'Blessed is poverty': Leo the Great on almsgiving

Bronwen Neil

doi:10.1484/J.SE.1.100097

'Blessed is poverty': Leo the Great on almsgiving

Bronwen Neil^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

5 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The author focuses on seven homilies in which Leo the Great (440-461) makes use of the Matthean Beatitudes to comment on proper attitudes towards wealth and poverty, referring to three verses in particular: (Matt 5:3, 6-7). The author examines how these verses from Matt 5 were interpreted to provide the wealthy with a self-interested reason for giving to the poor. The questions put to the texts include the following: Does Leo interpret the scripture verses in accordance with their original purpose? Does the bishop recommend direct or indirect giving to the poor, i.e. via the church or via individual benefactions? Does he discriminate between "deserving" and "non-deserving" poor? What categories of poor does he identify and does this suggest a personal connection of the bishop to poor individuals? Finally, what kind of social vision did Leo propose, and how did he define his own role as bishop in fulfilling that vision?

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	143-156
Number of pages	14
Journal	Sacris Erudiri
Volume	46
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1484/J.SE.1.100097
Publication status	Published - 2007
Externally published	Yes

Access to Document

10.1484/J.SE.1.100097

Cite this

@article{cd7de6f2d8ac4f6db344cd1a43e24c5f,

title = "'Blessed is poverty': Leo the Great on almsgiving",

abstract = "The author focuses on seven homilies in which Leo the Great (440-461) makes use of the Matthean Beatitudes to comment on proper attitudes towards wealth and poverty, referring to three verses in particular: (Matt 5:3, 6-7). The author examines how these verses from Matt 5 were interpreted to provide the wealthy with a self-interested reason for giving to the poor. The questions put to the texts include the following: Does Leo interpret the scripture verses in accordance with their original purpose? Does the bishop recommend direct or indirect giving to the poor, i.e. via the church or via individual benefactions? Does he discriminate between {"}deserving{"} and {"}non-deserving{"} poor? What categories of poor does he identify and does this suggest a personal connection of the bishop to poor individuals? Finally, what kind of social vision did Leo propose, and how did he define his own role as bishop in fulfilling that vision?",

author = "Bronwen Neil",

year = "2007",

doi = "10.1484/J.SE.1.100097",

language = "English",

volume = "46",

pages = "143--156",

journal = "Sacris Erudiri",

issn = "0771-7776",

publisher = "Brepols Publishers",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - 'Blessed is poverty'

T2 - Leo the Great on almsgiving

AU - Neil, Bronwen

PY - 2007

Y1 - 2007

N2 - The author focuses on seven homilies in which Leo the Great (440-461) makes use of the Matthean Beatitudes to comment on proper attitudes towards wealth and poverty, referring to three verses in particular: (Matt 5:3, 6-7). The author examines how these verses from Matt 5 were interpreted to provide the wealthy with a self-interested reason for giving to the poor. The questions put to the texts include the following: Does Leo interpret the scripture verses in accordance with their original purpose? Does the bishop recommend direct or indirect giving to the poor, i.e. via the church or via individual benefactions? Does he discriminate between "deserving" and "non-deserving" poor? What categories of poor does he identify and does this suggest a personal connection of the bishop to poor individuals? Finally, what kind of social vision did Leo propose, and how did he define his own role as bishop in fulfilling that vision?

AB - The author focuses on seven homilies in which Leo the Great (440-461) makes use of the Matthean Beatitudes to comment on proper attitudes towards wealth and poverty, referring to three verses in particular: (Matt 5:3, 6-7). The author examines how these verses from Matt 5 were interpreted to provide the wealthy with a self-interested reason for giving to the poor. The questions put to the texts include the following: Does Leo interpret the scripture verses in accordance with their original purpose? Does the bishop recommend direct or indirect giving to the poor, i.e. via the church or via individual benefactions? Does he discriminate between "deserving" and "non-deserving" poor? What categories of poor does he identify and does this suggest a personal connection of the bishop to poor individuals? Finally, what kind of social vision did Leo propose, and how did he define his own role as bishop in fulfilling that vision?

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=60949551806&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1484/J.SE.1.100097

DO - 10.1484/J.SE.1.100097

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:60949551806

SN - 0771-7776

VL - 46

SP - 143

EP - 156

JO - Sacris Erudiri

JF - Sacris Erudiri

ER -

'Blessed is poverty': Leo the Great on almsgiving

Abstract

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this