Great Secrets: The Eucharistic Charisms of St. Teresa of Ávila

The research question of the thesis is: How do the life and writings of St. Teresa of Ávila illuminate the relation between the sacrament of the Eucharist and the charisms of the Holy Spirit? The peculiar nature of Teresa’s spirituality with its eucharistic and charismatic components is examined from multiple complementary angles (contextual, textual, theological, and ecumenical). More specifically, the thesis argues that Teresa’s habitual participation in the Eucharist grounds her charismatic experience in the mystery and ministry of Jesus Christ. Teresa assumes that Holy Communion and the spiritual gifts are interrelated, whereas modern Christians tend to set them apart and even against each other. Her “eucharismatic” piety concretely displays how Communion and the charismata are mysteriologically bound and thus harmoniously cohere in the Church’s calling to apprehend and serve the risen and crucified Christ. A holistic investigation of Teresa’s eucharistic charisms is still pending. This thesis thoroughly explores such a facet of her spirituality in an interdisciplinary fashion. By pursuing this topic from an original viewpoint, this study makes advancements primarily in the field of Teresian studies, yet also in other areas more broadly, by drawing out the theological import of Teresa’s eucharismatic heritage as well as its relevance for ecumenical dialogue with Pentecostals and Charismatics. Chapter 1 addresses the timeliness of studying this topic given the lack of attention Christ’s humanity receives in modern pneumatology, and the complexity of discerning Teresa’s legacy today based on contemporary readings which downplay the religious nature of her faith. Chapter 2 examines how Teresa’s context conditions her eucharismatic formation. This chapter covers new ground regarding the vital role Teresa’s reading of St. Augustine of Hippo and Bernardino de Laredo play in this process, and highlights the significance of her practice of daily Communion, an intriguing subject not widely known among Anglophone scholars. Chapter 3 translates and expounds pertinent texts from Teresa’s works which clarify the interrelationship between the Eucharist, her charismatic experiences, and Christ’s person and work. Chapter 4 reflects on the theological link between Teresa’s eucharismatic piety and the biblical mysteries of the gospel, ponders the pivotal significance of Christ’s resurrection and sacrifice in this schema, and articulates how these twin realities transform the Saint’s approach towards sickness and ministry. In light of the findings of this study, Chapter 5 proposes constructive points of dialogue between Teresian and Pentecostal/Charismatic scholarship, a fruitful synthesis which carries implications for the whole Church concerning the christological unity and reciprocity there is between Communion and the charismata. In response to the research question, the thesis concludes that Teresa’s life and writings elucidate how the Eucharist regulates the reception and exercise of the charisms of the Holy Spirit in conformity to the mystery and ministry of Christ.