When it comes to the question of how educational processes were communicated and received in late antique Christian societies, sources such as sermons play a prominent role. This question is dealt with by an ongoing research project at the Faculty of Theology of the University of Göttingen “Preaching as a process of religious education in late antique Christianity” (funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft). On invitation of this project, an international group of 13 scholars gathered therefore at the Ländliche Heimvolkshochschule Mariaspring to delve more deeply into these educational processes and scrutinise the material in a comparative way. The content of the lectures was the examination of Latin sermons by well-known theologians as well as by lesser-known clerics of late antiquity. Essentially, the conference focussed on four sections: First, how biblical themes and texts were presented in the sermons. Secondly, what role martyrs played in them and thirdly, what ethical ideas were addressed to the audience. The last section asked how Christian identity was shaped through dogmatic issues. The sections were complemented by discussing Augustine’s influence on late antique preaching and what future the study of patristic sermons may hold.

The first day started by a lecture of MARIUS VAN WILLIGEN (Apeldoorn) on reflecting how the oral situation can be caught in the sermons of Ambrose of Milan. Van Willigen pointed out colloquial elements and the non-artificial use of the 2nd Person as well as inconsistencies in the structure of Ambrose’s speech. Exegetically, the oral situation of Ambrose sermons can be captured in the elective reference to biblical texts and origenistic methods indicating that their use depends on the current preaching situation. Next, FRANCESCO PIERI (Bologna) presented a paper on Jerome’s sermons in Bethlehem. He elaborated on Jerome’s allegorical and christological interpretation of the scripture and connected it to real controversies with Jewish and perhaps Apollinarian authorities in the environment of Bethlehem. Investigating further the influence of current religious controversies on the exegesis in late antique sermons, CHRISTIAN TORNAU (Würzburg) examined the interplay of antidonatist polemics and didactics in Augustine’s ten sermons on the First Epistle of John. Tornau showed how Augustine combined the biblical principle of love with philosophical principles and the unity of the church to persuade the Donatists in his assembled congregation to convert to ‘catholic’ Christianity.

Two lectures on the educational meaning of martyrs opened the next day’s sessions. DOMINIC KEECH (Brighton) offered an insight into the role of martyrs and their relics in the sermons of Gaudentius of Brescia. He outlined a double function of the memory of martyrs: By drawing a dialogue between the relics and the biblical text, the martyrs are given a significant role in virtue, faith, and the conversions of pagans. At the same time, the martyrs become intercessors for the audience by transferring merits to the earthly church through prayers. ROBERT EDWARDS (Göttingen) then drew a closer look on the martyr-tradition in the sermons of Leo the Great. Unlike Gaudentius, Leo does not attach importance to their relics, but connects the tradition of Peter and Paul to the classical Roman tradition of the mores maiorum. The exemplarity of the martyrs is thus linked to the success of the city of Rome and Leo expects the audience to adapt these mores maiorum for the future of the church and city.

The keynote lecture by GEOFFREY D. DUNN (Brisbane) discussed the influence of Augustine’s preaching in his own time. By shedding light on Augustine’s theoretical means on preaching as in his doctrina christiana, Dunn concluded that the influence of Augustine’s preaching-theory in his own time remains an open question. However, it can be assumed that some bishops were slightly influenced by hearing Augustine’s sermons occasionally and it may be that some bishops with only moderate education have repeated some of Augustine’s sermons.

DOROTHEE SCHENK (Göttingen) started the afternoon session by examining how Zeno of Verona constructed Christian identity in his tractates. She pointed out that Zeno holds back his role as teacher by identifying with his congregation and encouraging them narratively on ethical matters. While Zeno has got an optimistic view on his relation to the audience, CLEMENS WEIDMANN (Salzburg) outlined a more pessimistic view in the sermons of Maximus of Turin. Maximus sees himself as a strict father towards his audience, who measures his success of preaching by their reaction and criticises them for their absence. In doing so, he often criticises himself for his own absence, sometimes going so far as to announce that he does not want to preach. NICOLÁS ANDERS (Göttingen) continued the afternoon session by showing how Caesarius of Arles has got a more realistic approach towards his audience in ethical matters. He elaborated on the biblical principle of caritas as a guiding virtue in Caesarius’ sermons, which bridges the gap between the ideal ethical expectation and the different realities of the listeners. By this, Caesarius’ ethical approach should be regarded as accommodation.

In the evening, a Round Table introduced and guided by JOHAN LEEMANS (Leuven) debated on the future of the study of patristic sermons. The discussion focused primarily on the contribution of cognitive linguistics and neurobiology, concerning how metaphorical language in sermons reflects the historical identity of late antique Christianity and to what extent it has influenced it.

The last day’s session shed light on dogmatic issues in late antique preaching. PETER GEMEINHARDT (Göttingen) gave a lecture on the purpose of Nicene Dogmatics in the sermons of Chromatius of Aquileia. He showed how Chromatius becomes a teacher of life and doctrinal orthodoxy in liturgical setting by connecting earthly metaphors to heavenly things. The dogmatics are thus perceived by the audience correctly when they lead to an appropriate conduct of life. Next, DAVID VOPŘADA (Prague) offered insight into the way Quodvultdeus applied orthodox dogmatics to build up his Christian community under the Vandal rule in Carthage. He pointed out a strong language against heretics in Quodvultdeus’ sermons and the use of flattering words on “true Christians”. The purpose is to address the unity of the audience and thus shape and strengthen their identity amid the Vandals. In the final lecture, LINA HANTEL (Göttingen) singled out the doctrine of resurrection as central in the sermons of Peter Chrysologus. By connecting it with the omnipresence of death, Chrysologus sets this doctrine in an eschatological horizon and elaborates it exegetically through Christ’s descent to hell. While direct exhortations are not prominent in Chrysologus’ sermons, the audience can grasp the understanding of this doctrine through the performance of the priest.

The interplay of the different contributions showed that research on preachers other than Augustine and in discourse with other disciplines is a productive field for further study. Investigation indicated how temporal and local characteristics shaped the corpus of a preacher while the comparability is given by the genre ‘sermon’. Nevertheless, the necessity to look at single sermons rather than generalizing statements on a preacher or sermon corpus was highlighted by participants. Taking processes of religious education into account, sermons were needed to educate because Christianity is a “complicated religion” with sophisticated dogmatics and based on texts, which need exegetical interpretation. Furthermore, the believers are placed in a long tradition of exemplary Christians, like martyrs, and in a community with demanding ethics. With these expectations in mind the concluding discussion emphasized the impression that many listeners may not have immediately understood all of what was said, yet Christians were included in a process of lifelong learning – even after baptism.

Conference Overview

Section I: Preaching on Biblical Themes and Texts

Marius A. Van Willigen (Apeldoorn): The Sermons of Ambrose of Milan

Francesco Pieri (Bologna): On the Psalms, on the Gospels, on the Liturgical Year. Jerome as a Preacher in Bethlehem

Christian Tornau (Würzburg): The Interplay of Polemics and Didactics in Augustine’s Preaching on Love (In epistulam Iohannis ad Parthos tractatus decem)

Section II: Preaching on Martyrs

Dominic Keech (Brighton): Merit, Matter and Membership: the Varieties of Martyrdom and their Application in the Teaching of Gaudentius of Brescia

Robert Edwards (Göttingen): The Preeminent Teachers of Rome: Learning from the Martyrs in the Sermons of Leo the Great

Keynote lecture
Geoffrey D. Dunn (Brisbane): How Influential was Augustine’s Preaching in his Own Time?

Section III: Preaching on Ethics

Dorothee Schenk (Göttingen): The Construction of Christian Identity in Zeno of Verona’s Sermons

Clemens Weidmann (Salzburg): „Quam dure et amare praedicavit episcopus“ – Remarks on the Sermons of Maximus of Turin

Nicolás Anders (Göttingen): Communication between Ideal and Reality: The Conveying of Everyday Ethics in the Sermons of Caesarius of Arles

Round Table
Johan Leemans (Leuven): Introductory statement – The Future of the Study of Patristic Sermons: from Textual Transmission to Neurobiology

Section IV: Preaching on Dogmatic Issues

Peter Gemeinhardt (Göttingen): Dogmatics for the Daily Life: Defining Orthodoxy and Fighting Heresy in the Sermons of Chromatius of Aquileia

David Vopřada (Prague): Building a Christian Community amid Heretics: the Preaching of Quodvultdeus of Carthage

Lina Hantel (Göttingen): Passage through Hell: Preaching the Resurrection and Eternal Life with Peter Chrysologus