The Conflict Between Reason and Faith

Christian mysticism navigates the tension between reason and faith, particularly highlighted through the works and thoughts of St. Bernard of Clairvaux. Bernard criticized the growing tendency in medieval universities to engage in theological debates that often deviated from the core experience of God. He believed that intellectual discourse should not take precedence over the personal, loving encounter with the divine. His view suggests that true understanding of God cannot merely be achieved through reasoning but requires an emotional and spiritual connection.