The Educational Theory of Ignatius Loyola

Analyst: Denise Benz

RETURN
1/4/08

1. Theory of Value:

Ignatius Loyola's mission was to spread the word and teachings of Jesus through his Society of Jesus. The goal of a college was not to find "new truth", but rather to defend "old truth" (Van Dyke 246). By this, Loyola implied that the teachings of Christ and the church were all the truth that anyone needed to know. It was up to Loyola to teach his followers (called his Company) and their pupils how to defend what he considered to be the utmost truth of the church. He believed that all things were of educational importance, but more importantly, finding a way to incorporate the teachings of Jesus in the realm of other subjects was a necessity. "...Every occasion which arises for exhortation to love and serve God is to be improved by the lecturers." (Van Dyke 241).

The sciences and other disciplines were also a good preparation to students learning the truth behind it all through theology, "The natural sciences prepare the mind for the perfect understanding of theology and they also should be taught together with logic, metaphysics and mathematics." (Van Dyke 241). Therefore, everything was worth learning if it could help to improve learning religion. Also the flip side, everything is worth learning if it can incorporate the teachings of God to strengthen abilities in other areas was also true.

2. Theory of Knowledge:

Intellect, coupled with emotions and feelings is the basis of Loyola's theory of knowledge (O'Neal). Knowledge was something to be sought after and strived for, hence Loyola went back to Latin Grammar School at age 33. Loyola's belief system was based strictly around the teachings of the church (O'Neal). He practiced severe acts of penance to save his sinning soul and expected the same strict discipline of his Company. A mistake, according to Loyola, would be anything immoral that you let your conscience give in to, any faltering of faith or mind. Loyola wrote a series of Spiritual Exercises that he and his Company followed which taught how to squelch such things as desire and mortal temptation (O'Neal).

A lie would probably be considered by Loyola to be anything outside the realm of the church teachings. If the church did not support it, then neither could Loyola - especially during the inquisition where many things were misconstrued (O'Neal).

3. Theory of Human Nature:

Loyola strongly believed in recreation as much as he did education and discipline (VanDyke 338). Therefore he placed a strong emphasis on strengthening the body as well as the spirit. He believed in healthy living and exercise from within. He therefore would consider a human being to be one who combines the aforementioned practices with spirituality, belief and a strong resolve. Other species however, would not have the same rigorous discipline. A dog would not stop itself from giving in to desire, because it does not have self-control or sound mind to know why such desires are wrong.

Loyola's idea of human potential from my understanding is quite limiting. He did not believe in uncovering new truths, he only wished to protect and defend the truths set forth by the church (Van Dyke 246). This attitude would be somewhat limiting in his ideas on research. He may never yearn to know more about various philosophies that differed from those of the church for example. In his terms, Ignatius Loyola would say that humans have only the limits that God imposes on them, as long as their will and self-discipline is strong enough to adhere to those limits. But I would argue that under the guise of believing there is no truth that has not yet been uncovered, one might be limiting a world of new truths and be lost behind the times.

4. Theory of Learning:

Religious orders of the time "...were held to the recitation of the office in common."(O'Neal). Ignatius Loyola broke from these traditions arguing that prayer could be done anytime, anywhere and was therefore in all things everywhere, hence his society did not keep with the tradition of reciting prayer at specified times (O'Neal).

The reason Loyola sought to break from this tradition is probably based in the fact that he wanted his Company to find God and prayer all around them, and not deemed to them by the clock or scripture. He wanted to teach everyone to love God and his word as much as he did, and this can't be done through memorizing and reciting scriptures. "He would gather students and adults to explain the Gospels to them and teach them how to pray." (O'Neal). Learning for Loyola included much discipline, but not so much so as to "...destroy the souls of men." (Van Dyke 345). His followers were ruled strictly, but not uncaring or callously. His followers often appreciated the penances he demanded of them because they felt that those sacrifices brought them closer to God (Van Dyke 345).

5. Theory of Transmission:

Any follower that Loyola chose was to be groomed to teach new members of the society (O'Neal). Similar to the pyramid scams that are common today, Loyola recruited in much the same manner. But his followers were / are "selling" religion, and more specifically, the teachings of the church . Students and Company recruits were taught through discipline and penance (Brodrick 97). More specifically, they were taught through a series of lessons, recitations, discussion and argumentation, revisions, examinations and the all important recreation - because the body as well as the mind needs to be exercised (Van Dyke 244). All areas of study were practiced including, logic, metaphysics and mathematics (Van Dyke 241).

At the time, the Jesuit curriculum was considered to be very innovative with methods that were "up to date" (Van Dyke 253). The term "trilingual colleges" was applied to the colleges of the Society of Jesus because they intended to have the students recite, read and write in Latin, Greek and Hebrew (Van Dyke 252). This was controversial in the day, but proved to be beneficial to the longevity of the Jesuit educational system.

6. Theory of Society:

Society is the term applied to Ignatius Loyola's Society of Jesus - a brotherhood or community who shares the same beliefs, common interests and goals. It was once said that when encountering a Moor on a road, Loyola and the Moor debated the notion that the Blessed Virgin was no longer such after the birth of Christ, and when parting ways Loyola made a gamble with himself that if his mule followed the Moor he would kill him, if he didn't, he would let him live (O'Neal). This story reflects that Loyola was not tolerant of a pluralistic society. Society to him was hindered by a strict set of beliefs. And if you didn't believe in the teachings of the church, you were not a member of his society.

The Society set up several educational institutions - colleges. Loyola believed in formalized schooling in the educational process for teaching the new breed of students. His followers however, were educated through discipline and strict administration rather than through formal schooling (Brodrick 73). This would make the monasteries as significant as the colleges in the educational process.

7. Theory of Opportunity

Loyola believed in educating everyone who was willing and emphatic about learning the teachings of the church. Ideally he wished that everyone educated by a member of his Company serve God themselves. "...leaving the College as fit workmen for the vineyard of the Lord,...a bishopric, another to take a parish, another as canon of a cathedral.." (VanDyke 254). The Company existed and thrived because of their educational institutions. Hence, Loyola's intention of educating a new breed of brethren was fulfilled. Tuition, room and board were not charged, but fees were accepted from wealthy patrons (Brodrick 96). Gratitude of these wealthy patrons inclined him to accept their sons to his colleges for schooling (Van Dyke 245).

Because the Company and its colleges could not exist without money, the admission criteria to be schooled by the Company was expanded from its original aim of producing more men of the cloth. Loyola did believe in the importance of educating even those who did not intend a life of preaching the faith, [If I were able] "...to persuade one human being from sin for a single night,...I would omit absolutely nothing to ensure that God should not be offended during that time..." (Brodrick 96). The zealous nature by which Ignatius Loyola hoped to spread the word of God and denounce sin hence provided the world with what we now know as Jesuit education.

8. Theory of Consensus

People disagree because they are not truly engaging with the teachings of the church. If people truly followed God and all his teachings, then everyone would agree. It sounds idealistic, but it may have been something that Ignatius Loyola would say. Loyola was a strong believer in getting to know everyone on an individual level (Van Dyke 345). This attention to individuality would probably eliminate much disagreement and controversy on a basic level. The only consensus as far as Loyola was concerned was broad and deep - the church had a strong hold on consensus of the time and Loyola and the Society of Jesus were no exceptions. Therefore the only opinion that mattered, was that of the Pope.

Brodrick, James. The Origin of the Jesuits. Westport, Connecticut:Greenwood Press, Publishers, 1971.

O'Neal, Norman. "The Life of St. Ignatius of Loyola". A Biography of Ignatius Loyola. http://maple.lemoyne.edu/~bucko/V_IGNAT.HTML, (Feb. 2, 2000) .

Van Dyke, Paul. Ignatius Loyola The Founder of the Jesuits. Port Washington, NY: Kennikat Press, Inc., 1968.

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