quietist

Quietist, in religious usage, refers to a follower of Quietism, a spiritual current within Christianity that emphasizes inner stillness and passive receptivity to divine grace. Quietists seek union with God through contemplative quiet and abandonment of active striving in prayer, arguing that true spiritual life proceeds from resting in God's presence rather than from deliberate mental or emotional exertion.

Quietism crystallized in Catholic contexts in the 17th century, drawing on earlier mystics and spiritual teachers. Central ideas include interior stillness, passive surrender to God's will, and the belief that grace operates most effectively when the soul ceases its own efforts. Practitioners often stressed contemplative prayer, quiet attention to guidance, and detachment from worldly passions as prerequisites for union with God.

Miguel de Molinos, a Spanish mystic, is commonly identified as a leading figure. His writings urged the soul to rest entirely in God and to relinquish active control in prayer. In France, associated writers such as Madame Guyon popularized similar themes. The movement drew the attention of Catholic authorities and was soon condemned as dangerous to doctrine.

Church authorities regarded Quietism as a form of doctrinal error, accusing it of neglecting moral effort and undermining the role of divine grace. Molinos was arrested and jailed; his writings were banned, and other proponents faced censure. The Quietist controversy extended into the late 17th and early 18th centuries, influencing debates about mysticism and spiritual discipline.

Today the term quietist may be used more broadly to describe a temperament or approach favoring restraint, withdrawal, or passive action in religious or political life. In historical Christian contexts, it remains a label for a contested stream of mysticism whose emphasis on interior quiet contrasted with more active forms of devotion.