Consolation

Consolation is interpersonal affection for someone who is in mourning or who has to endure other emotional or physical pain. The one is comforted. Comfort can be given through words, gestures, and touch. The pain and sadness of the comforted are to be alleviated; he should feel that he is not left alone; his mental state should be strengthened.

Parachutist comforts a victim of Hurricane Ike

The word consolation (written in Old High German in the 8th century) depends etymologically to the Indo-European root word faithfully together, meaning strength , and mental maintenance , confidence and encouragement in suffering .

The Greek word for "consolation" (parēgoriá) also means encouragement, admonition, encouragement.

Consolatio

Consolatio , Latin for consolation and consolation. Consolation writings as "practical philosophical instructions on how to cope with and alleviate grief" existed both in the ancient world in poetry (e.g. as encouragement for the survivors in Statius' Silvae ) as well as in prose form (e.g. by Seneca ). The late antique script of Boethius became known : Consolatio Philosophiae = German: (The) consolation of philosophy . In literary studies this genre is referred to as consolation literature. It was taken over and expanded in Christian times. This already happened in high literary quality in the 12th century in the philosophical Consolatio de morte amici of the Benedictine Laurentius of Durham .

Christian context

Christians get comfort and encouragement from their faith in difficult times. Praying or reciting psalm verses gives support and strength. Bible verses are often read on the deathbed . The 23rd Psalm ( "The Lord is my shepherd") is the most famous.

The comforter in the Christian sense is after the Gospel of John ( Jn 14,16 EU ) of the Holy Spirit , the disciples of Jesus after his departure and ascension to His return comforted to. It is dogmatically assumed that all people find comfort and peace in the Holy Spirit. Those who are desperate about faith draw new strength from the consolation of the Holy Spirit.

In the New Testament there is also the passage: "... but Joseph, who was called Barnabas by the apostles - which translates as: Son of consolation ..." ( Acts 4,36 EU ). Further translations are: "The Comforter" - Hope for All; “The man who encourages others” - Good News Bible; "Filius consolationis" - Vulgate .

Paul uses the designation of God "the God of all consolation" ( 2 Cor 1, 3 EU ). God himself appears here as the one who gives the strength to endure suffering (especially persecution for the sake of faith).

For Reformed Christians the first question from the Heidelberg Catechism is important: “What is your only consolation in life and in death?” The answer is: “That I live and die with body and soul, not myself, but my faithful Savior Jesus Christ belongs ... ”and the reference to Isaiah 66:13 is important:“ As one whom his mother comforts, I will comfort you, and you will be comforted in Jerusalem ”. This is what God promises to his people Israel.

Phrases and quotes

you are not quite at consolation = you are probably crazy
consoling oneself with something or someone = looking for a replacement for a lost cause or a lost person
Consolation Prize = small compensation for someone who did not receive a prize in a competition
Consolation patch = minor compensation for a loss, disadvantage or failure
to put someone off = to promise someone something he longed for only in the future
Donate consolation = show sympathy
As bleak refers to a hopeless situation or a desolate area .
"Those who have never suffered don't know how to comfort" , Dag Hammarskjöld (1905–1961), Swedish politician, UN Secretary General

literature

Andreas Dorschel : 'Consolation for the Inconsolable', in: Musikfreunde Jg. 25 (2012/13), H. 5, P. 34–37
Charles Favez : La Consolation latine chrétienne . Vrin, Paris 1937
Rudolf Kassel : Studies on Greek and Roman Consolation Literature . Beck, Munich 1958
Udo Kindermann : Should one mourn the dead? An answer from 1141 . Erlangen 2010, ISBN 978-3-7896-0688-5
Peter von Moos : Consolatio. Studies of the Middle Latin consolation literature on death and the problem of Christian mourning . Fink, Munich 1971-72, ISBN 978-3-7705-2534-8
Werner Weidmann: Consolation and comfort as a medical task. Medical dissertation, Würzburg 2004.

Web links

Wikiquote: Consolation Quotes

Wiktionary: consolation - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations

Consolation. In: Digital dictionary of the German language .

Individual evidence

↑ Consolation. In: Jacob Grimm , Wilhelm Grimm (Hrsg.): German dictionary . tape 11 : K - (V). S. Hirzel, Leipzig 1873, Sp. 901 ff . ( woerterbuchnetz.de ).
↑ Werner Weidmann, Karl-Ernst Bühler: Consolation and consolation as a medical task: Fundamentals of intellectual history. In: Würzburger medical history reports , Volume 25, 2006, pp. 339–362, here: p. 342.
↑ Udo Kindermann : Should one mourn the dead? An answer from 1141 . Erlangen 2010, ISBN 978-3-7896-0688-5
↑ entry. In: Lexikon bibelwissenschaft.de

[1] Consolation. In: Jacob Grimm , Wilhelm Grimm (Hrsg.): German dictionary . tape 11 : K - (V). S. Hirzel, Leipzig 1873, Sp. 901 ff . ( woerterbuchnetz.de ).

[2] Werner Weidmann, Karl-Ernst Bühler: Consolation and consolation as a medical task: Fundamentals of intellectual history. In: Würzburger medical history reports , Volume 25, 2006, pp. 339–362, here: p. 342.

[3] Udo Kindermann : Should one mourn the dead? An answer from 1141 . Erlangen 2010, ISBN 978-3-7896-0688-5

[4] try. In: Lexikon bibelwissenschaft.de