Amalarius of Metz and the Meaning of Place
Samuel W. Collins
Carolingian biblical commentators were assiduous readers of Bede. His exegetical works, De templo not at all least among them, held a privileged place alongside the fathers as authorities on meaning scripture. Early medieval exegesis was, course, profoundly conservative genre, and for innovations Bede’s commentaries sacred buildings Old Testament, Bede operated inside long tradition scriptural commentary. The head this tradition, in Latin west least, was Augustine.1 salient feature style Augustine’s careful balance approach, which avoided both pure allegories favored by Origenists rigid literalism school Tertullian.2 This attractive Augustinian middle ground meant that events history could remain literally true while still carrying allegorically-coded beyond themselves. Augustine who followed him sought prefigurations present future written, often obscurely, record real past. I know no more clear succinct statement spirit project than passage from Confessions XI, deep into investigation nature Christian time: Lord my God, “hear prayer” (Ps. 60:2), may your mercy attend to longing burns personal advantage but desires be use love brethren… At nod moments fly by. From them grant me space meditations secret recesses law, do close gate one knocks. It is nothing you have willed so many pages written veiled secrets… O Lord, bring perfection 16:5) reveal these pages.
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