MONASTICISM, ST. BENEDICT & GREGORY THE GREAT

East: St. Anthony (3rd C. Egypt):
      model of withdrawal to desert cave to      
      seek holiness through poverty, chastity, prayer
  St. Athanasius' Life of St. Anthony 4th C:
      themes of asceticism, solitude
      "narrow path" to sanctity

Italy: 5th C. tradition of hermits living alone in hills
       context: barbarian invasions, withdrawal from world
       540 Rule of the Master (anon.) for small monastery

6th C. ST. BENEDICT OF NURSIA (480-547)
       [See Geary, selections from Benedict & Gregory]
   founder of western monasticism    
   529 Abbey of Monte Cassino founded (near Naples)
   Rule of St. Benedict: draws on Masters' Rule, Scripture
      principles of spiritual discipline, obedience,
      orderly life in common, separate from world,
      prayer, poverty, agricultural work for sustenance
   Life of St. Benedict in Gregory the Great's Dialogues
      emphasis on miracle working, resistance to Goths
 

DOCTRINE OF PAPAL PRIMACY IN ROME

East: CAESAROPAPISM -- "Caesar acts as Pope"
   pattern set by Constantine in East; Church as part of state
   Emperor calls church councils, decides doctrinal disputes

West: Roman church resists Imperial control from the East,

   evolve doctrines of papal primacy within Church
       Pope as primus inter pares (first among equal Bishops)

   1. APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION from Peter as Bishop of Rome
        (gatekeeper holds "keys of kingdom")
        Scriptural foundation of Peter's authority: Matt l6:l8=
       "Thou art Peter & upon this rock I will build my church."
        body in Vatican = relic, pilgrimage site
   2. DONATION OF CONSTANTINE: claim of temporal power
      letter of Constantine to Pope Silvester I, dated 3l5:
        Imperial power in Rome and Western provinces of Empire is
        granted to Pope = "official" basis for claims of secular power

         - probably 8th C forgery (circa 750),
        result of papal tension with Byzantium and Franco-Papal alliance,
        perhaps modelled  on "Donation of Pepin"  (see lecture on Franks)

POPE GREGORY THE GREAT: "Father of Medieval Papacy" (540-604)

    l. noble Roman family;
        lives through Justinian's Gothic wars, Lombard invasion;
        prefect of City of Rome, then enters monastery;
        made ambassador to Imperial court in Constantinople;

    2. Pope 590-604: directs civil administration of Rome:
        food supplies, military defense, courts;
        church revenues for hospitals, schools

    3. missionary activities for northern Europe, England: missionary
        597 Augustine to Anglo-Saxons (not same as Augustine of Hippo)

    4. writings: Miracles of Italian Fathers, Dialogues, saints' lives
       eg Benedict, miracle stories; Book of Pastoral Care - Bishops duties