Original scientific paper
Symbolism of Animals in St. Ambrose’s Texts
Drago Tukara
; Catholic faculty of Theology in Đakovo
Abstract
The article is divided into four headlines. In the first part
the author explains the basic terms and the context of the theme
specified. The emphasis is on the idea of Mystery in the shadow
of which all God’s creatures hide and find in it their mission, the
beginning and the end. It is about the reflection of the “image
of Mystery” in its creatures, and vice versa. The author gives
prominence to the personality and activity of St. Ambrose who
himself stood before the Mystery as before a “vague argument”. It
is just that theological vagueness that the article wants to clarify
observing the Church practice of that time, which aspired to
comprehend and explain the Creator himself in the nature.
Man stands just by the Mystery’s side, and for this reason
the author moves on to reality in which is man himself. He simply
wants to raise man upright, to steer his spiritual reality in the
direction of heavenly and invisible, above this world’s and visible
reality. The author investigates that steering of man for heavenly
explaining the symbolism of winged animals.
The third part speaks about God’s zoological garden. The
interpreted winged animals are: seagull, bee, eagle, griffon vulture,
stork, phoenix, partridge, swallow, dove and hen-pigeon. Namely,
these animals have found their place in St. Ambrose’s theological
and pastoral thought. The texts taken for the investigation allude
to the basic method used by the Church Fathers who by that
method, through catechesis and sermons, adequately explained
the mystery of faith, which has become like “traditio apostolica” in
today’s Church.
In the end the article puts emphasis on finding out the
harmony between all created, first of all the harmony between
man and the animal. These two make a positive approach to God’s
creation plan, and also point to their mutual similarities and
dissimilarities.
Keywords
St. Ambrose; Mystery; Creator; creatures; man; nature; symbolism of winged animals; harmony between created
Hrčak ID:
34766
URI
Publication date:
19.12.2008.
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