1. Lecture 8: Priestly Conduct and Preaching
Dr. Ann T. Orlando

2. Outline Tensions between vita contemplativa and vita activa
Priestly duty and authority
Preaching and rhetoric
Pope St Gregory the Great

3. Vita contemplativa
The contemplative life of study and prayer was (is) considered the superior way of life
Understood as removed from vita activa
But few are able or called to devote themselves to this way of life
The role of vita contemplativa for priests will be addressed in next class
NB the aversion to priesthood (or worse the episcopacy) was that it was a call to an active life

4. Vita activa
Proper conduct (morality) in the vita activa is rooted in Stoic understanding
Rank and duty in and to society
Authority associated with rank and duty
Ultimately, rank and duty in society are governed by Providence
Thus the effect of good acts is ‘under reserve’
They come to fruition only if decreed by Fate
See Cicero, De Officiis
“For no phase of life, whether public or private, whether in business or in the home, whether one is working on what concerns oneself alone or dealing with another, can be without its moral duty; on the discharge of such duties depends all that is morally right, and on their neglect all that is morally wrong in life.” I.2.4

5. Duties of the priest (bishop)
Moral example to the laity
Teach catechumens
Preach faithful
Judge (ecclesial and civil after Constantine)
Offer the Sacrifice

6. Teaching and Preaching Office (Duty)
I Timothy is very concerned with teaching
Who should teach
Who should not teach (especially women, I Tm 2
Presbyters are especially called out as teachers and preacher (I Tm 5:17)
In early church, presbyters seem to been especially charged by their bishops with
Teaching catechumens
Preaching during the liturgy (in the East)

7. On Christian Teaching
Written c. 400; audience is primarily preachers, especially bishops
Augustine tells us he divided the material into two parts:
Rules for Interpreting Scripture (Part I: Books I-III) and
Preaching Scripture (Part 2: Book IV)
How to interpret and preach ambiguous and difficult Scripture passages
Book I
Difference between enjoying something and using it; we should use this world, not enjoy it, in order to return home to God
“Anyone who thinks they have understood Scripture but cannot by his understanding build up this double love of God and neighbor, has not yet succeeded in understanding it” (I.xxxvi)

8. On Christian Teaching (Cont.)
Book II
Theory of signs
To properly read Scripture, must make spiritual ascent ; seven stages of ascent
List of OT and NT canon of Scripture
Use Scripture to interpret Scripture
Problems of translating into Latin; preachers should know Greek and Hebrew
“The authority of the Septuagint is supreme” (II.xv)
Importance of knowing history, geography, astronomy, mathematics and logic in studying Scripture
Book III
“By love I mean the impulse of one’s mind to enjoy God on his own account and to enjoy oneself and one’s neighbor on account of God; and by lust I mean the impulse of one’s mind to enjoy oneself and one’s neighbor and any corporeal thing not on account of God.” (III.x)
All deeds of OT are to be interpreted figuratively as well as literally
Seven rules of Tyconius

9. On Christian Teaching (Cont)
Book IV
Rhetoric can be used to convince people of falsehood; Christian preacher should first of all be concerned to preach the truth
By reading and studying Christian literature outside of canon, preacher can learn how to preach
“The wisdom of what a person says is in direct proportion to his progress in learning the holy Scriptures – and I am not speaking of intensive reading or memorization, but real understanding and careful investigation of their meaning.” (IV.v)
Before preaching, the preacher should lift his soul to God
The benefit of preaching is effected by God
Styles of preaching

10. An Example: Sermon 354 Preached to male and female religious
Two concerns expressed by Augustine:
Contempt of outside world
Their own sin of pride
Note comparison of married life with consecrated life

11. Pope St. Gregory Great (546-604)
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

12. Introduction to Pastoral Rule
Issues with clergy in West during time of Gregory Great: crass
Money and power were in Church
Tax and military benefits for clergy
Issues with clergy: intellectual
Church controlled education
Church (monasteries) places of quiet refuge

13. Pastoral Rule, Government of Souls: the Art of Arts
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

14. Pastoral Rule Part I 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

15. Pastoral Rule Part II 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

16. Pastoral Rule Part III Pastor must distinguish among his listeners
“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

17. Pastoral Rule Part IV
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 self- confidence
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”

18. Gregorian Liturgical Reforms
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

19. Assignments
Gregory the Great, Pastoral Rule, Books I – III, selections available on BC Course Reserves
Augustine, “Sermon 354”
Extra: Cicero, De Officiis, an/Texts/Cicero/de_Officiis/1A*.html
Prepare Paper #8