Abstract
The charism of biblical inspiration also includes the special impact of the Sacred Scriptures on those who read or hear them. This article examines three examples of such an impact: in the lives of St Antony of Egypt, St Augustine of Hippo, and Girolamo Savonarola, who were deeply affected by Matthew 19:21, Romans 13:13–14, and Genesis 12:1, respectively. These passages from the Scriptures prompted them at once (Antony and Augustine) or within a year (Savonarola) to surrender possessions (Antony), plans for his personal existence and career (Augustine), and life at home with his parents (Savonarola), and to embrace a new way of life as a hermit (Antony), as a baptized Christian and within ten years as a bishop (Augustine), and as a Dominican teacher and preacher (Savonarola).
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