"Neither Poverty nor Riches": Ambrosiaster and the Problem of Clerical Compensation
In several places the anonymous Roman presbyter, now known as "Ambrosiaster," expressed concern over the compensation given to presbyters. This article examines his comments in the context of several fourth-century developments: first, restrictions imposed on the members of the curial clas...
| Subtitles: | "Themenheft: "Clerics and Their Multiple Roles in Late Antique Christianity" |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Interlibrary Loan: | Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany) |
| Published: |
2021
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| In: |
Zeitschrift für antikes Christentum
Year: 2021, Volume: 25, Issue: 1, Pages: 93-107 |
| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Ambrosiaster ca. um 366/384
/ Clergy
/ Salary
/ Ascetic
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| IxTheo Classification: | CB Christian life; spirituality CH Christianity and Society KAB Church history 30-500; early Christianity NBN Ecclesiology |
| Further subjects: | B
Augustine
B Salary B Ambrose B Jerome B Ambrosiaster B Asceticism B Clergy B curial class |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | In several places the anonymous Roman presbyter, now known as "Ambrosiaster," expressed concern over the compensation given to presbyters. This article examines his comments in the context of several fourth-century developments: first, restrictions imposed on the members of the curial class in respect to holding clerical office, a phenomenon attested both in imperial legislation and in patristic sources; second, the spread of ascetical ideals of clerical life, fostered especially by writers such as Ambrose and Jerome. While Ambrosiaster shared the view that a member of the clergy ( ecclesiasticus ) should abstain from "worldly business activities" ( negotia saecularia ), in contrast to his more ascetic contemporaries, he stressed the importance of adequate payment for the clergy and encouraged wealthy Christians to provide it. |
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| ISSN: | 1612-961X |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Zeitschrift für antikes Christentum
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1515/zac-2021-0015 |