Praise
“Do you think you have your Christology nailed down? Think again, under the guidance of this classic and priceless text. Begin at the beginning: the Incarnation is a great work of God performed for mankind. By connecting Christology to the doctrine of the Trinity, and the state of Mary, and the effects of deification, Bérulle inspires our understanding. But that is not his main goal. As he says, there are so many schools for raising souls up in difficult and uncertain knowledge, and so few (and so rarely frequented) for raising up and perfecting the soul in the love and possession of God by the way of love. This is a textbook for that latter kind of school. It will make you fall further in love with the Incarnate Son of God.”—David Fagerberg, author of On Liturgical Asceticism
“Both a theological treatise and a lyric and meditative élévation, Bérulle’s Discourses on the State and Grandeurs of Jesus is a major landmark in the history of Catholic thought. Lisa Richmond not only offers an elegant and accurate translation of this rich, complex and highly influential text—which was already a real challenge—she also manages to render Bérulle’s highly personal style, in a way that never obscures his ideas but only makes them clearer to the modernday English-speaking reader while preserving the poetic nature of his writing.”—Anne Régent-Susini, Université Sorbonne Nouvelle
“The crucial influence of Bérulle on the Catholic reform of seventeenth-century France is acknowledged in every textbook, yet he remains an author little read. There are reasons for this. Most of his writings were circumstantial. His style is unpolished, with hardly a trace of the vivacity and charm we associate with his elder contemporary, Francis de Sales. Yet the patient reader will find treasure and occasional flashes of great beauty, all the more impressive for being unexpected. Lisa Richmond has done us a great service in rendering Bérulle’s capital work on the ‘State and Grandeurs’ of the Lord faithfully into fluent, readable English.”—Erik Varden, OSCO, Bishop of Trondheim, Norway
“This excellent new (and for the first time in English, complete) translation of Pierre de Bérulle’s Discourses on the States and Grandeurs of Jesus is an important contribution to our continuing understanding of early modern Catholicism and the Christian theological/spiritual tradition in general. Not only is the unique contribution of the ‘Apostle of the Incarnation’ not well known or understood, but the long-lasting influence of his ideas is also generally under-appreciated. A fine introduction by translator Lisa Richmond sets the stage with the historical-biographical context for the composition. She then ably presents the philosophical/theological underpinnings and nuances of his sometimes-misinterpreted vision. Her translation is felicitous, capturing the varied tonalities and stylistic moods of the original. This complete English edition of Bérulle’s most important work sets an admirable standard and should find a warm welcome among scholars of a range of disciplines.”—Wendy M. Wright, Creighton University
“Both a theological treatise and a lyric and meditative élévation, Bérulle’s Discourses on the State and Grandeurs of Jesus is a major landmark in the history of Catholic thought. Lisa Richmond not only offers an elegant and accurate translation of this rich, complex and highly influential text—which was already a real challenge—she also manages to render Bérulle’s highly personal style, in a way that never obscures his ideas but only makes them clearer to the modernday English-speaking reader while preserving the poetic nature of his writing.”—Anne Régent-Susini, Université Sorbonne Nouvelle
“The crucial influence of Bérulle on the Catholic reform of seventeenth-century France is acknowledged in every textbook, yet he remains an author little read. There are reasons for this. Most of his writings were circumstantial. His style is unpolished, with hardly a trace of the vivacity and charm we associate with his elder contemporary, Francis de Sales. Yet the patient reader will find treasure and occasional flashes of great beauty, all the more impressive for being unexpected. Lisa Richmond has done us a great service in rendering Bérulle’s capital work on the ‘State and Grandeurs’ of the Lord faithfully into fluent, readable English.”—Erik Varden, OSCO, Bishop of Trondheim, Norway
“This excellent new (and for the first time in English, complete) translation of Pierre de Bérulle’s Discourses on the States and Grandeurs of Jesus is an important contribution to our continuing understanding of early modern Catholicism and the Christian theological/spiritual tradition in general. Not only is the unique contribution of the ‘Apostle of the Incarnation’ not well known or understood, but the long-lasting influence of his ideas is also generally under-appreciated. A fine introduction by translator Lisa Richmond sets the stage with the historical-biographical context for the composition. She then ably presents the philosophical/theological underpinnings and nuances of his sometimes-misinterpreted vision. Her translation is felicitous, capturing the varied tonalities and stylistic moods of the original. This complete English edition of Bérulle’s most important work sets an admirable standard and should find a warm welcome among scholars of a range of disciplines.”—Wendy M. Wright, Creighton University