Bernard of Clairvaux 1090 – 1153
Bernard of Clairvaux was a French Cistercian abbot, mystical theologian, and one of the most influential figures of the twelfth century. As founder of the abbey of Clairvaux and father of more than sixty daughter houses, he reformed Western monasticism and contributed decisively to the spirituality of his age. His sermons On the Song of Songs developed a sustained mystical theology of love, while his treatises On Loving God and On Grace and Free Choice articulate a doctrine of the soul's ascent through humility to union with the divine. He preached the Second Crusade and intervened in the controversies surrounding Abelard.
Key facts
- Nationality
- French
- Era
- Medieval
- Movements
- Medieval, Christian
Selected quotes
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Attributed to Bernard of Clairvaux:
“The reason for loving God is God himself; the measure of love is to love without measure.”
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Attributed to Bernard of Clairvaux:
“There is something in humility which strangely exalts the heart.”
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Attributed to Bernard of Clairvaux:
“Without knowledge of self, there is no knowledge of God.”
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Attributed to Bernard of Clairvaux:
“What we love we shall grow to resemble.”
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Attributed to Bernard of Clairvaux:
“Hell is full of good intentions or desires.”