Messages 2009
A Church Father’s Truth.
May 25th, 2009
Santa Cruz, California
Received by FAB
I am here, Ambrose.
I am glad you are seeing value in the orthodox Christian experience, as well as realizing its errors. For we church fathers did indeed care for truth, and we also cared about nurturing the soul. Religion abides in the heart, and I understood this.
Saint Ambrose (c. between 337 and 340 – 4 April 397) was a bishop of Milan who became one of the most influential ecclesiastical figures of the fourth century. He is counted as one of the four original doctors of the Church. Ambrose was the Governor of Aemilia-Liguria in northern Italy until 374 when he became the Bishop of Milan. He was a very popular political figure, and since he was the Governor in the effective capital in the Roman West, he was a recognizable figure in the court of the Emperor, then Valentinian I. Ambrose never married.
In the late 300s there was a deep conflict in the diocese of Milan between the Catholics and Arians. In 374 the bishop of Milan, Auxentius, an Arian, died, and the Arians challenged the succession. Ambrose went to the church where the election was to take place, to prevent an uproar, which was probable in this crisis. His address was interrupted by a call “Ambrose, bishop!”, which was taken up by the whole assembly.
Ambrose was known to be Catholic in belief, but also acceptable to Arians due to the charity shown in theological matters in this regard. At first he energetically refused the office, for which he was in no way prepared: Ambrose was neither baptized nor formally trained in theology. Upon his appointment, St. Ambrose fled to a colleague’s home to seek hiding. Upon receiving a letter from the Emperor praising the appropriateness of Rome appointing individuals evidently worthy of holy positions, St. Ambrose’s host gave Ambrose up. Within a week, Ambrose was baptized, ordained and duly installed as bishop of Milan.
As bishop, he immediately adopted an ascetic lifestyle, apportioned his money to the poor, donating all of his land, making only provision for his sister Marcellina (who later became a nun), and committed the care of his family to his brother. Ambrose also wrote a treatise by the name of “The Goodness Of Death”. (Source: Wikipedia)