St. bernard of Clairvaux( 1090 -1153) page review - Book Report/Review Example

Saint Bernard of Clairvaux According to Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, the use of or ntation in religious buildings is sarcastic given the value of the ornaments and the economic position of the congregation. In addition, the use of golden and other expensive relics draws the people from the path of piety. Specifically, he says that the material ornaments are made of gold and clothed with valuable minerals while ‘your children walk naked. In his opinion, it is ironical to put golden statues of the saint in a church where the poor worship as it distracts their devotion.

Specifically, he argues that people end up admiring the shiny things instead of seeking righteousness. The relics covered in gold invite the poor followers to kiss, donate, and admire the beauty than they venerate the sacred. In other words, the use of material ornaments has failed to draw people closer to righteousness.Saint Bernard of Clairvaux differentiates the ornament in churches and those in the monasteries. Notably, he argues that church ornaments seek to stimulate the devotion of a carnal person since they cannot achieve the same mission spiritually.

On the other hand, ornaments in monasteries aid the monks in understanding the books through the marble since they have regarded as dung all material pleasures. Furthermore, he denounces the use of these artifacts in the monasteries as they distract the ‘brothers’ from meditating the law of God. Since the monks are spiritually superior to the carnal laymen, they do not need the material inducement to devotion. The efficiency of his assertion comes into being by considering that the monks have forgone material pleasures to express their devotion to piety.