Spiritual Guidance in Francis Amelry’s Main Works

Abstract

The main works of Francis Amelry – the Seven Spiritual Letters and The Dialogue between the Soul and her Nurse – show Francis  Amelry as a competent spiritual director. Amelry starts his spiritual guidance by examining the depths of the self and letting his reader  gain knowledge about his / her most profound vocation: the vocation to personally be the beloved of God. In a second step,  Amelry wants his reader to implement this vocation. By patiently taking away all obstacles which might hinder the development of  personally becoming the beloved of God, Amelry guides his readers through potential doubts, misunderstandings and uncertainties  until they finally would reach a state of uniting themselves spiritually with God.