medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Not sure that this will be of much help, but it's not obvious to me
that St Bernard necessarily had a specific antagonist in mind; his
words seem to echo St Augustine on the same theme:
"O parvuli beati, modo nati, numquam tentati, nondum luctati, iam
coronati! Ille de vestra corona dubitaverit in passione pro Christo,
qui etiam Baptismum parvulis prodesse non existimat Christi. Non
habebatis quidem aetatem, qua in Christum passurum crederetis: sed
habebatis carnem, in qua pro Christo passuro passionem sustineretis.
Nullo modo istos infantes desereret gratia Salvatoris infantis, qui
venerat quaerere quod perierat, non solum in carne nascendo, verum
etiam in cruce pendendo [ad inferos descendendo, et in caelis
ascendendo, et ad dexteram Patris sedendo]. Nam qui potuit natus
habere praedicatores Angelos, narratores caelos, adoratores Magos,
potuit et illis ne pro eo hic morerentur praestare, si sciret illa
morte perituros, et non potius maiore felicitate victuros. Absit,
absit, ut ad liberandos homines [Christus] veniens, de illorum praemio
qui pro eo interficerentur nihil egerit, qui pendens in ligno pro eis
a quibus interficiebatur oravit." (Sermo 373, PL 39, 1664).
A PDF of the Migne can be downloaded here: http://bit.ly/7sEfi5
2009/12/10 Erik Drigsdahl <[log in to unmask]>:
> medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
>
> Dear colleagues,
>
> As we are closing in on the holidays must I already now ask a question.
> There are certain indications in my material (mid 15th c.) that some people
> were sceptic as to the justification for considering the "Innocent Children"
> from Bethlehem (Matthew Ch.II) as real "Christian saints and martyrs".
> Miniatures depicting the "Massacre of the Innocents" are so common,
> that it never has occurred to me that there could be a problem here.
>
> Already Saint Bernard did argue the case in a sermon (below), but against
> who did he direct his arguments?
> I only have a French translation of his text, but there are certainly some
> on this List who can furnish a more specific reference, and probably also
> a version in English.
>
> All other relevant texts discussing this problem are of course more than
> welcome. It is the only relevant text I can find here in my own library.
>
> Thanks in advance
> Erik Drigsdahl
>
> Bernard of Clairvaux: (quotation from a sermon for the 28. December)
> " . . . dans le bienheureux Jean [evang.] nous remarquons seulement
> la volonté du Martyre; et dans les bienheureux Innocents, l'oeuvre
> seule du Martyre.
> Mais qui doutera, néan-moins de la couronne obtenue par ses enfants?
> Demanderez-vous où sont leurs mérites pour cette couronne?
> Demandez plutôt à Hérode le crime qu'ils ont commis pour être ainsi moissonnés?
> La bonté du Christ sera-t -elle vaincue par la cruauté d'Hérode?
> Ce roi impie a pu mettre à mort des enfants innocents:
> et le Christ ne pourrait couronner ceux qui ne sont morts
> qu'a cause de lui? . . . " [from Dom P. Guéranger: "L'Année
> Liturgique - Le Temps de Noël, Tome I, XXVIII Décembre (10th ed.,
> Paris 1890, p.361)
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --
> ___________________________________________
> Erik Drigsdahl CHD Center for Haandskriftstudier
> Kapelvej 25B 3.tv. E-mail: <[log in to unmask]>
> DK-2200 Copenhagen N http://www.chd.dk
> Phone: +45 + 3537 2047
>
> **********************************************************************
> To join the list, send the message: join medieval-religion YOUR NAME
> to: [log in to unmask]
> To send a message to the list, address it to:
> [log in to unmask]
> To leave the list, send the message: leave medieval-religion
> to: [log in to unmask]
> In order to report problems or to contact the list's owners, write to:
> [log in to unmask]
> For further information, visit our web site:
> http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/medieval-religion.html
>
**********************************************************************
To join the list, send the message: join medieval-religion YOUR NAME
to: [log in to unmask]
To send a message to the list, address it to:
[log in to unmask]
To leave the list, send the message: leave medieval-religion
to: [log in to unmask]
In order to report problems or to contact the list's owners, write to:
[log in to unmask]
For further information, visit our web site:
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/medieval-religion.html
|