Da Egidio da Viterbo a Girolamo Seripando. Percorsi di riforma nel pensiero agostiniano

The existence of a previous Catholic reform, independent of the Protestant reform, has now been largely acquired by historians. An important representative of this ideal of a Catholic reform, which dates back to the mid-fifteenth century, is without doubt the Augustinian friar Giles of Viterbo (1469-1532). Giles’ sermon at Fifth Lateran Council opening session, highly original though it is, fits a consolidated reformation tradition. A careful examination of the works of Giles and of his protegée Girolamo Seripando (1492-1563) illustrates the change the concept of «reformatio» underwent under the pressure of the crisis engendered by the Lutheran reform. Whereas the reform appears to Egidio as the necessary realization of a divine plan, as the advent of a new golden age, Seripando elaborates an ideal of reform closer to the spiritual life of each individual Christian and to meditation on the Scriptures.