Three days back you wrote:
I wonder if anyone can help. A friend of mine is trying to discover
what role is/was played by the 'kirklicher nachtw"acheramt' and
having failed wondered if it might be a medieval job description. Can
anyone help.
Thanks in advance
Louise Nelstrop
My German monastic friend says it is not a monastic expression,
but may well be ironic. In the earlier part of the nineteenth
century, liberal opinion was inclined to describe the German
states' governments as Nachtwaechterstaaten, in as much as the
chief efforts went into maintaining the staus quo (I suppose a
little liek the *fortress mentality* which was supposed to be (and
perhaps was) a mark of the nineteenth century Catholic Church (the
RC ninteenth century lasted until 8 October 1962)
Church defenders of the status quo aren't confined to the
nineteenth century, and I do not know you friend's context, but
perhaps this gives you a sufficient clue?
My friend writes in German: I think I have got him right!
Anselm Cramer OSB
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