Pokora u ranokršćanskome razdoblju s posebnim osvrtom na svetoga Ambrozija
PENANCE IN THE EARLY CHRISTIAN PERIOD WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO SAINT AMBROSE

Summary/Abstract: The author divided the article in two parts. The first part discusses the theme of penance in its historical development from the very beginning of the Church until the end of the fifth century. The consideration includes a series of social events on the stage of that time, that would affect the anthropological and theological aspect of penance. The awareness of the presence of sin in the life of believers after baptism will increasingly encourage the Church to seek solutions to this problem. The Church sees the answer to the question of the »newly-created« sin in the closer cooperation with the Holy Scripture and tradition. They are the true source of God’s mercy, forgiveness and salvation that are gained through the sacrament of penance, which is needed and mandatory. In the second part, the author gives an example of the practice of penance in the Church of Milan. Bishop Ambrose of Milan had faced himself with his sins, individuals, and the entire community. He was personally aware of man’s need of repentance and God’s mercy and he did not hesitate to convey this personal experience even to the political rulers. This part emphasizes the experience of sinfulness of the Milan community of believers from the fourth century, and the form of confession with all its parts.

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