Lecture 20: Byzantium and
Western Monasticism
12 November 2015
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Outline
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History of Fifth Century and Barbarian
Invasions
Justinian the Great
The Conversion of the Franks
Roman Monasticism and Benedict
Irish Monasticism
Meeting of Irish and Roman Monasticism
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Key Historical Events
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th
5
Century
Increasingly West was under pressure from northern
tribes (Goths, Visigoths, Vandals) who in turn under
pressure from Huns
Some of those Goths led by Alaric sacked Rome in 410
Sack of Rome caused Christian theologians to rethink
the initial triumphal historical view of Constantine:
Augustine The City of God
Augustine dies in 430 as Hippo is besieged by Vandals
Only center of power in Empire is Constantinople
Attila the Hun reaches Rome in 452, persuaded by Pope
St. Leo the Great not to sack Rome Last Roman
emperor in West abdicated in 476
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City of God
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Augustine wrote City of God to explain how this
could happen
Traces the history of Roman Empire to show that
without Christ Roman Empire was great only in eyes
of man; human societies are destined to rise and fall
Only true society is society of pilgrim Church moving
toward heavenly Jerusalem
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But even pilgrim Church is a mixtures of wheat and tares
Takes up many of themes of Confessions, plus
Pelagian Controversy, plus theory of history and
society, plus, plus, plus…
Systematic work analyzing all of these issues
Christological Controversies
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th
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Century Invasions
http://www.ucalgary.ca/applied_history/tutor/firsteuro/imgs/map24.html
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Roman-English Frontier and Early
English Christianity
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Julius Caesar first to send expedition to England in
55 BC
Roman influence in southern Britain, not in
Scotland; Hadrian’s Wall built 122 AD
Recall that Constantine the Great was born in
England
Roman troops brought Christianity with them in 4th C
Native English (Picts, Angles, Scots) population
never converted
After Fall of Rome in 410, Roman troops leave
England
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Development of Early Irish Christianity
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Recall that Pelagius was from England
In fact, most of English hierarchy supported
Pelagius
Pope Celestine (same pope who sided with Cyril
over Nestorius) in 430 sent a new bishop to England
and one to Ireland, Palladius
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Palladius is from Gaul
Charged with destroying Pelagianism in England and
proselytizing Ireland
Palladius’ mission was not successful
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St. Patrick (387-493)
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Born on Roman-Scottish frontier to prominent Gallic ‘French’ Roman family
Captured by Irish marauders in 406; spends 6 years as a slave in Ireland
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Escapes and returns to family in England
Goes to Gaul for training in priesthood
Returns to England as part of group headed by St. Germain sent by Pope
Celestine after Palladius
Patrick begs to be sent as a missionary to Ireland in 433
Has difficulty with Pelagian bishops in England
Established many Christian communities in Ireland, monasteries and convents
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During this time he has a conversion experience
St. Brigit
Latin as school language in Ireland
Wrote numerous prayers, letters, Confession
Died 493
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Patrick’s Confessions
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Story of sin, capture, conversion, return
Studies for priesthood in France, not England
Importance of Scripture; told in Scripture
Suspicious of rhetoric
Role of dreams
At odds with English clergy
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Irish Christianity
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Bishops in Ireland and England did not become civil administrators after
Romans
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English (Pelagian) Christianity seems to have disappeared with Roman
authorities during the 5th C
Ireland not affected by barbarian invasions until Vikings in 800
Irish communities developed around monasteries with bishop/abbot as leader
Developed Christian customs for 150 years nearly completely isolated from
Rome
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Never were Roman administrators in Ireland
Native pagan tribes took over in England; Romans in England were occupiers, not
colonizers
Different calculation for Easter
Discipline (penance, private confession)
Organization: abbots rather than bishops
Strong missionary spirit, founded most important Irish monastery at Iona in
Scotland led by St. Columba in 563
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Monks from Iona evangelize Europe from 7th through the 8th C
In later 6th and early 7th C: St. Columbanus heads a mission to Italy??!!
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Eastern Monasticism:
Early 4th C
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Desert Monks (from Greek for solitary), primarily in
Egypt: anchorites withdrawn from society
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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: cenobitic
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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
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Early 5th C Western Monastic
Developments: John Cassian (360-435)
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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
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Considered a semi-Pelagian
Revered as a saint in the East, but not the
West
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What’s a Rule
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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
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St. Benedict of Nursia (480-547)
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Predominately influenced by Pachomius via John
Cassian
Lived during the attempted reconquest of Western
Roman Empire by Justinian the Great
Established an order of Monks, now known as
Benedictines, governed by his Rule
Founded a monastery outside of Rome, Monte Casino
Sister, Scholastica, founded an order of nuns to follow
the Rule
Most popular religious order in West until 13th C
(Dominicans and Franciscans)
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Benedict’s Rule
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God brings good works to perfection, not our efforts
Focus on Scripture, especially Psalms
A school for the Lord’s service
Jacob’s ladder and steps of humility leading to
perfect love of God
Rules for abbot; how abbot is chosen
Other positions in monastery
Cycle of work and prayer
Discipline
Reception of guests
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Late 6th and 7th Century Parallel Missionary
Activities in Western Europe
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Parallel, independent missionary activities from Rome going Northwest and
Ireland (Iona) going Southeast
Irish monks in 6th and 7th Century go to France, Germany, Holland to preach
Christianity; follow Rhine to Southern Germany then across Alps into
northern Italy
 St. Columban(us) travels extensively through Europe establishing Irish
style monasteries, including one in Bobbio, Northern Italy (d. 615)
 His biography is written by a monk in Irish monastery in northern Italy
Meanwhile, missionaries from Rome are also trying to convert Arian and
Pagan Germanic tribes in what is now France
 Conversion of Chlodwech (Clovis) 496
 Pope St. Gregory the Great sends Augustine to England 597
Pope Honorius I (625), a Benedictine, grants Monastery at Bobbio
exemption from oversight by local bishop
Irish refer to Pope as the Abbot of Rome
Differences between Irish and Roman Churches resolved at Synod of
Whitby, 664, in favor or Roman customs
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Pope St. Gregory Great (546-604)
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Established a monastery in Rome that followed
Benedict’s Rule
Wrote a life of Benedict; only source of information on
Benedict and Scholastica (according to Gregory both
smarter and greater in love than her brother)
Reformed Roman clergy around monastic model
Sent Augustine of Canterbury to England
Earliest extant life of Gregory written by a nun in Whitby,
8th C
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Introduction to Pastoral Rule
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Issues with clergy in West during time of
Gregory Great: crass
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Money and power were in Church
Tax and military benefits for clergy
Issues with clergy: intellectual
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Church controlled education
Church (monasteries) places of quiet refuge
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Pastoral Rule, Government of Souls: the
Art of Arts
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First published as a short work in 593; also translated into Greek
Key theme: Pastor must meet his people where they are
(condescension) and draw them up toward salvation
To do this, the Pastor must be a man of personal wisdom and
spirituality
Pastor is a doctor of souls
Model for entire church is relation between abbot and monks
Division of Pastoral Rule
 Part I Who should (and should not) be pastors
 Part II How Pastors should lead their lives
 Part III Teaching and Preaching
 Part IV Greatest temptation for Pastors: pride
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Pastoral Rule Part I
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Pastors must live the life they preach
Distinction between studying and learning
something ‘academically’ and being able to live it
Pastor must follow example of Christ in humility; be
careful not to be like Saul and David
A man endowed with great gifts should not decline
becoming a pastor; in so doing he also deprives
himself of the advantage of his gifts
Man with ability to rule should not be content to hide
in monastery
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Pastoral Rule Part II
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Life of pastor set apart from flock
Symbolism of priest’s vestments
Pastor should transfer to himself the infirmities of others even as
his contemplation leads him to God
 Example of Paul’s condescending love to those who are married
 Moses gong in and out of tabernacle
Humility of pastors: joy should not be in ruling over men, but in
helping them to salvation
Pastor must continue to develop his own inner life, even as he is
occupied with external affairs
Vices can sometimes masquerade as virtues
Pastors must study Scripture every day to renew their heart
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Pastoral Rule Part III
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Pastor must distinguish among his listeners
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“must touch the hearts of his hearers by using one
and the same doctrine, but not by giving to all one
and the same exhortation”
Series of admonishments; longest part of
Rule
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Pastoral Rule Part IV
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While restoring others to health, the pastor
must not neglect his own health
Greatest problem for pastor is pride
Pastor must not be secure in his selfconfidence
The pastor must not be deceived by success
“when the wealth of virtues flatters us, the
eye of the soul should turn its gaze on its
infirmities”
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Gregorian Liturgical Reforms
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Distinctive Roman liturgical practices started in 5th C with Popes
Leo and Gelasius
 But practices were local depending on bishop
Gregory collected and ordered various liturgical prayers and
hymns
 Gregorian Sacramentary
 Gregorian Antiphonary
Gregory’s Roman Sacramentary quickly became standard
throughout Europe in Roman Catholic Church
Gregorian Chant became the standard music of Roman Catholic
Church
Emphasis on Mass as sacrifice
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Gregory as a Man of Antiquity and Middle
Ages
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Antiquity
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Education, social status in Rome
Time in Constantinople; impact of Gregory Nazianzus
Letters with Eastern Rulers (spiritual and civil)
Sadness over destruction of Western Empire and continued distancing from
East
Epitaph of God’s Counsel
Medieval
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Combination of Eastern and Irish monasticism
Missionary activities in Europe
Recognized that future of West was with barbarians
Importance of Church hierarchy
Latin Liturgical Reform
Set the course for future of Catholicism in Europe
Gave Europe a structure for unified religious practice and moral perspective
that would be needed to withstand the coming invasion from the South:
Islam
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European Debt Owed to Monasteries
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Both Irish and Western Mediterranean monasteries preserved
literacy for Europe
 Copying Scripture key work of monks
 Preserving works of Fathers important tasks
 Preserving Latin and Greek philosophy
 Replaced schools as places of learning
Missionary zeal flowed out from monasteries
‘Democratic’ institutions
Preserved and developed art
Oasis from turmoil of political and social disruption (dark ages)
associated with fall of Roman Empire in West
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Timeline
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