Inspired by Cicero : Ambrosian contribution to the formation of a clerical ethos in the De officiis

Bogataj, Jan Dominik (author)

The article focuses on the formation of priestly ethics in late antiquity, more specifically at the end of the 4th century. In his work De officiis, in which he draws heavily on the homonymous work of Cicero from more than three centuries ago, the bishop of Milan, Ambrosius, creates an interesting fusion between the ethical ideals of Roman pagan society and Christian doctrine based on biblical revelation. The virtues and values in which he wants to educate his clerics, the new emerging spiritual elite, turn out to be very similar to those found in Cicero: whether it is practical advice on speaking (rhetoric) or a general theoretical perception of morality. Despite the many similarities with Cicero, Ambrose serves up some more typically Christian ethical nuances: celibacy occupies a high place, otium becomes prayer and meditation, and verecundia receives an even stronger internal emphasis.

• Language: English
• Keywords: early christian ethics, clerics, virtues, values, social elites, pagan ethics
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: TEOF - Theological Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Publication date: 01.01.2022
• Year: 2022
• Number of pages: Str. 877-889
• Numbering: Letn. 82, [št.] 4
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-164156
• UDC: 17:808.5“652“
• ISSN on article: 0006-5722
• DOI: 10.34291/BV2022/04/Bogataj
• COBISS.SI-ID: 135690755
• Publication date in RUL: 17.10.2024

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Bogoslovni vestnik : glasilo Teološke fakultete v Ljubljani
• Shortened title: Bogosl. vestn.
• Publisher: Teološka fakulteta
• ISSN: 0006-5722
• COBISS.SI-ID: 8745472

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Navdihnjeno po Ciceronu : Ambrozijev prispevek k oblikovanju kleriškega etosa v De officiis

Abstract

Članek se posveča oblikovanju duhovniške etike v pozni antiki, natančneje ob koncu 4. stoletja. Milanski škof Ambrozij je v svojem delu De officiis, v katerem se močno naslanja na istoimensko Ciceronovo delo izpred dobrih treh stoletij, ustvaril zanimiv spoj med etičnimi ideali rimske poganske družbe in krščanskim naukom, utemeljenim na bibličnem razodetju. Vrline in vrednote, v katerih želi svoje duhovnike, nastajajočo novo duhovno elito, vzgajati, se kažejo kot zelo podobne tistim, ki jih najdemo pri Ciceronu – pa najsi gre za praktične nasvete glede nastopanja (retorika) ali pa za splošno dojemanje morale. Kljub številnim podobnostim s Ciceronom pa Ambrozij postreže z nekaj bolj tipično krščanskimi odtenki etike: celibat zasede pomembno mesto, otium postane molitev in meditacija, verecundia pa dobi še močnejši notranji poudarek.

• Keywords: zgodnjekrščanska etika, duhovniki, vrline, vrednote, družbene elite, poganska etika

Projects

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Project number: P6-0262
• Name: Vrednote v judovsko-krščanskih virih in tradiciji ter možnosti dialoga