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Wealth and Poverty For Clergy and Monks

Wealth and Poverty For Clergy and Monks. Dr. Ann Orlando 11 April 2013. Outline. Ecclesial Offices in Late Antiquity Office of Bishop, Deacon, Presbyter Monks in Late Antiquity Bishops Ambrose and Augustine and their clergy. General Comments.

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Wealth and Poverty For Clergy and Monks

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  1. Wealth and Poverty For Clergy and Monks Dr. Ann Orlando 11 April 2013

  2. Outline • Ecclesial Offices in Late Antiquity • Office of Bishop, Deacon, Presbyter • Monks in Late Antiquity • Bishops Ambrose and Augustine and their clergy

  3. General Comments • Many centuries to ‘solidify’ ecclesial offices other than bishop • Significant change in ecclesial offices after Constantine • Dramatically increased social standing • Limited historical data

  4. Bishop Before Constantine • From Greek word for ‘overseer, shepherd’ • Bishop of Rome as primary (see 1 Clement) • Selected by community and ordained by three other local bishops • From earliest Christian time bishop was leader of local Christian community (see Paul’s letters, Ignatius of Antioch) • Liturgy and Sacraments • Teaching • Administration • Bishop understood as the successor of apostles (Irenaeus) • Bishop led the persecuted community and governed forgiveness of sins (especially apostasy)

  5. Bishop After Constantine • All of above • Increased political importance, especially in large capital cities such as Rome, Milan, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch • Rule of only one bishop in one city (Augustine earliest exception in Hippo) • Increasingly bishop takes on civil judicial roles as well as ecclesial responsibilities • Steep increase in Christians, wealth and social standing leads to need for additional assistance for bishop

  6. Deacons Before Constantine • From Greek word for ‘servant’ • Found in Acts of Apostles (Steven) and almost all early Christian writers • Selected and ordained by bishop • Usually a dedicated ecclesial office • Responsible for administration of church property • Responsible for ‘corporal’ works of mercy in diocese • Deacons often became the bishop after death of bishop

  7. Deacons After Constantine • Same responsibilities • Increased wealth in diocese increases need for multiple deacons • Office of archdeacon becomes common in larger diocese • Oversees (diaconusepiscopi) other clergy, disciplinary • Examines candidates for presbyters • Overall administration of diocesan property • Usually second-most important ecclesial office • Office starts to diminish by 9th C (Carolingian reforms) and in the West vanishes by 12th C

  8. Presbyters Before Constantine • Greek word for “elder” • In late 1st and early 2nd C seems to have been a council of (lay?) advisors to bishop (see Ignatius letters) • By late 2nd C presbyters assume important teaching role (and perhaps liturgical) on behalf of bishop • Tertullian (maybe) • Clement, Origen definitely • Usually associated with a particular diocese (controversy over Origen) • Some signs of friction between deacons and presbyters in 3rd C over episcopal succession • In Rome Calixtus and Hippolytus

  9. Presbyters After Constantine • Take on increased liturgical and sacramental roles • Become the ‘higher order’ clergy over deacons • Presbyters ordained deacons prior to priestly ordination

  10. Eastern Monasticism: 3rd and Early 4th C • Desert Monks (from Greek for solitary), primarily in Egypt: anchorites withdrawn from society • Most famous: Anthony (251-356), • Athanasius (Bishop of Alexandria, opposed Arius) wrote a very influential life of Anthony, example: Augustine Confessions Book VIII • Communal monasticism: coenobitic • 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 • Third type, usually viewed with deep suspicion: mendicants

  11. Early 5th C Western Monastic Developments: John Cassian (360-435) • 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 Pelagiancontroversy • Considered a semi-Pelagian • Revered as a saint in the East, but not the West

  12. 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

  13. Evangelical Counsels • Embraced by monastics from the beginning of monasticism • Explicitly becomes part of Rules • Not binding on all, but for those who are called to a consecrated life leading to perfection (completeness) • Matthew 19:21 source of these counsels. Three types of riches identified by Church Fathers: • Riches which make life easy and pleasant, • Riches of the flesh which appeal to the appetites, • Riches associated with honors and positions of authority • Evangelical Counsels opposed to these riches: • Poverty • Chastity • Obedience • For an analysis of Aquinas on the Counsels by Jacque Servais, see Communio 2004, available at http://communio-icr.com/articles/PDF/servais31-3.pdf

  14. Precept of Obedience • The internal disposition oriented to hearing the Word of God • Only hearing the Word of God, can consecrated person live out other two counsels • Word of God for a consecrated person living in community is mediated by those chosen to exercise authority in community • See http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccscrlife/documents/rc_con_ccscrlife_doc_20080511_autorita-obbedienza_en.html

  15. LexContinentiae • In 1st – 4th C Bishops, deacons and presbyters were allowed to be married prior to ordination • Key question was remarriage • Hippolytus accuses Callistus of laxity because he allowed deacons to remarry • With influence of monasticism, in 4th C becomes uncommon, and eventually forbidden for bishops and priests to assume office if married • Deacons cannot remarry • For more details on this, see http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cclergy/documents/rc_con_cclergy_doc_01011993_chisto_en.html

  16. Rule of Poverty • Following in the footsteps of Jesus in a deeply authentic way required poverty • New Testament blessedness, ‘happiness’ of poor • Hermetic life implied living in voluntary poverty • Most monastic rules explicitly required that monks forego personal property • See http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/audiences/alpha/data/aud19930721en.html

  17. Issue in 4th Century • To what extent should ecclesial clergy, especially bishops and presbyters, live the evangelical counsels • Some great 4th C Fathers were married: Gregory of Nyssa and (perhaps) Gregory Naziansus • But increasingly, the expectation was that bishops and presbyters would abide by the evangelical counsels • Jerome especially encouraged this • Ambrose and Augustine • Both lived the evangelical counsels • Both encouraged their clergy to do the same

  18. Ambrose, “On the Duties of the Clergy” • Modeled on Cicero’s De Officiisor the duties of Roman officials, emphasizing how Roman officials should exercise virtues in the performance of their responsibilities • Divided into 3 Books • In Book I discusses ‘ordinary’ laws applicable to everyone and the evangelical counsels, applicable to clergy (see I.xi) • Book II describes the happiness of the clergy • Book III specific actions and responsibilities of the clergy

  19. Augustine, Sermons 355 and 356 • Background: Augustine had required his clergy to live in a monastic community in Hippo, and thus to follow the evangelical counsels • Delivered by Augustine in late 425 to address a specific scandal among his clergy • Specific problem was a priest in Hippo, Januarius (a widower), who supposedly had given all his money to the poor before becoming a priest in Hippo, in fact he had kept much money aside for his daughter and had been managing that money while a priest • Note how Augustine relaxes the call to complete poverty • See R.C, Kondro in CONCEPT, Vol. XXXIV (2011)

  20. Assignments • Assignments • Read Ambrose of Milan On the Duties of the Clergy, Book II NPNF Series 2 Vol. 10 available at http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/3401.htm • Brown, Through the Eye of a Needle, Chapter 8 • Write short paper: Br. Michele • Read Augustine, Sermons 355 and 356 found in Works of Augustine, Sermons 341-400 (III/10), translated Edmund Hill, New York: New City Press, 1965. • Brown, Through the Eye of a Needle, Chapter 28 • Compendium of Catholic Social Doctrine, 538-540 • Write Short Paper: Todd

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