The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (2167 page)

 
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(1452–98).
Christian reformer and preacher. He was born at Ferrara in Italy, and entered the
Dominican
Order in 1475. In 1482, he went to Florence, where he began to develop his programme of
ascetic
morality. This he based on apocalyptic preaching, emphasizing the final judgement and the possibility of eternal damnation. After three years in Bologna, he returned to Florence, where he preached against corruption in high places, and gave prophetic warnings, some of which appeared to come true. When Charles VIII invaded Italy, Savonarola averted the threat to the city, and the people made him their ruler. He attempted to establish a theocratic state with severe standards of behaviour: in the ‘bonfire of vanities’, the people burnt frivolous or lewd items. He denounced Pope Alexander VI and his corrupt court, and was summoned to Rome to account for his actions as ‘a meddlesome friar’: he refused to go and was excommunicated. A
Franciscan
challenged him to ordeal by fire, which he refused. He was seized, tortured, and executed.

 
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(Aram., ‘explainers’). Jewish Babylonian scholars between the time of the amoraim and the
geonim
. Traditionally the era of the amoraim ends in 499 CE, and the era of the Savoraim ends either in 540 CE or, according to Abraham
ibn Daud
, in 689 CE.

 
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see
SOPADHI
E
A-NIRV
A
.

 
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