Nostra civitas: heresy, charity, and community in fifth-century Rome
This article examines the relationship between heresy, charity, and community in mid fifth-century Rome through the lens of Leo I's anti-Manichaean persecution of 443/44. Importantly, Leo's preaching against Manichaeism took place in the context of migration. According to the bishop, Manic...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Print Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Aschendorff
2020
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| In: |
Jahrbuch für Antike und Christentum
Year: 2020, Volume: 63, Pages: 139-160 |
| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Leo, I., Pope 400-461
/ Vatican Palace
/ Manichaeism
/ Persecution
/ Heresy
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| IxTheo Classification: | BF Gnosticism KAB Church history 30-500; early Christianity KBJ Italy |
| Further subjects: | B
Charities
B Rome B Communities B Heresy B Social Structure B Bishops B Charity |
| Summary: | This article examines the relationship between heresy, charity, and community in mid fifth-century Rome through the lens of Leo I's anti-Manichaean persecution of 443/44. Importantly, Leo's preaching against Manichaeism took place in the context of migration. According to the bishop, Manichaean heretics had migrated to the city of Rome due to "a disturbance in other places" (aliarum regionum perturbatio), almost certainly a reference to the Vandal conquest of North Africa. In addition, his preaching coincided with a reimagining of Rome's social structure away from traditional notions of citizenship bound by civic euergetism towards a new Christian conception of society, which emphasized the deserving poor - the populus dei - receiving alms administered by the church under the authority and patronage of its bishop. In this context, the Manichaean functioned didactically as the ultimate "other". As heretics and outsiders to the city, they were the perfect foil against which Leo could contrast his populus dei, and thereby delineate the boundaries of his community. Indeed, Leo's condemnations of Manichaeans can be found principally in sermons about other topics including charity, a theme that was particularly well-suited to address questions of community and belonging. |
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| ISSN: | 0075-2541 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Jahrbuch für Antike und Christentum
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