The Text and Contexts of Ignatius Loyola's Autobiography [Hardcover]

This refreshing re-evaluation of the so-called autobiography of Ignatius Loyola (c. 14911556) situates Ignatiuss Acts against the backgrounds of the spiritual geography of Lukes New Testament writings and the culture of Renaissance humanism. Ignatius Loyolas So-Called Autobiography builds upon recent scholarly consensus, examines the language of the text that Ignatius Loyola dictated as his legacy to fellow Jesuits late in life, and discusses relevant elements of the social, historical, and religious contexts in which the text came to birth. Recent monographs by Marjorie ORourke Boyle and John W. OMalley have characterized Ignatiuss Acts as a mirror of vainglory and of apostolic religious life, respectively. In this study, John M. McManamon, S.J., persuasively argues that an appreciation of the two Lukan New Testament writings likewise helps interpret the theological perspectives of Ignatius. The geography of Lukes two writings and the theology that undergirds Lukes redactional innovation assisted Ignatius in remembering and understanding the crucial acts of God in his own life.

This eloquent, lucidly written new book is essential reading for anyone interested in Ignatius, the early Jesuits, sixteenth-century religious life, and the history of early modern Europe.

This is a must read for anyone interested in Ignatian Spirituality. McManamon skillfully integrates material from psychology, anthropology, and scripture studies as he critically examines the influence of the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles on the ACTA of Ignatius. There is an abundance of background historical material to assist the reader in understanding why and how Ignatius gives us this story of his life.This is a rich and perceptive book. McManamon enters into the heart and soul of one of the most influential religious figures of the past five hundred years. Ignatius Loyola emerges as all too human but wise and right on the essentials. McManamon's account is deeplyló–