This article discusses three epistemological themes emerging from the writings of Ignatius of Loyola. Firstly, it examines the model of the voluntariness of belief implied in his vision of religious obedience through the lenses of contemporary theories of doxastic voluntarism. Secondly, it reconstructs the relationship between faith and reason in the writings of Ignatius in the context of recent interpretations of the religious sacrificium intellectus. Thirdly, it searches for the foundation for…
Read moreThis article discusses three epistemological themes emerging from the writings of Ignatius of Loyola. Firstly, it examines the model of the voluntariness of belief implied in his vision of religious obedience through the lenses of contemporary theories of doxastic voluntarism. Secondly, it reconstructs the relationship between faith and reason in the writings of Ignatius in the context of recent interpretations of the religious sacrificium intellectus. Thirdly, it searches for the foundation for the ethics of belief in general which would be inspired by the Ignatian world-view presented in his Contemplation Ad Amorem and the Cardoner experience. The author argues that such a model of epistemic normativity can be successfully developed using the elements of contemporary virtue epistemology and B. Lonergan’s and K. Rahner’s transcendental method. Against the preconception of antagonism between religion and intellectual progress, the author indicates how religiosity can positively contribute to the growth of knowledge, being the leading motivation within intellectual life.