Folia Theologica et Canonica 6. 28/20 (2017)

SACRA THEOLOGIA - László Perendy, The application of the term ’brother/sister’ in early Christianity

THE APPLICATION OFTHETERM ‘BROTHER/SISTER' IN EARLY CHRISTIANITY 45

Chapter Ten: ‘We set forth from Jerusalem in the company of holy men, of a priest and deacons from Jerusalem and some of the brothers, by which I mean monks f...).’-30

Chapter Fifteen: ‘There are many brothers, holy monks coming from various places, who are drawn here that they may wash in this spring.’31

Chapter Sixteen: ‘[I]n the same valley we saw the cell of a certain man, now a brother, by which I mean a monk.’32

In connection with these three occurrences of the word fráter, George E. Gingras makes the following observation: ‘By fratribus, which Bechtel 134 translates as “brethren,” Egeria most probably means the monks who were guiding her, as Van Oorde 84 indicates. In three places Egeria explicitly glosses fra- ter (fratres) with monachus (monachi)', i.e. chapters 10 (fratribus aliquantis, id est monachis), 15 (multi fratres sancii monachi), and 16 (fratris nunc, id est monachi). In chapter 47 (i.e. n. 484 below), fratres would appear to have the more general meaning of “brothers in Christ,” “brothers in the faith” (.. ,).’33

Both the general and the restrictive meanings of the word occur in the works of the fathers who are more or less contemporary to Egeria. Especially in his sermons, but also in Enarrationes in Ps. (48,8), Saint Augustine uses it to indicate the brotherhood of all Christians. Optatus of Milevi (C. Pannen. 1,3—4; 4, 2) and John Chrysostomus (In Hebr. 25, 3; In Mt 79 [80], 1) also emphasize the same idea. However, we sometimes find also the restrictive meaning of the word in the works of the same fathers, e.g., Augustine applies it only to the clerics in De cat. rúd. 1,34

In his survey of the 20,h century research done into the meaning of àôeXtpôç and àôeXcpôzriç Michel Dujarier criticizes Adolf von Harnack for his remarks about these concepts.35 36 To his mind, Harnack’s analysis is superficial in his famous work titled Die Mission und Ausbreitung des Christentums in den drei ersten Jahrhundertenf The German scholar seems not to be aware of the numerous instances when even after the third century by áőeXcpoí not only the members of the clergy are meant, but all Christians. In Harnack’s opinion the fact that this term is applied mostly to the members of the clergy, is yet another sign of strengthening ‘Klerikalismus’ in the early Church. But even Harnack

30 Gingras, G. E. (transi.), Egeria: Diary of a Pilgrimage (Ancient Christian Writers, 38), New York, N.Y.-Ramsay, N.J. 1970. 65.

31 Gingras, G. E. (transi.), Egeria: Diary of a Pilgrimage, 73.

32 Gingras, G. E. (transi.), Egeria: Diary of a Pilgrimage, 74.

33 Gingras, G. E. (transi.), Egeria: Diary of a Pilgrimage, 166.

34 Cf. Hamman, A. - Maritano, M., Brother/Sister, 397.

35 Dujarier, M„ Église - Fraternité, 34-37.

36 Its last edition: von Harnack, A., Die Mission und Ausbreitung des Christentums in den drei ersten Jahrhunderten, Leipzig 1924‘.