The Shaping of Western Christian Thought

St. Jerome (340 – 420) 1. Jerome’s two great contribution to the Bible: a. Translated it from Hebrew & Greek into Latin This is known as the Vulgate (common version)

St. Jerome 2. What other areas was Jerome’s thinking and writing influential? He promoted asceticism He believed in classical education for Christian purposes.

St. Jerome “A fat stomach never breeds fine thoughts.” “Be ever engaged, so whenever the devil calls he may find you occupied” “Marriage is good for those who are afraid to sleep alone at night” “Virginity can be lost by a thought.” St. Jerome in His Study Durer

St. Jerome b. He believed the Bible should be interpreted allegorically & symbolically as well as literally & historically

St. Ambrose ( ) 3. What was Ambrose’s most famous act as archbishop of Milan? How did it signal growing influence of the Church in political affairs?

St. Ambrose Ambrose demanded Theodosius the Great do penance for the massacre at Thessalonica A bishop made a political leader acknowledge the power of the Church.

St. Ambrose 4. What theological question does Ambrose explore in his book On the Duties of Ministers (inspired by the classical stoicism of Cicero)? Why God gives grace to some and not others?

St. Augustine ( ) Bishop of Hippo He is a product of a mixed marriage religiously He grows up to be a profound intellectual, but doesn’t establish a firm religious belief until his 30s.

St. Augustine 5.What question does Augustine explore in his book Confessions? How can humanity be so sinful? 6. What explains all the evils that plague the world? Humans follow their own will (desires) rather than God’s - ex. Garden of Eden

St. Augustine 7.Augustine develops the concept of predestination. What is this? God decided long ago who shall gain salvation. God decided to give grace to some & not others through the sacrifice of Jesus

St. Augustine 8.Predestination can send a message of hopelessness. What advice did Augustine give Christians in order to persevere?

St. Augustine Those who are chosen will do good. All humans should do good not knowing whether they are saved or not. - live a life of charity (loving God & neighbors for their own sake & not earthly benefits)

St. Augustine 9. What division of humanity does Augustine make in his famous work On the City of God? City of Man Lives for man’s interests (not useless) City of God Lives according to God Will be saved You don’t know which City you’re really in!!!!

St. Augustine 10.What was Augustine’s view of education? Education for some is encouraged in order to read/analyze the Bible. Most will not need an education, just drill and piety

Boethius 11.How does Boethius, a late Roman aristocrat, try to link classical thought to Christianity? He composes handbooks on arithmetic and music & summarized what Christians should know about each of the liberal arts. - arithmetic - music - grammar - rhetoric - logic - astronomy - geometry He translated Aristotle into Latin

Boethius Consolation of Philosophy Happiness is found only in the Highest Good (God) Note his rewriting of the Myth of Orpheus

The Christianization of Classical Culture in the West 13.What were some reasons why Christian intellectuals were frightful of classical traditions of antiquity? Pagans were still a threat! Yet, Christian intellectuals wanted to be regarded as philosophers

Classical Texts 14.What is meant by “winnowing out” of classical texts? A lot of the Greco-Roman philosophy Christians were interested in emphasized mysticism & otherworldly concerns. Example: neoplatonism

Classical Texts 15. What was Tertullian’s answer to the question: “What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?” How would Jerome & Augustine respond? Nothing! (many of the monks of these centuries would also agree) Jerome & Augustine did believe in the validity of classical learning.

Classical Texts 16. What did Cassiodorus ( ) believe about the study of classical literature? How would his thoughts contribute to life in Benedictine monasteries in western Europe? Learning pagan literature is essential for understanding the Bible He made the Institutes (reading list) Benedictine monks will copy classical manuscripts as a part of “manual labor” (this saved much of classical culture).

Theodoric the Ostrogoth (rules Italy from )

17. In what ways did he provide “good government” to Italy? Fostered agriculture Built & repaired roads & public works He patronized learning He had religious toleration

The Ostrogoths 18.Why were the local Italians hostile to Theodoric and his Ostrogoths? They were Arian Christians! The Ostrogoths had to put down rebellions in Italy and fight off the Eastern Roman Empire’s attempt to re-establish control in Italy in the early 500s. They will weaken and be eventually overthrown by another wave of Germanic peoples.