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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
601:(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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A Quaker
Perspective on the Counsels, the Powers & Community
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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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27:Chastity, poverty (perfect charity) and obedience
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1104:, 1983, including canons 599-601 concerning the
1043:. Vol. 4. New York: Robert Appleton Company
609:. These vows are made now by the members of all
593:There are early forms of religious vows in the
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1037:. In Herbermann, Charles (ed.).
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902:Gribble, Richard (2011).
139:Massacre of the Innocents
1083:The Cost of Discipleship
30:Not to be confused with
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1033:Barnes, Arthur (1908).
886:Jean-Pierre de Caussade
1661:Catholicism portal
1631:Vocational discernment
1621:Foolishness for Christ
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1040:Catholic Encyclopedia
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129:Adoration of the Magi
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1106:Evangelical Counsels
870:The Complete Gospels
611:religious institutes
506:evangelical counsels
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729:Dietrich Bonhoeffer
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191:Sermon on the Mount
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151:Return to Nazareth
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19:
1515:Grand master
1279:
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1081:
1073:
1065:
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1038:
1002:
984:
966:
949:
945:
935:
923:. Retrieved
914:(1): 37–38.
911:
907:
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869:
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859:Imitatio dei
849:
838:
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734:
727:
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706:
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660:Early Church
657:
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623:
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553:eternal life
550:
520:(or perfect
509:
505:
504:, the three
502:Christianity
499:
456:Christianity
447:
391:
375:Resurrection
337:Via Dolorosa
335:
326:Flagellation
146:Presentation
124:Circumcision
107:Virgin birth
85:Annunciation
1595:Lay brother
1381:Scriptorium
952:: 511–512.
826:; see also
387:Appearances
345:Crucifixion
272:Last Supper
1676:Categories
1616:Asceticism
1490:Provincial
1414:Meditation
1307:Solemn vow
1302:Profession
1222:Mendicants
786:References
573:profession
382:Empty tomb
357:Entombment
200:Beatitudes
181:Temptation
90:Visitation
78:Early life
1588:Postulant
1566:Anchorite
1419:Mysticism
1376:Refectory
1366:Hermitage
1327:Monastery
1295:Obedience
1195:Cenobitic
958:0080-5459
920:2161-8542
853:See also
779:followers
717:sophistic
526:obedience
448:Portals:
411:Ascension
267:Anointing
227:Rejection
1540:Basilian
1508:Prioress
1480:Superior
1462:Vestment
1457:Scapular
1452:Cornette
1351:Cloister
1290:Chastity
1205:Enclosed
1190:Monastic
992:Archived
974:Archived
771:Perfecti
745:See also
653:celibacy
648:St. Paul
595:monastic
514:chastity
217:Parables
212:Miracles
169:Ministry
102:Nativity
1626:Tonsure
1525:Brother
1485:General
1472:Members
1356:Convent
1285:Poverty
1200:Chapter
1152:in the
1031::
925:22 June
828:Mark 10
775:Cathars
765:Essenes
644:eunuchs
545:teleios
539:τελειος
532:in the
524:), and
522:charity
518:poverty
311:Mocking
245:Passion
176:Baptism
1600:Porter
1583:Oblate
1578:Master
1573:Novice
1561:Hermit
1549:Sister
1520:Rector
1499:Abbess
1424:Rosary
1391:Prayer
1371:Priory
1361:Double
1185:Orders
1175:Hermit
1068:(1523)
956:
918:
557:heaven
512:, are
299:Arrest
222:Prayer
43:in the
41:Events
1609:Other
1530:Friar
1504:Prior
1495:Abbot
1434:Habit
1341:Abbey
1162:Types
1047:2 May
530:Jesus
508:, or
464:Bible
195:Plain
1535:Monk
1447:Coif
1409:Mass
1332:List
1272:Vows
1049:2019
954:ISSN
927:2024
916:ISSN
857:and
830:and
810:cf.
769:The
687:The
569:vows
1554:Nun
912:122
548:).
500:In
1678::
1080:,
1064:,
1011:^
950:64
948:.
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