Ascetic Spirituality of Juan de Ávila (1499-1569)

Juan de Ávila (1499-1569) was one of the most significant exponents of Spanish Golden Age spirituality. His work throughout Andalusia gave rise to the school of Avilista spirituality, a spirituality adopted by both lay men and women as well as secular and regular members of the clergy who were inspired by his stress on moral and spiritual formation and were bound together by the observance of a rigorous program of spiritual discipline. Scholars have increasingly identified him as the author of a distinctively judeoconverso spirituality. Currently, however, there are no comprehensive studies of his spirituality that seriously take into account his judeoconverso background. The present work seeks to analyze his ascetic spirituality and place it against its proper early-modern Spanish context.

“Rady Roldán-Figueroa’s careful and comprehensive study of the writings of Juan de Ávila will be warmly welcomed by scholars of early modern Spain and Catholic Europe. Thanks to his efforts this crucially important figure has been 'rediscovered'.” Jodi Bilinkoff, University of North Carolina at Greensboro. In: The Journal of Ecclesiastical History, Vol. 64, No. 1 (January 2013), pp. 173-175. “Der Verfasser bietet mit seiner Studie eine sorgfältig erarbeitete Darstellung der Lehre Ávilas vom geistlichen Leben und verortet diese plausibel im Kontext der spanischen Gesellschaft des 16. Jh.s. […]. Die Ankündigung Papst Benedikts XVI. im August 2011, er werde Johannes von Ávila zum Kirchenlehrer der römisch-katholischen Kirche ernennen, unterstreicht noch die Relevanz dieser Arbeit.“ Ulrike Treusch, Kassel. In: Theologische Literaturzeitung, Vol. 137, No. 6 (2012), pp. 700-701. “Das Buch wirkt kompositorisch und argumentativ in hohem Maße gelungen. Der Autor vermag es, verschiedene Disziplinen ausgewogen ineinander zu spielen […]. Gerade weil das Ineinander der verschiedenen Perspektiven und Disziplinen ohne Scheuklappen vorgenommen wird und daher umso besser gelingt, liest sich die komplexe Untersuchung leicht und flüssig.“ Daniel Bogner, Luxemburg. In: Zeitschrift für historische Forschung, 40. Bd., Heft 3 (2013), pp. 508-510.

Rady Roldan-Figueroa, Th.D. (2005), Boston University, is Assistant Professor of Religion at Baylor University. He has published on early modern Spanish spirituality, missions, and biblical translations.