Elucidarium
Elucidarium (also Elucidarius, so called because it "elucidates the obscurity of various things") is an encyclopedic work or summa about medieval Christian theology and folk belief, originally written in the late 11th century by Honorius Augustodunensis, influenced by Anselm of Canterbury and John Scotus Eriugena.
[dubious – discuss] It was frequently translated into vernaculars and survives in numerous disparate versions, from the 16th century also in print in the form of popular chapbooks.
The first book begins with the narrator explaining the meaning of the titles as well as introducing himself as "The Master" who will be answering questions of "The Disciple".
The purpose for this work is written to clear up doubts and questions that lay people and disciples alike have about Christianity.
Additionally the Master explains that after the fall of the wicked angels those who were good became stronger and unable to sin.
After the fall of the angels who followed Satael, the Master states that humans were made to make up the number of the elect that were lost.
[9] The Master claims that humans were made out of such weak materials, as compared to the angels, to make the devil jealous.
This time the focus is on the origin of things such as small earthly creatures, Adam, and Paradise.
The Disciple asks why God made animals that are tiny and troublesome like mosquitoes.
The Master states that God made these pests to humble humans by reminding them that they can be harmed by something so small.
Originally, the Master explains, men and women were to multiply without sinful lust while in Paradise as recorded in Genesis 3.
This all was lost when Adam committed six sins, which are arrogance, disobedience, avarice, grave robbery, spiritual fornication, and manslaughter.
[13] Redemption is an important theme in the text of Elucidarius, so it is critical to identify that here the Master states that Adam could not be redeemed as he did nothing to atone for his sins.
It is written in the text that the fall motivated God to send down His Son to redeem humankind.
For example, he explains that the seventh miracle was when "the brutish flock of heathen people turned to the reason of God's Word'.
The Master answers by explaining that God sacrificed Jesus because of love, but Judas acted with his avarice, his greed.
[16] In the last section of the first book, the Master answers the Disciple's questions regarding holy communion and corrupt religious teachers.
It is bread and wine because of all these things as well as because, the Master explains, nobody would dare consume the true flesh and blood of Christ.
The text reads that people such as Judas partake in holy communion, but do not receive the flesh and blood of Jesus, they consumed poison instead.
He concludes the first book of Elucidarium by declaring that God's children must endure evil as Jesus did and they must do so until He appears and divides the wicked from the worthy (Matthew 3:12; Luke 3:17).
