Bernard of Clairvaux-Appraisal

If all that the Church had received of Bernard were his hymns, in these she would have a tremendous legacy. They are so sweet and so enjoyable. They bring to remembrance our experiences of the Lord.

As was mentioned previously, many of the reformers appreciated Bernard. Luther called him the best monk that ever lived.

However, Bernard was quite influential in the spread of monasticism throughout Europe. Even today some speak of the “monastic Christ.” Such a term and such a fact are not found in the Scriptures. Christ did not live a life withdrawn from society. On the contrary, He was ever found eating, drinking, and fellowshipping with people. Bernard was blinded in this matter. He was not fully aware of the perversion that he supported in the name of Christ.

Miller makes this comment about the implications of monasticism:

The renunciation of the world, solitude, asceticism, stern mortification, was preached as almost the only safe path to heaven . . . . Hence it was that, the more sincere the monk, the more he inflicted on himself every kind of torture and misery. This was a deception [quoting Milman]: “The more remote from man, the nearer to God; holiness was measured by suffering; all human sympathies, all social feelings, all ties of kindred, all affections, were to be torn up by the roots from the groaning spirit; pain and prayer, prayer and pain, were to be the sole, stirring, unwearying occupations of a saintly life.”

Surely this is the masterpiece of Satan, the deepest delusion of the counsels of hell. [27]

Bernard also never forsook the practices of infant baptism, praying for the dead, and praying to the dead saints as intercessors. He also maintained the Catholic belief of the perpetual virginity of Mary, i.e., that Mary remained a virgin even after the birth to Christ. He interpreted the seed of woman in Genesis 3:15 to be Mary rather than Christ.

Although he is extremely disappointing regarding the Church, Bernard is excellent in the experience of Christ as life.

Although he is extremely disappointing regarding the Church, Bernard is excellent in the experience of Christ as life

He is a good example of the gold with which the woman in Revelation 17 is gilded. It is not right to say that there is no divine gold in the Catholic Church. She has genuine gold. However, the gold is not her constitution; it is merely a gilding. She has a golden cup, also, in which there are many abominations.

Praise the Lord for Bernard, for his faithfulness to experience the Lord, and his desire to bring others into the deeper experiences of Christ. Praise the Lord for the hymns that he has given us.