In time of desolation never to make a change: "Scruples of conscience" and jesuit perseverance in 17th Century Peru

Abstract

The article explores cases of nullity of profession of vows in the Society of Jesus in the Peruvian 17th Century. The aim is to analyze how the conflicts of subjectiv-ity in the spiritual paradigm of that time, were interpreted from the perspective Jesuit as "scruples." The article describes and interprets what happened in five Jesuits and the way they went through a crisis in their commitment to the institution. Through the anal-ysis of these cases presented at the Ecclesiastical Court, the author tries to reconstruct an experience of crisis to observe how the mechanisms of what St. Ignatius called as temptations of evil spirits affect and disrupt a proper discernment.

Keywords

• Escrúpulos de conciencia
• crisis
• mal espíritu
• discernimiento
• profesión de votos