Ambrose 			December 7
Bishop of Milan
Teacher of the Faith
The episcopate of Ambrose in Milan marked a significant point of development in the church in the western Roman Empire. By comparison with the theological sophistication of the east, the west had a naive and practical faith. It also found itself caught up in political turmoils that followed the first Christian emperor, Constantine. Ambrose gave the western church theological depth and, with astute political leadership, clarified the relation of the church to the state in ways that shaped later developments in Europe.
Ambrose was born in Trier in 339 to Christian parents who came from an aristocratic family; his father was praetorian prefect of Gaul. Ambrose was not baptised, but received a thorough education in Greek and Latin. By 370 he had become governor of northern Italy, based in Milan, which by that time was the centre of the western Roman empire.
The eastern church had been racked by debates over the divinity of Christ, and the emperors had backed the Arian theology that held to only a qualified divinity for Christ. The west distrusted this, and in Milan in 374 the death of the Arian bishop led to riots between the theological parties over a successor. The governor, known and respected, intervened, only to find himself elected bishop by popular choice. Ambrose accepted and was baptised and ordained bishop.
Ambrose became a great teacher and preacher. With his knowledge of Greek, he delved into the theological controversies and wrote and taught widely and persuasively on the absolute and essential divinity of Christ as the centre of the Christian faith. Ambrose’s deep faith found expression in sermons and treatises and also in poetry in the hymns he wrote for the church to sing. He was also a supporter of the growing monastic movement.
Ambrose’s faith also led him into the political arena, particularly against the Arian sympathies of the western imperial family. They brought great pressure to bear on Ambrose on several occasions to surrender to their use first a local church, and then his own cathedral. But Ambrose had the total support of the townspeople and in 386, with the army surrounding the church, stood firm. In this way he forged the independence of the church from the state. He even developed the right of the church to invoke religious sanctions on an emperor who claimed to be a member of the church: Ambrose had no hesitation in rebuking Theodosius for his massacre of the inhabitants of Thessalonica in retaliation for the death of their governor. Theodosius did public penance. Ambrose died in Milan in 397.
For Liturgical Use
Ambrose was born in 339. He became bishop of Milan by popular choice in 374 when, as governor of the city, he intervened to stop riots over the election of the bishop. Ambrose did much to deepen the theology of the western church on the full divinity of Christ. In his defence of the church’s independence from the state, he did much to shape church-state relations in western Europe. He had no hesitation in rebuking the Christian emperor when necessary. Ambrose died in 397.
Sentence
Defend the weak and the orphaned; maintain the cause of the afflicted and destitute. Rescue the weak and needy and save them from the hands of the wicked.	Psalm 82:3,4
Collects
God of mercy and justice,
in a time of danger and confusion
you called your servant Ambrose
to bring stability to your church;
give us discipline and wisdom in our trials,
that we may affirm with courage
the faith that we believe;
through Jesus Christ our Saviour.

O strength and stay, upholding all creation,
praise to you for Ambrose the governor, 
who came unwilling, unbaptised,
to be your bishop in Milan;
praise to you for his fearless attitude
which upheld and built your church.
Psalms	20	33:1-5,13-21
Readings
Nehemiah 5:14-19		A faithful governor
2 Corinthians 5:16-21	An ambassador for Christ
Luke 22:24-30		True leadership
Post Communion Sentence
Guard the good treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit living in us.	
				2 Timothy 1:14