The Philosophical Foundations of Le Royaume

Process Part Three: Passively Following Joan of Arc

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“Therefore for minds that depend on the intuition of concrete individuals as the starting point of their knowledge, these are the progressive stages: individual, concrete intuition, ideation, and from ideation variation and generalization (either or both). We may also formalize at any stage, and starting from the empty form, we may reach the forms connected with it in a formal procedure.” 

~ Edith Stein. Potency and Act (The Collected Works of Edith Stein) (Kindle Locations 1286-1288). Kindle Edition.

“Phenomenology has especially stressed this passive element because it sets off its mode of inquiry, which allows itself to be led by objective ratio, from those trends of modern philosophy wherein thinking means “constructing” and knowledge a “creation” of the inquiring understanding.” 

~ Stein, Edith. Knowledge and Faith (The Collected Works of Edith Stein, vol. 8) . ICS Publications. Kindle Edition. 

Once we rise through goodwill to actualize our search for the ratio that forms the wholeness we seek, we come to Part Three, our passive following of Joan of Arc. We begin with our study of her and, from there, contemplate the concrete a priori intuitions grace bestows on us. Joan’s life becomes more than history. Her person becomes more than a historical figure. Her story, through these intuitions, becomes in every way “bigger than life.” Joan’s story brings us to new mountain tops. From those mountain tops, we see the world as never before. Joan shows us “God’s point of view.”

Through Joan’s individual person, we advance in constructing the Kingdom. Want to see as she sees. We sense that this is no mere subjective construct or imaginary. From individual to concrete intuition and ideation and generalization, we know what is real in the Kingdom of God. Our personal experience, grounded in the life of St. Joan of Arc, draws us upward within the boundaries of the Trail of the Dogmatic Creed to the objectively real phenomenon. St. Joan and St. Thérèse at our side lead us to their Kingdom. Joan has “bested” us.