Jerome the Great Doctor of the Church

1. Jerome the Great Doctor of the Church

2. Who is this guy? • Jerome was born around 342 in a place called Stridonius located in Dalmatia. He was a Roman Christian priest, confessor, theologian, and historian. • When he was young, he was sent to Rome by his parents to further in his intellectual interest. He gained knowledge of the classical literature there and was baptized at the age of 19 by Pope Liberius. • Jerome later traveled from Rome to Trier, where he began his theological studies. • He then left and settled in Antioch, where he heard Apollinaris of Laodicea (one of the first exegetes of that time) • After visiting Constantinople, Jerome returned to Rome whre he became secretary to Pope Damasus I (366-84). Jerome decided to travel East after Damasus’ death (384); He visits Antioch, Egypt, and Palestine. • During 386, Jerome settled in Bethlehem in a monastery established for him by Paula. She is one of a group of wealthy Roman women whose spiritual adviser he had been and remained his lifelong friend. During this period, Jerome began his major biblical commentaries. *Exegesis is the branch of theology which investigates and expresses the true sense of Sacred Scripture.

3. What is he most known for? • Translated the Bible from Hebrew into a Latin version called The Vulgate. • He developed the use of philological and geographical material in his exegesis and recognized the scientific importance of archeology. • He used both the allegorical method of the Alexandrian and the realism of the Antiochene schools.

4. Characteristics of Jerome’s Work • Until about 391-2, Jerome used to consider the Septuagint translation as inspired. However, he had given up this idea after truly studying Hebraistic and his deep interaction with the rabbis. • Jerome used allegorical explanations whenever he could not find the literal meaning. His intention was to be far from the use of allegory in his translation. • He never either categorically acknowledged or rejected the deuterocanonical books as part of the Canon of Scripture, and he repeatedly made use of them. • He stopped being a theologian, by not applying himself in a consecutive and personal manner to doctrinal questions. In his controversies he was simply the interpreter of the accepted ecclesiastical doctrine.

5. What did he do? • He helped to lay the foundation of medieval Christianity by advocating celibacy, monasticism, and the veneration of saints.

6. Saint Jerome’s Church