CH 500 Lecture 5 ATO1 Lecture 5 Theological Developments Dr. Ann T. Orlando 15 February 2011

CH 500 Lecture 5 ATO 2 Introduction Review of History Church and Social Issues  Women  Sex Two Critical Contributions By Augustine to Western Theology:  Evil  Pelagian Controversy Spirituality  Monasticism  Pilgrimages  Spiritual Progress Review Readings

CH 500 Lecture 5 ATO 3 Historical Review Constantine the Great Church Councils Barbarian Invasions, especially in West Western Catholicism starts to look toward Europe, away from Eastern Mediterranean, as ‘center of gravity’

CH 500 Lecture 5 ATO 4 Status of Women in Patristic Period ( s) First rule: evaluate social issues within their historical context; second rule same as first Unlike most ‘philosophical schools’ Christianity welcomed women Women were honored with highest ‘rank’ among Christians: martyrdom; Perpetua and Felicity; Agnes, Lucy, Celia, Anastasia, etc. Many (most) Patristic authors had intellectual and/or mystical relationships with women  John Chrysostom and Olympias  Jerome and Paula  Basil, Gregory and Macrina  Pope Leo I and Pulcharia  Augustine and Monica  Benedict and Scholastica Much literature from/about women in this period is in fact extant (especially letters)

CH 500 Lecture 5 ATO 5 Patristic Understanding of Sex Remember first and second rules of social analysis Control of passions was important aspect of all philosophical schools of time, including Epicureanism (ethics based on pleasure) Jovinian vs. Jerome  Both were priests in Rome  Jovinian held that married state was equally holy as being a consecrated virgin  Jerome adamantly supported virginity over marriage; only valid purpose of sex was to create more virgins Jerome forced to leave Rome; goes to Jerusalem and Bethlehem; works on an authoritative translation of Bible into Latin (Vulgate)

CH 500 Lecture 5 ATO 6 Augustine and Marriage Honored his mother and father in their marriage (Confessions Book IX) Augustine wrote On the Goods of Marriage as the middle way between Jerome and Jovinian  While viewing virginity as the better way of life, Augustine also recognized several types of ‘goods’ in marriage in addition to procreation  Jerome’s views are often ascribed to Augustine; see Markus p

CH 500 Lecture 5 ATO 7 Orthodox Understanding of Evil Recall that in Confessions Book III, Augustine abandons Catholic Christianity for two reasons  Old Testament does not make sense  Theodicy (how can there be evil if there is a good, almighty creator God) Augustine finds resolution to this in Book VII, based on Plotinus.  Evil is the absence of a good that should be there. Biblical-based response developed by Patristic authors is evil and suffering teach us virtue But does is this completely satisfying? Some modern theologians (John Hick, process theology) think not; they look to Irenaeus and his view of Adam and Eve as ‘children’ in the garden of Eden. Humanity is continuing to evolve.  But then how to explain importance of recapitulation in Irenaeus

CH 500 Lecture 5 ATO 8 Pelagian Controversy: Introduction The Key Players  Monk Pelagius, from England, d. 419 in Constantinople  His disciple, Julian of Eclanum, bishop in Sicily, d. 454  Opposing both, Augustine of Hippo, d. 430 Key Elements  Free will  Sin  Grace  Justification  Predestination Key Biblical passages in disputed interpretation: Genesis and Romans (in fact exactly what we read for First Sunday of Lent)  Both Pelagius and Augustine write a Commentary on Romans Footnote: a primary source for Pelagius’ theology is his letter to Demetrius, a Roman nun

CH 500 Lecture 5 ATO 9 Pelagian Controversy: Issues Free will  Pelagian: humanity has total free will; as long as we know what is right we can do what is right;  Augustine: yes we have free will, but our ability to know and act is darkened by sin  Augustine also often means by free will a will freed from the inclination to sin Sin  Pelagians: Adam’s sin was his personal sin; sin is always a willful personal act committed against God by someone who should know better and be able to do better; within our own power to avoid sin  Adam’s sin was a ‘disease’ that entered into humanity; only God’s grace can cure this disease; only with God’s grace can we really know and do the right

CH 500 Lecture 5 ATO 10 Pelagian Controversy: Issues (cont.) Grace  Pelagians: external enlightenment from God (e.g., Gospels) so we can know the good; also reward for doing good  Augustine: grace is needed to do good Justification  Pelagians: justified through our good works; it’s all up to us  Augustine: only God’s freely given grace can justify Predestination  Pelagians: God does not predestine us; infants not Baptized go to heaven  Augustine: Because of original sin, all justly condemned (massa damnata); by his graciousness, God elects a few for salvation; Baptism a necessary, but not sufficient, condition for salvation

CH 500 Lecture 5 ATO 11 Legacy of Pelagian Controversy Catholic (Western) Church at Council of Orange, 529  accepts Augustine’s views on free will, grace, sin, justification;  accepts necessity of Baptism  accepts predestination of elect, but refuses to say anyone is predestined to hell (i.e., rejects double predestination) These issues are doctrinal flash point of Reformation; all sides will claim Augustine for their own See CCC

CH 500 Lecture 5 ATO 12 Spirituality after Constantine Problems:  How to lead a truly Christian life when martyrdom is no longer an option; how to become a saint?  It had become too easy, too socially and politically important to be a Christian Solutions: The Way (path) of Jesus  Monasticism  Pilgrimage  Stages of Spiritual Development  Types of Spirituality

CH 500 Lecture 5 ATO 13 Development of Monasticism: Early 4 th C Desert Monks (from Greek for solitary), primarily in Egypt: anchorites withdrawn from society  Most famous: Anthony ( ),  Athanasius (Bishop of Alexandria, opposed Arius) wrote a very influential life of Anthony, example: Augustine Confessions Book VIII Communal monasticism: cenobitic  Many attracted to this way of life, come together in groups  Rule of St. Pachomius (286 – 346)  Pachomius’ sister, Mary, establishes an Egyptian monastery for women

CH 500 Lecture 5 ATO 14 What’s a Rule Prescribes the way of life for the community Includes what prayers are said when Defines balance between work, study, prayer Community organization (abbot, monks, novices) and how leaders are selected Process for acceptance into community How new communities are created Relation between community and diocese

CH 500 Lecture 5 ATO 15 Later 4 th C Monastic Developments Three Cappadocians: Basil, Gregory of Nyssa, Gregory Nazianzan  Famous for Trinitarian theology  Basil’s Rule for Monks  But the smartest, most spiritual one, The Teacher, was Macrina (sister of Basil and Gregory of Nyssa) established a retreat house in her home Augustine organizes his clergy in Hippo as in a monastery, writes a Rule (maybe)

CH 500 Lecture 5 ATO 16 Early 5 th C Monastic Developments John Cassian ( ),  Born in France, spent time as an anchorite in Egypt  Brought Pachomius’ Rule back with him  Made it available in West in his Divine Institutes and Conferences  Wrote against Augustine in the Pelagian controversy  Revered as a saint in the East, but not the West

CH 500 Lecture 5 ATO 17 6 th C Monastic Developments St. Benedict of Nursia ( )  Hugely influenced by Pachomius via John Cassian  Established an order of Monks, now known as Benedictines, governed by his Rule  Founded a monastery outside of Rome, Monte Casino  Sister, Scholastic, founded an order of nuns to follow the Rule  Most popular religious order in West until 13 th C Pope St. Gregory Great ( )  Benedictine  Wrote a life of Benedict  Reformed Roman clergy around monastic model  Earliest extant life of Gregory written by a nun in Whitby, 8 th C

CH 500 Lecture 5 ATO 18 Pilgrimages A way to become closer to Jesus and the martyrs  Started with remembrance of acts of martyrs and celebrations at their burial places After Constantine, more far reaching  People who could not give up their life to enter monastery  Needed some special way to demonstrate their faith  Also way to atone for sins  Starts with Helena, Constantine’s mother, in Jerusalem Remember, 4 th C pilgrimage nothing like 21 st C pilgrimage  Dangerous: very high probability of death  Expensive  Very arduous and tedious (lasting year or more) Most famous early record of pilgrimages by Egeria, 4 th C woman  Born in Spain or France  Spent 3 years on pilgrimage  Her journal gives earliest description of liturgies in Jerusalem during Holy Week

CH 500 Lecture 5 ATO 19 The Idea of Spiritual Progress Both monasticism and pilgrimages encourage following the Way of Jesus Gregory of Nyssa opposes pilgrimages because so often undertaken for wrong reasons  God is everywhere, simply being in a holy place does not make you holy  A pilgrimage should not be a requirement for a holy life  He did, himself, go to Jerusalem Augustine emphasizes that the real pilgrimage is our life journey to our heavenly home  Journeys to earthly Jerusalem are the metaphor for our real pilgrimage: our life Development of approaches to spirituality  Biblically based, usually with a highly allegorical interpretation  Intended to be accessible to everyone, found in homilies Well defined steps in approach to spiritual life  Note Plotinus developed spiritual steps for unity with “The One”

CH 500 Lecture 5 ATO 20 Major Elements to Spiritual Progress Three Stages  Purgation  Illumination  Unity In different authors, there may be several steps within each stage Gregory of Nyssa (and many others, including Origen, rabbis, Bernard of Clairvaux) Commentary on Song of Songs  Proverbs first stage (purgation)  Ecclesiastes second stage (illumination)  Song of Songs third stage (unity)

CH 500 Lecture 5 ATO 21 Types of Spirituality Both types include purgation, illumination and unity stages Spiritual masters suggested steps for both ways Apophatic (via negativa)  Move toward God away from creation; God as transcendent  Discourages use of senses; Emotions suppressed  Heart is only satisfied with God  Bridal mysticism  Example: Monasticism Kataphatic (via positiva)  Approaching God through creation; incarnation and passion of Jesus  Encourages use of sense; Emotions are excited  God has a history in the world  Service mysticism  Example: Pilgrimages

CH 500 Lecture 5 ATO 22 Readings Markus, Ch 2 in McManners (62-91)  Read all carefully  Very good discussion of cult of martyrs Gregory of Nyssa Commentary on Song of Songs  Written for a group of nuns, really a series of sermons  Note relation of literal and spiritual meanings  Read carefully in Prolog: J3-J5; J13; in First Homily: J14- 20; J26-42 Look for mention of Song of Songs in Deus Caritas Est

CH 500 Lecture 5 ATO 23 Readings (cont.) Augustine Confessions Books VII, VIII, IX; It’s Augustine, what can I say, except to read it all carefully. However, to emphasize the idea of spiritual progress, read the following  Book VII: iv-v, vii-xxi  Book VIII: all  Book IX: vi, x-xiii Benedict Rule, Prolog – Ch. 7  At least skim Prolog – Ch 4  Read steps of humility in Ch 5 -7 carefully CCC: , 1037, , 385, ,