In this mini-monograph, David Wilhite offers a sustained analysis of the Donatist bishop of Carthage Parmenian’s sermon on the Song of Songs as it survives in Optatus of Milevis’ reading of it. The sermon itself invoked imagery from the Song of Songs to attribute theological meaning to the material objects. Both Parmenian and Optatus agree on this so-called allegorical interpretation of the Old Testament text; the only difference in their interpretation is the level of application. Parmenian applies this text to the local basilica while Optatus re-interprets the text to apply it to the church universal.
قائمة المحتويات
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
RECENT SCHOLARSHIP ON “THE DONATISTS”
RECLAIMING A “DONATIST” SERMON
The Church as the Bride of Solomon
True Church and True Basilica
Defining Ecclesia
The Dotes Basilicae and the Primacy of the Cathedra
The Angelus of Light
The Anointing of the Spiritus (or, the Vas of Chrism)
The fons et al
Additional Evidence
Concluding the Analysis
THEOLOGICAL AFTERWORD: THE TRUE CHURCH AS TRUE THIRD SPACE
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
ENDNOTES