> Date sent: Wed, 9 Jul 1997 11:04:35 -0500 (CDT)
> From: "Dennis D. Martin" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Copies to: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Popular misconception of the MAs
> Send reply to: [log in to unmask]
>
>
> On Wed, 9 Jul 1997 [log in to unmask] wrote:
> >
> I notice Dante seems to have
> > read the Bible very closely. But some members of the clergy seem to have
> > read it less closely. I'm thinking especially of Archbishop Voragine (Golden
> > Legend) and Bernard of Clairveaux.
>
>
> I can't speak about de Voragine, but to say that Bernard of Clairvaux did
> not read the Bible closely is quite odd. He knew much of it by memory, as
> did most monks in houses with regular discipline, where the divine office
> was chanted regularly. They had to learn the Psalms by heart from the
> outset.
>
> Are you perhaps saying that Bernard's interpretation of the Scriptures
> doesn't always seem to you to be an obvious interpretation? If so, you
> are confusing "reading closely" with reading literally. Bernard and
> others like him read very closely and because each word of Scripture was
> inspired, would necessarily have multiple meanings, some of which may seem
> odd to modern people. But that is a question of interpretation, not of
> careless reading.
>
> On the degree to which lay people had access to the scriptures, one might
> consult the relevant chapters in Rosalind and Christopher Brooke's book,
> _Popular Religion in the Middle Ages_ (Thames and Hudson, about 1984)--as
> a starting point.
>
> Dennis Martin
>
I can speak about Jacobus de Voragine or Jacopo da Varazze which
ever you prefer. It is not quite clear to me how the Legenda aurea
reflects his (supposed) lacking knowledge of the Bible. However, if
you read his sermons (de tempore, de sanctis, and quadragesimales)
they all reflect extensive familiarity with the Bible as well as
commentaries such as Glossa ordinaria and Thomas' Catena aurea.
Jacopo's use of Thomas has been studied by per Louis-Jacques
Bataillon in his excellent (as always) article:
Iacopo da Varazze e Tommaso d'Aquino. Sapienza 32/1 Napoli, 1979.
Reprinted in collection of his articles published by Variorum in 1993
(La predication au XIIIe siecle en France et Italie).
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