New Testament Book by Fr. Etienne Charpentier

For those who have background in bible study and sharing in groups, this book by Fr. Etienne Charpentier is easy to understand. The content is presented in brief paragraphs with accompanying illustrations and maps related to biblical times. The book's content covers all the books of the New Testament from the gospels, to the epistles and the book of Revelation.

Background for understanding NT texts

The background for understanding the text of the New Testament books and epistles is the explanation of the three stages of formation in the completion of the NT writings. Without reading the content of the book by Fr. Charpentier, you can simply review the illustrations and already obtain a good understanding how the writings came into being: starting from the person of Jesus of Nazareth, to the oral traditions (unrecorded sources from the early Christian communities) that were shared among the early Christians, until writers were inspired by the Holy Spirit to bring all into the present canonical books and epistles.

A good comprehensive guide

The reader of the New Testament texts can always refer to this book when certain questions arise upon the meaning of certain chapters or passages. It provides the context for understanding the text because of information about the author of the books, the community in which he belongs or the community which his writing is addressed to, the geographical context of the book [with miniature maps for study], some selected texts of the book which have short commentaries, outlines of the main topics of the book, parallel studies of similar texts with other gospels, and much more. The book grounds the reader very well in the history of the Christian faith.

Topics in the book

Listed here are the topics that give the book its structure:

• A Guide to the Bible
• Getting Ready for our Journey
• The Three Stages in the Formation of the New Testament
• The Literary Genre of the Gospel
• Literary Genres in the Gospels
• The World of the First Christians
• The Roman Empire
• Palestine
• Jamnia - Judaism after AD 70
• The First Christians
• Easter
• The Disciples Proclaim their Faith: the Kerygma
• The Disciples Celebrate their Faith: Creed and Hymns
• The Disciples Tell of their Faith: Narratives
• And Now...?
• Paul and his Letters
• The Gospel according to Mark
• The Gospel according to Matthew
• The Work of Luke: The Gospel of Acts
• The Work of John: The Gospel and the Letters
• The Apocalypse: the Book of Revelation
• The Beginning of the Gospel

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Memorial of Saints (August 26)

St. Joan Elizabeth Bichier des Ages was the foundress of the Daughters of the Cross. A priest drew up a rule of life for her and suggested that she found a community of nuns to continue the apostolate she already began with the poor. By 1811 A.D., there were already 25 nuns in the community. Between the years 1819-1825 A.D., 28 new convents and houses were founded in 12 dioceses of France. The Daughters of the Cross were part of the expansion of French religious congregations in the 19th century - congregations all dedicated to social service (died ca. 1838 A.D.).

St. Teresa of Jesus Jornet Ibars was the foundress of the Little Sisters of the Abandoned Aged. She first joined the Poor Clares in Spain, but was obliged to leave because of her poor health. Then years later, with Fr. Novoa, Teresa founded a community to care for the aged at Barbastro, Spain. After the community received papal approval in 1887 A.D., their Congregation expanded to other countries (died ca. 1897 A.D.).

St. Caesarius of Arles first entered the monastery at Lérins. When he got sick, he left and recuperated at Arles. His uncle was the bishop there. After three years in Arles and having recuperated well, his uncle passed away and Caesarius had to succeed him as bishop in 503 A.D. As bishop, St. Caesarius effected many reforms, fought Arianism, and preached well the gospel of Christ. Between 505-513 A.D., the political tensions in Arles caused Caesarius to be exiled. When the Frankish tribes also captured Arles in 536 A.D., St. Caesarius spent his last years at St. John's Convent, living an exemplary holy and charitable life (died ca. 543 A.D.). Learn more

St. Zephyrinus succeeded Pope St. Victor I in 199 A.D. Callistus was his deacon and adviser. Zephyrinus came into conflict with his deacon Callistus and with Hippolytus. This was the time in Church history when Monarchianism and small schisms were prevalent among Christians. St. Zephyrinus is listed in the Roman Martyrology (died ca. 217 A.D.).

St. Caesarius of Arles, Archbishop & Father of the Church

St. Caesarius of Arles, Archbishop: 470-543 A.D.

Latin Father of the Church

Entering the monastery at Lérins

St. Caesarius was born at Chalon-sur-Saone, Burgundy, in 470 A.D., of a good Gallo-Roman family. He decided to pursue an ecclesiastical career by entering the monastery of Lérins when he was about 18 to 20 years of age. As a cellarer in the monastery, he incurred the enmity of some of the monks. Then, an illness caused him to leave the monastery to go back to Arles to recuperate. While recuperating at Arles, he came to the attention of his uncle Eonus, the bishop of Arles. His uncle had him transferred from Lérins to the episcopal see of Arles, and then ordained him.

Elected bishop of Arles by succeeding Eonus

St. Caesarius spent three years reforming a monastery that was located nearby in Arles. He was elected then, against his wishes, to succeed his uncle Eonus as bishop of Arles in 503 A.D. As bishop, St. Caesarius played a prominent role in the ecclesiastical administration of southern Gaul and campaigned for Arles to be the prime diocese of Gaul.

Accomplishments as bishop of Arles

St. Caesarius put into effect numerous reforms. He also fought against Arianism and ordered the Divine Office to be sung in the churches of Arles every day of the week. He was known to have preached frequently and was very successful in this ministry. He also founded a convent at Arles, with his sister, Caesaria, as abbess. He then wrote a Rule for the nuns of this convent - a Rule which has remained as basis for the way of life of a number of religious. One of the provisions of the Rule was the right of the nuns to choose their abbess. Another provision was the need for every nun to learn how to read and write.

Falsely accused of annexing Arles to Burgundy

In 505 A.D., St. Caesarius was banished to Bordeaux by King Alaric II of the Visigoths, because of the king's mistaken belief that St. Caesarius was trying to make Arles part of the Burgundian kingdom (where St. Caesarius was born). But as the falsity of St. Caesarius' accuser was discovered, King Alaric recalled St. Caesarius back to Arles.

The siege of Arles by Burgundy

Arles was eventually besieged by the King of Burgundy. St. Caesarius aided the victims of this siege. Then he was again arrested when Theodoric the Ostrogoth seized Arles. But then, as with King Alaric before, charges against St. Caesarius were dropped at a meeting with Theodoric at Ravenna in 513 A.D.

Receiving the pallium from Pope St. Symmachus

St. Caesarius then traveled to Rome, was made apostolic delegate in Gaul, and received the pallium from Pope St. Symmachus. This is reportedly the first instance in which the pallium was granted to any Western European bishop.

Political achievements and last years

In 536 A.D., Arles was captured by the Franks. St. Caesarius spent most of his time at St. John's convent, where he died on August 27, 543 A.D., at the age of seventy-three. At the time of his death, St. Caesarius had administered the episcopal see of Arles for forty years and was the most famous bishop in Gaul. He was noted for his holiness, charity, and devotion. He was also instrumental in securing the condemnation of semi-Pelagianism at the Council of Orange in 529 A.D. He was noted to have published an adaptation of Roman law, largely based on the Theodosian code - a code which was to be the civil code of Gaul.

St. Caesarius of Arles was one among many strong bishops, who managed their episcopal sees, so that the Christian faith may survive the Germanic flood during the fourth and fifth centuries. The other strong Gallic bishops were: St. Martin of Tours (d. 397 A.D.), St. Liborius of Le Mans (d. 397 A.D.), Severinus of Cologne (d. ca. 400 A.D.), St. Avitus of Vienne (d. 518 A.D.), and St. Remigius of Reims (d. ca. 533 A.D.)

Father of the Church

St. Caesarius of Arles is one of the Latin Fathers of the Church. The Fathers of the Church were saintly writers of the early centuries. St. Caesarius was known to have written his sermons. Several of them have survived to this day. His feast is celebrated by the Church on August 26 or 27.

References of this series

• Pocket Catholic Dictionary, by John A. Hardon, S.J.
• A Year with the Saints, by Don Bosco Press Inc.
• Dictionary of Saints, by John J. Delaney
• A Concise History of the Catholic Church, by Thomas Bokenkotter
• A History of the Church, by Franzen and Dolan