Burning Love: St Bonaventure and the Problem of Christ’s Earthly Beatitude

Abstract

The Christology of St Bonaventure contains the paradoxical claim that during his Passion Christ simultaneously possesses perfect beatitude and experiences immeasurable suffering. Against Bonaventure’s claim, Caroline Walker Bynum argues that the bliss of beatitude cannot coexist with the intense physical and mental agony of the Passion. This article develops a reply to her objection on Bonaventure’s behalf that identifies beatific love of the divine essence revealed in the vision of glory not with any specific feelings or emotions but with a complex habit or disposition that responds in different ways under varying circumstances. This reply is also defended against some possible objections. The article concludes by explaining the sense in which Bonaventure understands the sufferings of Christ to be not only literally immeasurable but also particularly fitting.