His great gift was the study of human consciousness -- especially how the human spirit operates. In doing so, he was able to articulate a coherent and congruent understanding of the human spirit in its opening to God, and its relation to psyche and organism. Thus did he provide a basis for moving beyond the cynicism of post-modernism to an authentic pursuit of spirituality.

http://tinyurl.com/z7s9j

http://www.lonergan-lri.ca/

http://www.lonergan.on.ca/

http://www.iep.utm.edu/l/lonergan.htm

For Lonergan, the human person is a unity of organism, psyche and spirit.
- See http://shalomplace.com/images/...enciesOfBecoming.jpg
We are embodied souls or enspirited bodies, and our spiritual consciousness has its own unique domain of operation. It is both reflective and non-reflective, which enables us to be no only conscicous, but conscious of our consciousness. In its operation, the human spirit consciously
A. Attends - the world outside and within.
B. Questions - inquires about the meaning, truth, relevance of what is perceived.
C. Reasons - evaluates the truth or relevance of what is questioned.
D. Responds - makes value decisions.

These operations of the spirit suggest four imperatives for authentic living:
A. Be attentive
B. Be intelligent
C. Be reasonable
D. Be responsible
In a person whose attentiveness has come to perceive God's presence, these four levels of spiritual consciousness operate in a context of Love, so we can say they are ways that we are being in-Love.

The problem for most of us is that our spiritual consciousness is polluted by unhealed emotions, images, memories, etc. from the psyche, thus strongly "coloring" what is perceived and how we inquire, reason and respond. Furthermore, there are several biases that prevent or block the movement toward healing:
A. Dramatic/psychological bias - defense mechanisms; block attentiveness to inner work; distort ability to be attentive.
B. Individual Egoism. Pride, arrogance. "I don't need help. I'm in control."
C. Group Egoism. Participating in group arrogance and pride. Better-than. Sexism, racism, nationalism, etc.
D. General Bias. Mental laziness. Failure to exercise even common sense.
- see http://www.gprep.org/fac/tbona...ior/lonerganbias.htm
Biases B, C. and D. prevent us from being intelligent and reasonable.

I'll say more about his approach as we go along, but you can see how it resonates with much of what we've already reflected on through the years re. Ego, Self, false self, authenticity, etc.

Lonergan's view of how grace operates in our consciousness is also very helpful.

Those who are interested might check out Michael Novak's Memories of Bernard Lonergan. Lots of good stuff there.

See http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au/res...rnal/aejt_3/Hide.htm for an excellent reflection on Lonergan's view of conversion and mystical experience. The teachings of Ignatius of Loyola and Julian of Norwich also figure significantly. Scroll down to the section on "Lonergan's Theology of Religious Conversion."

Good spiritual reading!

Of course, as I light another Marlboro, I am reminded of my personal bias that all of the best theologians have tobacco stains on their teeth.

One thing about Canadians, do not say anything a-boat their accent, as it makes them very self-conscious.

I first learned of Lonergan a-boat six or seven years ago whilst reading this fine book:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obi.../1570753121?v=glance

Johnston believes that Lonergan will be an important theologian for the twenty-first century.
Johnston is a Zen-Catholic Jesuit who has lived in Japan for many years. He translated The Cloud of Unknowing. Unfortunately, he remains a-boat as obscure as Lonergan. The Wounded Stag is a modern day classic!

Trancendent, spontaneous intersubjective Thomism.
Feels like a winner to me. What got you onto him,
Phil?

I've been a Lonergan fan since the early 80's, owing largely to lectures I heard by Edward Braxton (now a bishop) at LSU in the late 70s, and a book on spiritual development by Daniel Helminiak around 82. I adapted Lonergan's approach to consciousness in my own book, "Pathways to Serenity."

What I like most about him is his concise description of what constitutes our human spiritual consciousness, and how faith and love work in and through our consciousness to transform us. Good, solid stuff, imo.

Has he influenced Thomas Keating, I wonder, since it appears to resemble "the human condition" and "cultural conditioning" as viewed and listened to by yours truly on a hundred talks of Father Thomas.?

quote:

Originally posted by mysticalmichael9:
[QB] Of course, as I light another Marlboro, I am reminded of my personal bias that all of the best theologians have tobacco stains on their teeth. [QUOTE]

One thing Freud and CS Lewis had in common was that they both smoked. Yuck! Nouwen smoked too, as I recall. I've smoked maybe ten times, then quit. If that is what is keeping me from being a better theologian, maybe it is for the best. I'm a little confused on the topic.

quote:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obi.../1570753121?v=glance

Johnston believes that Lonergan will be an important theologian for the twenty-first century.

quote:

Yes, I read "Arise my Love" too, on the advice of my John of the Cross teacher. Still, I didn't get Lonergan in a way that drew me in, even though I used some of his ideas in a paper, something about "falling in love."

Has he influenced Thomas Keating . . .

He has influenced everyone. Did you read the article I linked to above? E.g.,

quote:

Lonergan�s way of conversion describes the experience of de-centering that enables us to re-centre in our centre that is God. He presents conversion as a complex process of transformation involving various judgments, decisions and actions that move us from an established horizon, usually formed through the desires and addictions of the false self, into a new horizon of knowing, valuing and acting, informed by our true self that has its ground in the being of God.

Sound familiar?

Also, Lonergan has provided a sound basis for talking about spirituality as a human phenomenon apart from religion. That's become a "big hit," as it were as well. Of course, for Lonergan, our human spirit is innately oriented to find its ultimate fulfillment in God, and nothing less will do.

From Ryan: Still, I didn't get Lonergan in a way that drew me in, even though I used some of his ideas in a paper, something about "falling in love."

quote:

In the words of Lonergan the capacity for religious conversion:

becomes an actuality when one falls in love. Then one�s being becomes being in love. Such being in love has its antecedents, its causes, its conditions, its occasions. But once it has blossomed forth and as long as it lasts it takes over. It is the first principle. From it flow one�s desires and fears, one�s joys and sorrows, one�s discernment of values, one�s decisions and deeds.�

Very rich stuff, especially the author's reflections on this quote.
- http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au/res...rnal/aejt_3/Hide.htm

Phil,

It seems that reports of the death of Christianity
have been greatly exaggerated. How fortunate to know
that the Faith is still proclaimed on the internet!
I don't know if Contemplative Outreach has a course on Lonergan, but they have some Johnston and he advocates for Lonergan quite well.

We're amping up the voltage this summer. I feel good things happening. Lonergan is a finger pointing at the moon.

moonstruck@lonergan_on_line.net

I'm not aware of any workshop of that sort by them, MM. Thomas Keating, as you know, has made more use of Ken Wilber's approach to consciousness than Lonergan's. The two aren't completely opposed, but neither are they complementary. In fact, the Lonergan scholar, Daniel Helminiak, has written one of the most cogent critiques of Wilber to date, a short summary of which can be found here (that chapter from Religion and the Human Sciences is worth the price of the book).

Does our consciousness work the way Lonergan describes it? I think it does, and this provides a common meeting ground for inter-religious dialogue, enabling us to explore how we're using and developing our consciousness on the spiritual journey.

quote:

Originally posted by Phil:
[qb] ...here[/URL] (that chapter from Religion and the Human Sciences is worth the price of the book). [/qb]

Phil, thanks for that link! I had not heard of Helminiak's work before. I like his critique of Wilber's approach. I don't think that takes much away from Keating though because I think Keating's approach is rooted in Christian scripture and tradition mainly.