Bernard of Clairvaux was a 12th century French abbot and the primary builder of the reforming Cistercian monastic order. He was also a Doctor of the Church thanks to his extensive writings on spiritual matters. Bernard lived from 1090 to 1153 AD. He was declared a saint almost immediately after his death due to his pious lifestyle and influence on monastic reforms. Bernard’s theological influence also earned him the title “Mellifluous Doctor” which means “the honey-sweet teacher”.
Bernard was born in Fontaine-lès-Dijon, France to a prominent noble family. As a child, he was educated at Chatillon-sur-Seine by the secular canons of Saint-Vorles. Bernard had great admiration and respect for his teachers, and continued to visit them throughout his life.
At age 19, Bernard joined the monastery at Citeaux which followed the Rule of St. Benedict. His devotion was noticed by the abbot, Stephen Harding, who appointed Bernard to found a new monastery at Vallée d’Absinthe. Bernard led 12 other monks to establish the monastery which was renamed Claire Vallée, known today as Clairvaux. Under Bernard’s leadership and preaching, the Cistercian order began to rapidly expand throughout France and into other countries.
Bernard rose to prominence outside the monastic community when he was called to debate the theology of Peter Abelard, a rationalistic scholar whose views seemed at odds with orthodox doctrine. Bernard argued eloquently against Abelard, convincing authorities in the church to condemn Abelard’s teachings.
Bernard was a prolific writer, composing numerous letters and sermons which still survive today. His most famous works include:
- Sermons on the Song of Songs – 86 sermons interpreting the biblical book allegorically as representing God’s love for the church.
- On Loving God – examining how to love God through four stages: loving self for self’s sake, loving God for self’s sake, loving God for God’s sake, and loving self for God’s sake.
- On Grace and Free Will – exploring how God’s grace and human free will can cooperate.
- In Praise of the New Knighthood – defending the Knights Templar and introducing the concept of holy war.
- On Consideration – addressed to Pope Eugene III, this book gives pastoral advice on conducting papal office with wisdom.
Bernard corresponded with many high-ranking members of the Catholic church and European nobility. He convinced Holy Roman Emperor Conrad III to lead the Second Crusade, which turned out to be unsuccessful. Bernard accepted responsibility for the failure of the crusade.
Bernard was canonized by Pope Alexander III less than two decades after his death. He was the first Cistercian monk to be elevated to Doctor of the Church. His feast day is August 20th. Bernard died at the Clairvaux Abbey on August 20, 1153.
The key biblical principles that Bernard expounded were:
1. Loving God above all things
Bernard saw loving God as the highest purpose in life. He explained how to cultivate love for God through disciplined meditation, prayer, and ascetic practices. Bernard wrote in On Loving God, “He alone is righteous who gives all to God, so as to receive all from him again.” He urged loving God with a devoted and intense fervor.
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. (Matthew 22:37)
As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. (Psalm 42:1-2a)
2. Denying worldly pleasures
In his strict asceticism, Bernard encouraged denying the flesh and earthly pleasures in order to draw nearer to God. He led an austere, simple lifestyle of self-mortification. In On Loving God Bernard instructs, “The Beloved wills to be loved by us…” when “…pleasures and sweetness offered by the world are spurned and squandered.”
As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct. (1 Peter 1:14-15)
Do not love the world or the things in the world… For all that is in the world – the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life – is not from the Father but is from the world. (1 John 2:15-16)
3. Contemplating God through allegory
Bernard frequently utilized allegorical methods to interpret Scripture and contemplate theological concepts. For instance, in his Sermons on the Song of Songs, Bernard saw the Song of Solomon as an allegorical representation of Christ’s relationship to the church and individual soul.
Your two breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle… (Song of Solomon 4:5a)
I am my beloved’s and his desire is for me. (Song of Solomon 7:10)
By allegorically reading the vivid romantic imagery in the Song of Songs, Bernard expounded on God’s fervent divine love.
4. Balancing grace and free will
One of Bernard’s greatest contributions was explaining how God’s grace and human free will could cooperate. In On Grace and Free Will, Bernard concluded that divine grace empowers our free will. While God’s grace is necessary because of original sin, humans must freely consent to resisting sin and turning towards God.
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God. (Ephesians 2:8)
If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. (John 7:17)
Bernard saw grace as God’s freely given gift which we did not earn and do not deserve. But humans must freely cooperate with God’s offer of saving grace.
5. Esteeming the Virgin Mary
Bernard fostered devotion to Mary, the mother of Jesus, in the monastic community. He promoted praying to her and composing hymns in her honor. Bernard is credited with solidifying key Catholic doctrines about Mary such as her Immaculate Conception, perpetual virginity, and Assumption into heaven.
And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. (Revelation 12:1)
And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” (Luke 1:46-47)
Bernard fostered devotion to Mary among monastics and the broader church. He believed she was a model of virtue to be emulated.
6. Defending church authority
Bernard asserted that the organizational Catholic church held authority over matters of doctrine and theology. He convinced French authorities to condemn Peter Abelard’s ideas. Bernard believed strongly in stamping out perceived heresy and dissent from orthodox teaching.
Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. (Hebrews 13:17a)
Bernard saw it as his duty to counter ideas that contradicted traditional church theology promulgated by its leadership structure.
7. Promoting holy war
In one notorious case, Bernard called for violence in the name of God. In his treatise In Praise of the New Knighthood, Bernard applauded the Knights Templar crusaders. He encouraged Holy War against Muslim enemies, arguing it was God’s will to aggressively defend Christendom from foreign attack and oppression.
Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle. (Psalm 144:1)
Bernard’s advocacy of Crusades against the enemies of Christianity showed his belief that military action could be justified in service of God’s aims.
8. Insisting on moral reform
Bernard saw himself as responsible for correcting immorality and corruption. He rebuked priests and bishops who failed to meet the high standards of Christian virtue he espoused. Bernard claimed spiritual authority to denounce sinful behaviors of leaders and common people alike.
You then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? (Romans 2:21)
Bernard believed strongly in reforming the church by speaking out against hypocrisy and misconduct among clergy and laypeople.
9. Withdrawing from the world
In founding and leading a new monastery, Bernard sought separation from worldly affairs. He taught that the cloistered religious life allowed one to focus on God without distractions. Bernard wrote that loving human relationships or material possessions could impede single-hearted devotion to God.
Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. (Colossians 3:2)
Bernard exemplified and promoted radical detachment from ordinary human life to fix one’s mind wholly on God.
10. Depending completely on God
Bernard’s spirituality emphasized utter reliance upon and submission to God. He wrote “Free-will without grace has the power to do nothing but sin.” Bernard believed humans were powerless and lost without God’s aid. He advocated abandoning self-direction and following God’s guidance in all matters.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Bernard understood the human condition as completely dependent on God’s grace for salvation and direction.
In summary, Bernard of Clairvaux shaped medieval monasticism and theology through his extensive writings, advocacy of church reforms, and spiritual example. He promoted a rigorous, mystical piety centered on self-denial and emotional devotion to God under church authority. Bernard was a prominent leader who exerted influence on society, culture, and Christianity in 12th century Europe.