Explication des maximes des saints sur la vie intérieure

work by Fénelon

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June 26, 2026

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Explication des maximes des saints sur la vie intérieure (1697), or "Explanation of the Sayings of the Saints on the Interior Life," is a work by François de Salignac de La Mothe-Fénelon, a French archbishop and theologian. This book was Fénelon's defense of Madame Guyon, a proponent of Quietism, a spiritual doctrine emphasizing passivity of the soul. Fénelon's work argued for a doctrine of pure love, sometimes referred to as semi-Quietism. However, this defense led to controversy and condemnation by the Pope, resulting in Fénelon's exile. Despite the controversy, Fénelon's writings, including this one, had a lasting influence on French culture.12

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François de Salignac de La Mothe-Fénelon
…Guyon, however, Fénelon responded with Explication des maximes des saints sur la vie intérieure (1697; “Explanation of the Sayings of the Saints on the Interior Life”). Defending Madame Guyon’s integrity, Fénelon not only lost Bossuet’s friendship but also exposed himself to Bossuet’s public denunciation. As a result, Fénelon’s Maximes des…
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…Guyon, however, Fénelon responded with Explication des maximes des saints sur la vie intérieure (1697; “Explanation of the Sayings of the Saints on the Interior Life”). Defending Madame Guyon’s integrity, Fénelon not only lost Bossuet’s friendship but also exposed himself to Bossuet’s public denunciation. As a result, Fénelon’s Maximes des…
Read More