Justin B.
In the Letter to Clovis, Avitus the Bishop speaks to the newly converted king of the Franks. This is a victory for the Catholics because Clovis the king of the Franks was focusing his battles on fighting the Arians in the area. Avitus praises Clovis from turning away from the more heretic beliefs to the proper orthodox religion of Catholicism and because of this conversion Avitus seems to imply that Clovis should listen to him. On the final note of the letter is an idea proposed by Avitus to begin sending out more missionaries to convert more people who may not know of Catholicism.
How this document reveals about the character of religious life is by showing how important it was to be religious and not only religious but to have the right faith. Avitus praises Clovis not for converting to Christianity but for converting to the orthodox view of Christianity, the Catholic religion. Avitus interprets Clovis’s conversion as a win for the Catholics because this gives the Catholics the opportunity to convert a lot of people because the leader of the group converted. As Volz points out on page 38, the conversion of Clovis helped convert 3000 people in his own tribe, and eventually most barbaric tribes between Paris and the Pyrenees were converted as well. The baptism of Clovis, as pointed out by Avitus, is one of great importance because it is to be set on the same day as the celebration of Jesus’ birth. However Avitus, while praising Clovis on numerous occasions within the letter, shows to exert his authority over Clovis near the end of the letter. This exertion of authority shows how Avitus views the bishops above the kings. Avitus tells Clovis to continue to show pity and humility after his baptism, and actually tells Clovis that he owes Avitus this much. Though Avitus may say this because as Volz tells the reader, on page 12, that if Clovis won the famous battle at Tolbiac, Clovis would convert to Christianity. Avitus goes on to say that Clovis should bow down to the bishops because the bishops serve God.
In the Letter to Clovis, Avitus the Bishop speaks to the newly converted king of the Franks. This is a victory for the Catholics because Clovis the king of the Franks was focusing his battles on fighting the Arians in the area. Avitus praises Clovis from turning away from the more heretic beliefs to the proper orthodox religion of Catholicism and because of this conversion Avitus seems to imply that Clovis should listen to him. On the final note of the letter is an idea proposed by Avitus to begin sending out more missionaries to convert more people who may not know of Catholicism.
How this document reveals about the character of religious life is by showing how important it was to be religious and not only religious but to have the right faith. Avitus praises Clovis not for converting to Christianity but for converting to the orthodox view of Christianity, the Catholic religion. Avitus interprets Clovis’s conversion as a win for the Catholics because this gives the Catholics the opportunity to convert a lot of people because the leader of the group converted. As Volz points out on page 38, the conversion of Clovis helped convert 3000 people in his own tribe, and eventually most barbaric tribes between Paris and the Pyrenees were converted as well. The baptism of Clovis, as pointed out by Avitus, is one of great importance because it is to be set on the same day as the celebration of Jesus’ birth. However Avitus, while praising Clovis on numerous occasions within the letter, shows to exert his authority over Clovis near the end of the letter. This exertion of authority shows how Avitus views the bishops above the kings. Avitus tells Clovis to continue to show pity and humility after his baptism, and actually tells Clovis that he owes Avitus this much. Though Avitus may say this because as Volz tells the reader, on page 12, that if Clovis won the famous battle at Tolbiac, Clovis would convert to Christianity. Avitus goes on to say that Clovis should bow down to the bishops because the bishops serve God.