The discussion consequent on the challenging article of Père Nicolas in the July and August Life of the Spirit has centred round two main issues. The first is concerned with the general view raised by Fr Scott-James (September) who suggested that the French Dominican took for granted the subjective emphasis of the post-tridentine spirituality. The true basis, he implied, should be centered on objective beatitude, the end which gives meaning to the whole action of religious life. The love of God in himself must be set before the young religious, rather than the perfection of the religious himself. This is the goal if he is to avoid strain and break-down.

Against Fr James's thesis it has been argued that St Thomas himself, sufficiently pre-Tridentine and objective to satisfy most, constantly regards the religious life as a school of perfection; and as perfection in his theology stands for charity, the love of God itself, ‘the school of perfection’ carries no subjective stigma with it. It is a slur too on the Council of Trent and the theologians who have since considered religious life.