Beatific Vision
The whole spiritual journey aims at one thing: to see God
As a mystical goal, the beatific vision is the soul's ultimate union with God in a direct vision of him, the destination of the spiritual life, as described by Augustine, Aquinas, and the wider mystical tradition. The traditions differ in framing: Western writers speak of a vision of the divine essence, while Eastern Christians speak of beholding the uncreated light, a difference tied to the essence-energies distinction.
How it traveled
- The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the HebrewsConstantinople (Istanbul) · c. 407 CEexplains
- The Homilies of St. John ChrysostomConstantinople (Istanbul) · c. 407 CEexplains
- The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. JohnConstantinople (Istanbul) · c. 407 CEexplains
- City of GodHippo Regius · c. 430 CEexplains
- Expositions on the Book of PsalmsHippo Regius · c. 430 CEexplains
- On the Holy TrinityHippo Regius · c. 430 CEexplains
- Letters of St. AugustinHippo Regius · c. 430 CEexplains
- Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. JohnHippo Regius · c. 430 CEexplains
- The ConfessionsHippo Regius · c. 430 CEexplains
- Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New TestamentHippo Regius · c. 430 CEexplains
- Our Lord’s Sermon on the MountHippo Regius · c. 430 CEexplains
- Two Books of SoliloquiesHippo Regius · c. 430 CEexplains
- On Christian DoctrineHippo Regius · c. 430 CEexplains
- A Treatise on the Spirit and the LetterHippo Regius · c. 430 CEexplains
- ProslogiumCanterbury · c. 1109 CEexplains
- Treatise on the Incarnation (qq[1]-59)Paris · c. 1274 CEexplains
- Treatise on The One God (QQ[2-26])Paris · c. 1274 CEexplains
- Treatise on Man (qq[75]-102)Paris · c. 1274 CEexplains
- Treatise on the Angels (qq[50]-64)Paris · c. 1274 CEexplains
- Internal ConsolationZwolle · c. 1471 CEexplains
- Book Third. the Mode of Obtaining the Grace of Christ. the Benefits It Confers, and the Effects Resulting from ItGeneva · c. 1564 CEexplains
- Seventeen Occasional SermonsNorthampton, Massachusetts · c. 1758 CEexplains
- HeavenNorthampton, Massachusetts · c. 1758 CEexplains
- Five Sermons. On Different OccasionsNorthampton, Massachusetts · c. 1758 CEexplains
- The Wisdom of God Displayed in the Way of SalvationNorthampton, Massachusetts · c. 1758 CEexplains
- A Treatise Concerning Religious Affections, in Three PartsNorthampton, Massachusetts · c. 1758 CEexplains
- Seven Sermons. On Important SubjectsNorthampton, Massachusetts · c. 1758 CEexplains
- XIV Five discourses on the soul's eternal salvationNorthampton, Massachusetts · c. 1758 CEexplains
- Narrative of Surprising ConversionsNorthampton, Massachusetts · c. 1758 CEapplies
Key passages(20)
Each passage is tagged by what it does with the idea: explains it, applies it in practice, redefines it with a new meaning, or challenges it. Relevance shows how directly the passage is about this idea.
Seventeen Occasional Sermons · Jonathan Edwards
We never can find any thing here below that shall make us so happy, but that we shall have grief and pleasure mixed together. This world, let us make the best of it, will be spotted with black and whi
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Seventeen Occasional Sermons · Jonathan Edwards
1. As to the faculty that is the subject of this vision. It is no sight of any thing with the bodily eyes; but it is an intellectual view. The beatific vision of God is not a sight with the eyes of th
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Treatise on The One God (QQ[2-26]) · Thomas Aquinas
I answer that, Everything which is raised up to what exceeds its nature, must be prepared by some disposition above its nature; as, for example, if air is to receive the form of fire, it must be prepa
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Treatise on the Angels (qq[50]-64) · Thomas Aquinas
Objection 3: Further, to turn oneself to God is to dispose oneself for grace; hence it is said (Zech. 1:3): "Turn ye to Me, and I will turn to you." But we do not stand in need of grace in order to pr
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A Treatise on the Spirit and the Letter · Augustine of Hippo
Chapter 41.—The Law Written in the Heart, and the Reward of the Eternal Contemplation of God, Belong to the New Covenant; Who Among the Saints are the Least and the Greatest. As then the law of works
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Five Sermons. On Different Occasions · Jonathan Edwards
III. The souls of true saints, when absent from the body go to be with Jesus Christ, as they are brought into a most perfect conformity to and union with him. Their spiritual conformity is begun while
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[152] Heaven. The saints in heaven will doubtless eternally exercise themselves in contemplation. They will not want employ this way; not in exercising their thoughts and study upon intricacies and se
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What goods and how great, belong to those who enjoy this good.—Joy is multiplied in the blessed from the blessedness and joy of others. WHO shall enjoy this good? And what shall belong to him, and wh
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Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament · Augustine of Hippo
Sermon III. [LIII. Ben.] On the words of the Gospel, Matt. Chap. v. 3 and 8, “Blessed are the poor in spirit:” etc., but especially on that, “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.”
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Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament · Augustine of Hippo
Sermon XIX. [LXIX. Ben.] On the words of the Gospel, Matt. xix. 28, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden,” etc. 1. We heard in the Gospel that the Lord, rejoicing greatly in Spirit
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Seventeen Occasional Sermons · Jonathan Edwards
matthew v. 8. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. god formerly delivered his law from mount Sinai, by an audible voice, with the sound of a trumpet, with the appearance of devouri
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Seventeen Occasional Sermons · Jonathan Edwards
We read of the church being arrayed in fine linen, clean and white, by which is signified the church’s purity; and it was to fit it for the enjoyment of Christ. Rev. xix. 7, 8. “Let us be glad and rej
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Seventeen Occasional Sermons · Jonathan Edwards
First. It is not any sight with the bodily eyes: the blessedness of the soul does not enter in at that door. This would make the blessedness of the soul dependent on the God is a spirit, and is not t
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Seventeen Occasional Sermons · Jonathan Edwards
3d. Is every more immediate and sensible apprehension of God, that seeing of him mentioned in the text, and that which is truly beatific. The wicked spirits in the other world have doubtless more imme
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Seventeen Occasional Sermons · Jonathan Edwards
3d. It is called seeing, because the apprehension of God’s glory and love is as clear and lively as when any thing is seen with bodily eyes. When we are actually beholding any thing with our eyes in t
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Seventeen Occasional Sermons · Jonathan Edwards
But it is quite the contrary with the pleasure that is to be enjoyed in seeing God. To see God is the highest honour and dignity to which the human nature can attain; that intellectual beholding of hi
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Seventeen Occasional Sermons · Jonathan Edwards
Fifthly. This delight in the vision of God hath an unfailing foundation. God made man to endure for ever, and therefore that which is man’s true blessedness, we may conclude has a sure and lasting fou
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Seventeen Occasional Sermons · Jonathan Edwards
3. This doctrine may lead us to a sense of the blessedness of the heavenly state, and justly cause us to long after it. In heaven the saints do see God, they enjoy that vision of him of which we have
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Seventeen Occasional Sermons · Jonathan Edwards
1. It will be an immediate sight, it will be no apprehension of God’s excellency by acquiring it from his works; neither will it be such a spiritual sight of God as the saints have in this world, seei
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Seventeen Occasional Sermons · Jonathan Edwards
5. The agent by whom this vision of God shall be communicated; viz. the Holy Spirit. As it is by the Holy Spirit that a spiritual sight of God is given in this world, so it is the same Holy Spirit by
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