Two Perspectives on Spiritual Dryness: Spiritual Desertion and the Dark Night of the Soul

St. John of the Cross’ work, The Dark Night of the Soul, and Joseph Symonds’ work, The Case and Cure of a Deserted Soul, offer two compelling treatments on the subject of spiritual dryness. Moreover, these works represent two spiritual traditions (the Discalced Carmelites and the English Puritans respectively) which offer distinct but viable perspectives on the Christian life. This paper seeks to answer the following question: What is the degree of similarity between St. John of the Cross’ understanding of the dark night of the soul and Joseph Symonds’ understanding of spiritual desertion? A secondary question is also addressed: What is the value of these resources for pastoral care today? Although notable differences exist between the two, their degree of similarity is significant considering the disconnection between the spiritual traditions that each represent. Moreover, these works are invaluable resources for contemporary pastoral care.