Caesarius of Arles used the rhetoric of masculinity to combat the "problems" of sex and drink and to advance his vision of the ideal lay Christian community. He adapted established language and arguments to his own ends and constructed an uncompromising pastoral stance. Although his success in convincing his congregation is questionable, his approach reveals the complexity and variety of pastoral approaches in late antique Gaul and the role of gender in persuasive preaching.
The Eusebius Gallicanus sermons reveal the congruity in late antique Gaul between the models of pastoral care for monks and lay Christians. For these Gallic clergy, there was little antagonism between monastery and world. Preachers to both audiences share a common central concern with the defence of community and in this respect they differ from some of their contemporaries. The sermon collection demonstrates that the ascetic world in Gaul was far from monolithic and that pastoral care could be highly individualised and responsive to the demands of local communities.
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