Between Faith and Works

Abstract

This article elucidates François Fénelon's (1651–1715) conception of monarchical charity by connecting it with earlier conceptions of charity, especially that of François de Sales (1567–1622). It discusses three topoi of devotional literature that it presents as addressing the tension between faith and works: the value of obedience, the notion of the ignorant saint, and the notion of a spiritual elite. It then argues that Sales gives considerable weight to charitable actions performed out of obedience to God, often against one's own inclination and without regard for self-interest. On the premise that Fénelon's princely ideal should not be separated from the concerns of his spiritual writings, the article argues that Fénelon saw a ruler who sacrifices his pleasures and self-interest to his care for his people as an embodiment of the Salesian conception of charity.