A.G. Sertillanges - Icon Profile | Alexandria
A.G. Sertillanges (1863-1948), born Antonin-Gilbert Sertillanges, was a French Dominican friar, philosopher, and intellectual whose work bridged classical Thomistic thought with modern philosophical inquiry. Most renowned for his masterwork "The Intellectual Life" (1920), Sertillanges emerged as one of the 20th century's most influential voices on the cultivation of scholarly and contemplative practices.
First entering the Dominican Order in 1883, Sertillanges developed his intellectual foundations amid the turbulent intersection of traditional Catholic theology and modernist philosophical movements. His early writings appeared in the Revue Thomiste, where he demonstrated an unusual ability to synthesize medieval scholasticism with contemporary philosophical concerns. This period coincided with the broader Neo-Thomist revival, though Sertillanges's approach would prove distinctively more open to dialogue with modern thought than many of his contemporaries.
Sertillanges's evolving influence reached its apex with "The Intellectual Life," a work that transcended its theological origins to become a secular classic on the art of thinking and scholarly pursuit. The text presents a fascinating fusion of practical advice and spiritual wisdom, arguing that intellectual work requires not just technical skill but moral and spiritual preparation. His insights into the psychology of intellectual work, including his famous "law of two hours" – advocating for focused daily study periods – continue to resonate with modern discussions of productivity and deep work. Less well-known but equally intriguing are his contributions to aesthetic theory and his correspondence with Henri Bergson, which reveal a mind grappling with questions of beauty, time, and consciousness.
The legacy of Sertillanges extends far beyond Catholic intellectual circles, influencing modern discussions of mindfulness, scholarly practice, and the integration of contemplative traditions with academic pursuit. Contemporary writers and thinkers continue to discover fresh relevance in his emphasis on the holistic nature of intellectual development and his insistence that true scholarship requires both rigorous methodology and internal transformation. His work raises enduring questions about the relationship between knowledge, wisdom, and character – questions that become increasingly pertinent in our age of information abundance and diminishing attention spans.