Customer Reviews

Ignatius of Loyola: The Psychology of a Saint

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This is a difficult book to read unless you happen to be a psychiatrist. This book blends biography with psychological analysis. It took me at least eight months to finish this 400 pages plus book. The story of Iñigo, later to become Ignatius, is a remarkable one. You will witness the transition of Iñigo from a pugnacious young man, brave and passionate, into a mystic and an exemplary Christian (but still brave and passionate).

The author threads between two poles; on one hand you have the Grace of God acting on a broken (physically and spiritually) man making him fit to be called a saint and a mystic and, on the other hand, you have a man oppressed by psychological issues (narcissism, sublimation of libido and aggression). Somehow Ignatius reconciles both poles.

It is inappropiate for me to assign a rating for this book based on the merits of the psychological assesment made by the author, consequently, I am rating this book as a reflection of how much did I like it. I will give four stars to this book just because it is intricate and difficult to digest.

This is a wonderful book.

This is a long book.

This is a challenging book.

If you are looking for a basic introduction to the life of Ignatius or to the Society of the Jesuits, this is not the book for you.

If you are looking for an extremely thoughtful analysis of the inner workings of one of the greatest saints in the history of the church, this is the magisterial study.

I am not a Freudian psychologist, I am not a psychologist, I am not a Jesuit. I am a Raving Fan of Ignatius and the Jesuit order he founded. I read and study them a lot, learning the best practices I can from a founder and a company that has changed the world.

This book will give you all the historical details on Ignatius and his society. It will tell you the spiritual interpretations of his life. And it will probe and dig around the inner world of Ignatius from a Freudian perspective, wondering what made Ignatius tick.

I really liked it. If you get it, it will be a long read, but a good one.

Brian K. Rice

Leadership ConneXtions International

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