ŚLĄSKIE STUDIA HISTORYCZNO-TEOLOGICZNE

Penitential Message in The Shepherd of Hermas
Apart from the “Didache”, the “Shepherd” of Hermas belongs to the oldest Christian literary works because it dates back to the middle of the 2nd century. Its content is not always easily understood on this account that the subject of the theology of penance (together with its liturgical aspect) shows at that time preliminary outline, which makes difficult and many times just makes impossible the verification of the assumed theoretical and practical as well as factual and pastoral guidelines. Certainly it will not be justified to attribute the role of an author and pioneer of the theology of penance to Hermas at the beginning of the Christian antiquity because he depicts himself in a biblical criteria already formulated in the Old Testament. However the “Shepherd” of Hermas as the first document entirely dedicated to the subject of the theology of penance outlines important scope of the later theological reflection on the presented subject (the aspects of the penance are: psychological and moral, redemptive and sacramental). The penance is compared to the baptism because by taking away the results of mortal sins it opens the doors to begin anew the way of remaining faithful to the commitments resolved there.