The vision of God : the Christian doctrine of the summum bonum - Kirk, Kenneth E. (Kenneth Escott), 1886-1954. (New York : Harper & Row, 1966)
The vision of God and the problem of discipline. The vision of God ; The problem of discipline ; The vision of God : Jewish anticipations ; The vision of God : pagan anticipations ; Philo and the Hermetica -- The New Testament. Rigorism and eschatology in the teaching of Jesus ; New Testament variations ; The origin of New Testament rigorism ; The vision of God in the New Testament -- Formalism. The beginnings of codification ; Codification in the New Testament ; The dangers of formalism ; The motive of reward in the Gospels ; Discipline in the New Testament ; Discipline at Rome -- Rigorism. The beginnings of monasticism ; Monasticism and the vision of God ; The Gnostics ; Marcion, Tertullian and Montanus ; Rigorist discipline ; The sinlessness of the Christian -- The reply to rigorism : discipline. Rigorists and humanists ; The two lives ; The reform of monasticism ; The reform of penance ; Penance in the Middle Ages -- The reply to rigorism : doctrine. Naturalism and Christianity ; Irenaeus and Clement of Alexandria ; S. Augustine ; S. Bernard of Clairvaux -- Confusion and order. The twelfth century ; The school of St. Victor ; S. Thomas Aquinas ; S. Ignatius of Loyola ; S. Francis de Sales -- Law and promise. The reversal of tradition ; 'Worship' and 'service' ; Disinterestedness and pure love.
Originally published in 1931.
Includes bibliographical references.
Keywords: Beatific vision -- History of doctrines; Christianity -- History of doctrines; Christian ethics -- History; Worship; Asceticism -- History; Asceticism -- History; Beatific vision -- History of doctrines; Christian ethics -- History