BUILDING THE CITY OF GOD

Holiness in the Wilderness, Leadership in the World

Identify two examples of how young people today try to reject a complacent or “soft” way of life. Are either of these destructive? Can either of these ways lead to a new appreciation of oneself? Why or why not?

Monasticism Grow in holiness New kind of Christian witness Retreat from everyday life Find truth and meaning in the silence Struggled with questions

Who am I? What do I truly believe? Where is my God? What are my demons? How do I found out what my faith is really

made of?

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU HEAR THE WORD MONASTICISM

Monasticism

Monos: “alone” or “single” Initially hermits Then communities under a set of

rules or guidelines. Monasticism became one of the greatest

contributors to church and society

Why monasticism?

Get away from corruption Avoid persecution or unjust taxes Disgust Believed they could hear the voice

of God Christians a new way to

authentically live their faith.

New form of martyrdom

Ascetical life-slow form of martyrdom Total renunciation of the world subduing

one’s being through poverty, chastity and obedience

Contemplation

Silently listening to the voice of God within them

Led them to care for and love their neighbors, the poor, and the sick

Love for others would later be written into the rules of monastic communities

Where did these ideas come from? Selective reading of the Gospel-

Pray always Give up everything Deny ourselves and take up our crosses Die with Christ

Who were some famous monastic?

Antony of Egypt

One of the first Christian monks He felt the desire to follow Jesus’ words, “sell all you own and follow me.”

He taught his followers to care for the poor.

Basil

Realized that monks should not be left to themselves to determine the way to holiness.

Teacher Became a monk, many followed

First Rule

Own almost nothing Eat only what is necessary Obey the abbot of the monastery Main work was to seek God in

their heart Help the poor and the sick

Jerome

He grew up as a pagan Learned Latin and Greek 18- baptized Christian Hermit Studied Pope’s secretary

Latin Vulgate

Latin was language of the people Pope encouraged Jerome to translate the

Bible into Latin. Though it took 15 years, he finished the

Latin Vulgate Allowed the word of God to spread to all

people

DESCRIBE A TIME WHEN YOU NEEDED SOME SOLITUDE TO THINK THROUGH A PROBLEM. DID YOU ACTUALLY TAKE QUIET TIME AND FIND SPACE TO WORK ON YOUR PROBLEM?

Ambrose

Administrator: governor and lawyer Scholar: life long study of Christianity Teacher: helped others understand

relationship to Jesus and the Church Pastor: he sold the gold and jewels

given to his church so he could ransom people held captive by barbarians.

Electing Bishops

What are reasons people vote for a particular candidate?

Are they always the “right” reasons? Based on experience with voting and

elections, would election of bishops be a wise alternative in the Catholic Church?

Civil Disobedience

Emperor demanded that the church be turned over to Arians

Ambrose refused “The emperor is in the the Church ,not

over the Church; and far from refusing the Church’s help, a good emperor seeks it.”

Would not say mass in the emperors church until he did public penance

Young Augustine

Born in Africa At 16 led his class He drank, gambled, and hired

prostitutes. At 18 finished studying Mistress and had a son with her. Manichaean: believing that one god

created good and the other created evil

Augustine’s Parents

Father: Roman official Mother

Monica Christian Faithful Prayed constantly for her son

Moves to Rome Then to Milan

Plato Ambrose

Began attending mass with Monica to hear Ambrose preach

Slowly began to reform his life

“Our hearts are restless…

…until they rest in You (God).” Reads New Testament Turns passions to serving God Became priest Elected bishop of Hippo His weaknesses made him more pastoral

Donatists

Donatus: bishop of Carthage in North Africa

Believed that denial of Christian faith could never be forgiven

The validity of the sacraments depended on worthiness of priest or bishop

Augustine says:

Validity comes from God God works through weak and imperfect

people If we expect perfection we will be

constantly disappointed Leaves out room for God’s grace Helped clarify teaching on sacraments

Pelagians

Pelagius: monk and preacher Person can get to heaven

without grace Salvation based on works Denied the need for God’s grace

What is tempting about the Pelagian understanding of salvation?

If we have been taught that we are saved by Jesus and that faith in Jesus’ saving power is the requirement for salvation, why might we decide not to depend on God’s grace?

Augustine says:

Without God’s grace humans are powerless to overcome original sin

Without God’s grace there would be even more sin and injustice in the world

“The City of God”

410 CE Rome falls People blame Christians and Christians

wonder why God could allow this to happen

Augustine writes City of God and City of Man

City of God is eternal Christians find hope in the idea they are

building something good

Where do we see the City of God and the City of Man in our society?

Make a chart on newsprint.

Pope

Rome falls to Goths in 410 Rising leadership from the bishop of

Rome

Leo the Great

Leo I 440 Intelligent, tough and courageous Mediator and leader Bishop of Rome was expected to be a

statesman, spiritual leader, administrator, scholar and saint

Pontifex Maximus Highest bridge maker

Bridge between gods and humans in Roman religion

Supreme Pontiff Pope comes from Greek pappas meaning

father Leo was a spiritual father but also a

powerful state official

Pope as Peacemaker Leo met with Attila the Hun to negotiate

peace by request of the emperor The Huns looted and burned Italian cities Pope Leo spoke to him and saved Rome Also negotiated with the Vandals Pope was key figure in governmental

matters of the Western empire

The Council of Chalcedon Challenge to the Incarnation Stated that Jesus has two natures

Real human Real Son of God

West vs. East At Chalcedon bishops decided that the

bishop of Constantinople was 2nd to bishop of Rome

Leo objected because he felt it was motivated by politics

Eventually this leads to a complete break between the churches of the East and the West

Conclusions Monsaticism begins “right heart” and “right thinking” Roman Empire under barbarian attack Pope Leo steps up as leader Doctrinal challenges Tensions between east and west

Implications We, like the early monks and nuns

retreat to the desert from our society Augustine’s teachings on grace and

original sin Pope Leo’s leadership for peace sets the

tone for the role future pope’s take in politics and moral values

List the topics that came into your mind Put an x by those you wanted to think about Put a check mark by those you did not want to

think about Did you come to a point in your meditation which

you wished you could turn on the radio, TV, computer etc.

What did you learn about yourself or your relationship with God in the silence?

Will you continue this practice in you life? Why or why not?

Explain how spending time in the “desert” helps you to better understand some of the early monastics?