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the appetites, and, lastly, there are honors and positions of authority which delight the self-love of the individual. These three matters, in themselves often innocent and not forbidden to the devout
Christian, may yet, even when no kind of sin is involved, hold back the soul from its true aim and vocation, and delay it from becoming entirely conformed to the will of God. It is, therefore, the object of the three counsels of perfection to free the soul from these hindrances. The love of riches is opposed by the counsel of poverty, the pleasures of the flesh (even the lawful pleasures of holy matrimony) are excluded by the counsel of chastity, while the desire for worldly power and honor is met by the counsel of holy obedience. Abstinence from unlawful indulgence in any of these directions is expected of all Christians as a matter of precept. The further voluntary abstinence from what is in itself lawful is the subject of the counsels, and such abstinence is not in itself meritorious, but only becomes so when it is done for the sake of Christ, and in order to be more free to serve him.
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the princes, they taught that Christ did not demand these things but merely offered them as advice or counsel to those who would be perfect. So Christ had to become a liar and be in error in order that the princes might come off with honor, for they could not exalt the princes without degrading Christ—wretched blind sophists that they are. And their poisonous error has spread thus to the whole world until everyone regards these teachings of Christ not as precepts binding on all
Christians alike but as mere counsels for the perfect.
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the proceeds to others who are in need, that we should live a life of chastity for the Gospel's sake, and, finally, should not seek honours or commands, but place ourselves under obedience. These are the
Evangelical Counsels, and the things which are counselled are not set forward so much as good in themselves, as in the light of means to an end and as the surest and quickest way of obtaining everlasting life.
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To sum up: it is possible to be rich, and married, and held in honour by all men, and yet keep the
Commandments and to enter heaven. Christ's advice is, if we would make sure of everlasting life and desire to conform ourselves perfectly to the Divine will, that we should sell our possessions and give
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These counsels have been analyzed as a way to keep the world from distracting the soul, on the grounds that the principal good things of this world easily divide themselves into three classes. There are the riches which make life easy and pleasant, there are the pleasures of the flesh which appeal to
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A young man in the Gospel asked what he should do to obtain eternal life, and Jesus told him to "keep the commandments", but when the young man pressed further, Christ told him: "If thou wilt be perfect, go sell what thou hast, and give to the poor". It is from this passage that the term "counsel of
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is that he was not allowed to solace his regrets by saying: 'Never mind what Jesus says, I can still hold on to my riches, but in a spirit of inner detachment. Despite my inadequacy I can take comfort in the thought that God has forgiven me my sins and can have fellowship with Christ in faith.' But
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You are perturbed over Christ's injunction in
Matthew 5, 'Do not resist evil, but make friends with your accuser; and if any one should take your coat, let him have your cloak as well.' ... The sophists in the universities have also been perplexed by these texts. ... In order not to make heathen of
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presses home the duty incumbent on all
Christians of keeping free from all sins of the flesh, and of fulfilling the obligations of the married state, if they have taken those obligations upon themselves, but also gives his "counsel" in favor of the unmarried state and of perfect chastity
590:(ch. 58.17) indicates that the newly received promise stability, fidelity to monastic life, and obedience. Religious vows in the form of the three evangelical counsels of chastity, poverty, and obedience were first made in the twelfth century by
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no, he went away sorrowful. Because he would not obey, he could not believe. In this the young man was quite honest. He went away from Jesus and indeed this honesty had more promise than any apparent communion with Jesus based on disobedience.
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Apart from the consecrated life, Christians are free to make a private vow to observe one or more of the evangelical counsels; but a private vow does not have the same binding and other effects in church law as a public vow.
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Members of religious institutes confirm their intention to observe the evangelical counsels by vows – that is, vows that the superior of the religious institute accepts in the name of the Church — or by other sacred bonds.
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argues that the interpretation of the evangelical counsels to be supererogatory acquiesces in what he calls "cheap grace", lowering the standard of
Christian teaching:
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The
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who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven", and added "He that can receive it, let him receive it".
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corruption of the teaching of Christ, intended to accommodate the vices of the aristocracy:
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Jesus adds the mandates of personal sacrifice and becoming his follower."
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Criticisms of supererogatory interpretation of evangelical counsels
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861:, Robert J. Miller ed., notes for Mark 10:17–22, page 36: "To the
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A Quaker
Perspective on the Counsels, the Powers & Community
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893:"The Challenge of Religious Life in the United States Today"
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perfection" comes. Again in the
Gospels, Jesus speaks of "
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Temporal Authority: To What Extent it Should Be Obeyed
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16:Chastity, poverty (perfect charity) and obedience
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1093:, 1983, including canons 599-601 concerning the
1032:. Vol. 4. New York: Robert Appleton Company
598:. These vows are made now by the members of all
582:There are early forms of religious vows in the
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682:article ends with the following summary:
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1026:. In Herbermann, Charles (ed.).
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891:Gribble, Richard (2011).
128:Massacre of the Innocents
1072:The Cost of Discipleship
19:Not to be confused with
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1022:Barnes, Arthur (1908).
875:Jean-Pierre de Caussade
1650:Catholicism portal
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859:The Complete Gospels
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180:Sermon on the Mount
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696:In a 1523 essay,
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903:(1): 37–38.
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848:Imitatio dei
838:
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542:eternal life
539:
509:(or perfect
498:
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493:, the three
491:Christianity
488:
445:Christianity
436:
380:
364:Resurrection
326:Via Dolorosa
324:
315:Flagellation
135:Presentation
113:Circumcision
96:Virgin birth
74:Annunciation
1584:Lay brother
1370:Scriptorium
941:: 511–512.
815:; see also
376:Appearances
334:Crucifixion
261:Last Supper
1665:Categories
1605:Asceticism
1479:Provincial
1403:Meditation
1296:Solemn vow
1291:Profession
1211:Mendicants
775:References
562:profession
371:Empty tomb
346:Entombment
189:Beatitudes
170:Temptation
79:Visitation
67:Early life
1577:Postulant
1555:Anchorite
1408:Mysticism
1365:Refectory
1355:Hermitage
1316:Monastery
1284:Obedience
1184:Cenobitic
947:0080-5459
909:2161-8542
842:See also
768:followers
706:sophistic
515:obedience
437:Portals:
400:Ascension
256:Anointing
216:Rejection
1529:Basilian
1497:Prioress
1469:Superior
1451:Vestment
1446:Scapular
1441:Cornette
1340:Cloister
1279:Chastity
1194:Enclosed
1179:Monastic
981:Archived
963:Archived
760:Perfecti
734:See also
642:celibacy
637:St. Paul
584:monastic
503:chastity
206:Parables
201:Miracles
158:Ministry
91:Nativity
1615:Tonsure
1514:Brother
1474:General
1461:Members
1345:Convent
1274:Poverty
1189:Chapter
1141:in the
1020::
914:22 June
817:Mark 10
764:Cathars
754:Essenes
633:eunuchs
534:teleios
528:τελειος
521:in the
513:), and
511:charity
507:poverty
300:Mocking
234:Passion
165:Baptism
1589:Porter
1572:Oblate
1567:Master
1562:Novice
1550:Hermit
1538:Sister
1509:Rector
1488:Abbess
1413:Rosary
1380:Prayer
1360:Priory
1350:Double
1174:Orders
1164:Hermit
1057:(1523)
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546:heaven
501:, are
288:Arrest
211:Prayer
32:in the
30:Events
1598:Other
1519:Friar
1493:Prior
1484:Abbot
1423:Habit
1330:Abbey
1151:Types
1036:2 May
519:Jesus
497:, or
453:Bible
184:Plain
1524:Monk
1436:Coif
1398:Mass
1321:List
1261:Vows
1038:2019
943:ISSN
916:2024
905:ISSN
846:and
819:and
799:cf.
758:The
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