar teachings on passive contemplation. She emphasized the soul's union with God through passive prayer, but her views led to conflicts with the Catholic hierarchy, particularly with François Fénelon, who tried to defend her.

4. Francis Fénelon (1651–1715): Fénelon, a French Catholic theologian and archbishop, became associated with Quietism because of his support for Madame Guyon’s teachings. Though he attempted to moderate some of the more extreme aspects of Quietism, his defense of the movement led to conflict with influential Catholic figures like Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet, and eventually, Pope Innocent XII condemned Fénelon's work Maxims of the Saints in 1699.

Theology of Quietism

The theology of Quietism centers around a few key principles, all of which were seen as departures from orthodox Christian teaching:

1. Spiritual Passivity: Quietism teaches that the believer should strive for complete passivity in the spiritual life. According to this view, any form of personal effort, including acts of the will, spiritual disciplines, or moral striving, is seen as a distraction from true union with God. Quietists advocated for passive contemplation, where the soul becomes utterly still and silent, allowing God to work without any interference from human action.

   • This passivity included a disregard for religious practices such as prayer, sacraments, or even good works. Quietists taught that such external acts were unnecessary once the soul had achieved union with God through interior stillness.

2. Annihilation of the Will: In Quietist thought, the ultimate goal is the annihilation of the self, particularly the human will. Quietists believed that the soul must renounce all desires, including desires for virtue, spiritual growth, or even salvation. In the state of true union with God, the individual will is completely absorbed by God’s will, leaving no room for personal aspirations or efforts.

   • Molinos taught that even the desire for spiritual progress or heaven must be abandoned, as these desires could hinder total abandonment to God. This led to a form of spiritual indifference, where the believer no longer actively sought holiness or resisted sin, believing that such efforts were unnecessary.

3. Rejection of Active Sanctification: One of the major theological problems with Quietism is its rejection of the traditional Christian understanding of sanctification—the process by which God works holiness in us giving rise to good works. Quietism downplays the need for moral effort, prayer, and spiritual disciplines. Instead, it teaches that the soul must enter a state of complete inaction to experience union with God.

   • Quietists believed that once the soul reached a certain level of spiritual progress, the distinction between virtue and sin became irrelevant, and that the soul was no longer responsible for resisting sin or striving for virtue. This led to accusations of moral laxity and antinomianism.

4. Detachment from Earthly Concerns: Quietists taught an extreme form of detachment, not only from material possessions but also from spiritual concerns such as prayer, repentance, or seeking after God. They viewed all earthly concerns, even spiritual desires, as hindrances to the soul’s passive state of quietness before God.

   • This detachment extended to emotions, good works, and even participation in the sacraments, which were seen as external and unnecessary for those who had reached spiritual union.

Why Quietism is Considered Heretical

Quietism was condemned as heretical for several key reasons:

1. Undermines Human Cooperation with Grace: The Catholic Church, and historic Christianity more broadly, teaches that sanctification is a process that requires active cooperation with God’s grace. While God is the ultimate source of salvation and sanctification, believers are called to work out their salvation with reverent effort (Philippians 2:12-13). Quietism, by teaching that the soul must remain passive and inactive, denies the role of the human will and personal effort in the Christian life.

   • The church teaches that both faith and works are involved in the process of salvation, and that believers must actively strive for holiness (James 2:14-26). Quietism’s rejection of human cooperation is a denial of the biblical teaching on sanctification.

2. Neglects the Role of the Sacraments and Prayer: Quietism downplays or even rejects the need for external forms of worship and sacraments, which are central to the Christian life. The Catholic Church teaches that the sacraments are means of grace through which believers grow in holiness. Quietism, by emphasizing inner passivity and detachment, suggests that these outward practices are unnecessary for the soul that has reached a higher spiritual state.

   • Scripture and tradition affirm the importance of prayer, repentance, and participation in the sacraments (such as the Eucharist and confession) for spiritual growth (1 Thessalonians 5:17; James 5:16). Quietism’s rejection of these practices undermines the ordinary means by which God sanctifies His people.

3. Encourages Moral Laxity and Antinomianism: By teaching that the soul no longer needs to strive against sin or pursue virtue once it reaches a state of passive union with God, Quietism opens the door to moral laxity and antinomianism (the rejection of moral law). Quietism’s rejection of personal effort in the moral life contradicts the biblical call to fight against sin, to be transformed by the renewal of the mind (Romans 12:2), and to pursue holiness (Hebrews 12:14).

4. Confusion of God's Will and Human Will: Quietism’s extreme emphasis on annihilation of the will leads to a theological error in which the human will is no longer seen as cooperating with God, but instead absorbed by God’s will. This blurs the distinction between the Creator and the creature and denies the biblical teaching that humans are responsible moral agents who must freely cooperate with God’s grace.

The Historic Christian Orthodox View

The historic Christian view of the spiritual life stands in contrast to Quietism in several important ways:

1. Active Cooperation with Grace: Orthodox Christian theology teaches that while God initiates and sustains the work of salvation, believers are called to actively respond to God's grace. The work of the Holy Spirit in sanctification is a process in which the believer grows in holiness giving rise to prayer, the sacraments, and personal works. (Philippians 2:12-13; 2 Peter 1:5-7).

2. The Role of the Will in Sanctification: The Christian tradition, both in Catholic and Protestant theology, maintains that the human will plays an important role in responding to God’s grace. Christians are called to pursue virtue, resist sin, and practice good works (Ephesians 2:10). The moral struggle is seen as an essential part of the Christian life (Romans 7:15-25), and the believer is called to persevere in holiness.

3. The Importance of Prayer and Sacraments: Historic Christianity teaches that prayer, worship, and participation in the sacraments are vital means of grace through which God works in the life of the believer. These are not optional practices but are central to the spiritual life. Quietism, by rejecting the importance of these external acts, departs from the biblical model of devotion and worship.

4. Balance of Contemplation and Action: Christian orthodoxy upholds a balance between contemplation (inner spiritual life) and action (living out the faith in works of love and service). The life of prayer and contemplation does not negate the need for active participation in the mission of God’s kingdom and the pursuit of personal holiness (James 1:22-25).

Conclusion

Quietism is a heretical movement that distorts the Christian understanding of the spiritual life by overemphasizing passivity, detachment, and inaction, while downplaying the importance of personal effort, sacraments, and moral striving. It teaches that the soul must remain passive in order to experience union with God, but this contradicts the historic Christian teaching that sanctification requires active cooperation with God's grace through faith, prayer, and works of love. Quietism was condemned by the Catholic Church because it undermined the biblical and traditional understanding of sanctification, prayer, and the moral life, promoting a spirituality that led to moral laxity and indifference rather than true holiness.