Casta Meretrix: The Chaste Whore - Softcover

Biffi, Giacomo

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1901157342 ISBN 13: 9781901157345

Publisher: The Saint Austin Press, 2000

About this title

About the Author:

His Eminence, Giacomo Biffi was born in Milan in 1928 and was ordained priest for that diocese in 1950. After graduate studies in theology, he taught for several years in the archdiocesan seminary. He was a parish priest from 1960-1975, before becoming Canon Theologian of the Metropolitan Chapter, Episcopal Vicar for Culture and Director of the Lombard Institute. During this period, he also had responsibility for the Commission for the Ambrosian Rite. He was named an Auxiliary Bishop for Milan and was consecrated Titular Bishop of Fidene in 1976. From then until 1982, he served on the Episcopal Commission of the Italian Bishop's Conference for the doctrine of the faith, for catechesis and for culture, of which he became Secretary in 1979. In 1982 he was elected to the Episcopal Commission for the Liturgy. In 1984, he was named Archbishop of Bologna and was elected President of the Episcopal Conference of Emilia-Romagna. He was created Cardinal Priest by Pope John !

Paul II in 1985. He is a member of the Sacred Congregation for the Clergy, for Catholic Education and for the Evangelization of Peoples.
He is the author of numerous theological and catechetical works, and was one of the principle collaborators in the publication of the 'Opera Omnia di S. Ambrogio (1979) and the 'Opera Omnia di S. Pietro Crisologo' (1996), both published by Citta Nuovo e Biblioteca Ambrosiana, Milan.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.:

I.

St. Ambrose's use of the phrase

"Casta Meretrix"

The Fate of the Term in Modern Times

"Casta Meretrix", a "chaste whore", is a somewhat surprising oxymoron, especially since it is usually used in reference to the Church.

In recent times, following its use by von Balthazar (in Sponsa Verbi, Brescia, 1985), the phrase has enjoyed a moderately good fortune. Indeed, every so often it is brought to my attention, whenever, in fact, I rashly declare my conviction that the Church as such cannot be called "sinful" — for it is always thrown at me by people who seem satisfied that they have clinched the argument: "But the Church," they retort, "is a ‘casta meretrix', according to the Church Fathers!" They place so great an emphasis upon the noun in this phrase that the accompanying adjective is almost completely ignored.

"According to the Church Fathers", they say: yet it has never been considered a particularly worthy thing for Christians to speak ill of the Church (which no ancient profession of the Faith ever failed to call "Holy"). Rather, this has always been the habit of those "others", i.e. the non-believers. Is it legitimate, then, for the faithful to add their voices to this chorus of slanderers, even in order to encourage an "open and constructive dialogue"?

The more timid among them would never find the courage to do so, if they were not able to throw in this very phrase, "according to the Church Fathers".

"According to the Church Fathers"

To hear them say this, one would almost think that there were a universal consensus on this point; that not a single one of those great Doctors of the Faith of the early centuries would have failed to assign this picturesque title to the Church; that the name "casta meretrix" would be an irrefutable element of all traditional theology .

"According to the Church Fathers..." Bolstered by such an authoritative testimony, the Catholic heart is reassured, and can talk with an easy conscience of the "sins of the Church".

And yet how many of these Fathers of the Church actually used this term? And who exactly are they?

A better judgement notwithstanding, only one of them does: St. Ambrose. No one else spoke of the "casta meretrix" before him, and not one of the Fathers after him chose to imitate his usage .

Rahab, Type of the Church

Ambrose did, in fact, use the expression in question once and once only, in his meditation on Rahab, the woman of Jericho who is mentioned in the book of Joshua.

Ambrose says that she "as a type was a prostitute, but as a mystery is the Church, united now to the Gentiles by the sharing of the sacraments":

"...Typo meretrix mysterio ecclesia, sacramentorum consortio populis copulata gentilibus..." (In Lucam VIII:40).

The "typical" use of Rahab – a contradictory character, to whom was attributed both an unworthy profession and a praiseworthy and providential action – was already a classic in Christian literature.

Matthew's Gospel had recalled her in the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:5). The Letter to the Hebrews had featured her as an example of the faith which saves (Hebrews 11:31). St. James, concerned with other aspects of theology, had emphasised her justification obtained through works, i.e. through the good deed that she did for the Hebrew scouts (James 2:25). Clement of Rome, almost as though trying to synthesise and reconcile the two texts, had written, "Through her faith and her hospitality, Rahab the prostitute was saved" (I ad Corinthios 12:1).

After Clement, who dwells a long time on the episode of Joshua 2:1–21, reading it in the light of the Redemption worked by Christ (cf. I ad Corinthios 12:1–8), a definite ecclesiological interpretation of the figure of Rahab is clearly delineated — from Justin to Irenaeus, to Origen, to Cyprian. Indeed, it is through reflection upon the "house of the prostitute" – the only house in Jericho which preserved its occupants from death – that the famous principle emerged of extra Ecclesiam nulla salus:

"No one could be deceived in this regard", writes Origen, "no one could be mistaken: outside of this house, that is to say outside of the Church, there is no salvation" (Om. in Iosue 3:4).

Cyprian in turn writes, "Do you think that you can live if you detach yourself from the Church, building yourself other houses and different dwelling places, when Rahab, prototype of the Church, was told that anyone who left the door of her house would be guilty?" (De unitate ecclesiae 8) .

About this edition

• Publisher: The Saint Austin Press
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 1901157342
• ISBN 13: 9781901157345
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 64