Catherine Conybeare
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- May 2006
- ISBN:
- 9780199262083
- eISBN:
- 9780191603761
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/019926208x.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Early Christian Studies
This book explores the earliest works of St. Augustine to discover the anti-dogmatic Augustine, one who gives questioning, uncertainty, and human limitations their due role in his theology. These ...
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This book explores the earliest works of St. Augustine to discover the anti-dogmatic Augustine, one who gives questioning, uncertainty, and human limitations their due role in his theology. These early works are considered performances, through which multiple questions can be raised and multiple options explored, both in words and through their dramatic framework. It is shown that the very idiosyncrasy of Augustine’s arguments and his manner of pursuing them are of immense significance, which suggests possibilities for interpretation of the more idiosyncratic riches in his later works. The book is divided into three parts. Part I analyzes Augustine’s use of the genre of philosophical dialogue, why he may have chosen the genre, and what he achieves with it. Part II discusses the roles played by Augustine’s mother. Part III focuses on the dialogue, the Soliloquia.Less
This book explores the earliest works of St. Augustine to discover the anti-dogmatic Augustine, one who gives questioning, uncertainty, and human limitations their due role in his theology. These early works are considered performances, through which multiple questions can be raised and multiple options explored, both in words and through their dramatic framework. It is shown that the very idiosyncrasy of Augustine’s arguments and his manner of pursuing them are of immense significance, which suggests possibilities for interpretation of the more idiosyncratic riches in his later works. The book is divided into three parts. Part I analyzes Augustine’s use of the genre of philosophical dialogue, why he may have chosen the genre, and what he achieves with it. Part II discusses the roles played by Augustine’s mother. Part III focuses on the dialogue, the Soliloquia.
Karla Pollmann and Mark Vessey (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780199230044
- eISBN:
- 9780191696381
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199230044.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Early Christian Studies
This book takes its cue from Augustine's theory of the liberal arts to explore the larger question of how the Bible became the focus of medieval culture in the West. Augustine himself became ...
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This book takes its cue from Augustine's theory of the liberal arts to explore the larger question of how the Bible became the focus of medieval culture in the West. Augustine himself became increasingly aware that an ambivalent attitude towards knowledge and learning was inherent in Christianity. By facing the intellectual challenge posed by this tension he arrived at a new theory of how to interpret the Bible correctly. One of the topics investigated here is Augustine's changing relationship with the ‘disciplines’ as he moved from an attempt at their Christianisation (in the philosophical dialogues of Cassiciacum) to a radical reshaping of them within a Christian world-view (in the De Doctrina Christiana and Confessions). The book also considers the factors that prompted and facilitated his change of perspective and the ways in which Augustine's evolving theory reflected contemporary trends in Christian pedagogy.Less
This book takes its cue from Augustine's theory of the liberal arts to explore the larger question of how the Bible became the focus of medieval culture in the West. Augustine himself became increasingly aware that an ambivalent attitude towards knowledge and learning was inherent in Christianity. By facing the intellectual challenge posed by this tension he arrived at a new theory of how to interpret the Bible correctly. One of the topics investigated here is Augustine's changing relationship with the ‘disciplines’ as he moved from an attempt at their Christianisation (in the philosophical dialogues of Cassiciacum) to a radical reshaping of them within a Christian world-view (in the De Doctrina Christiana and Confessions). The book also considers the factors that prompted and facilitated his change of perspective and the ways in which Augustine's evolving theory reflected contemporary trends in Christian pedagogy.
Catherine Conybeare
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- May 2006
- ISBN:
- 9780199262083
- eISBN:
- 9780191603761
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/019926208x.003.0002
- Subject:
- Religion, Early Christian Studies
The Cassiciacum dialogues present Augustine in a liminal state. He chose the genre of philosophical dialogue for his first public statements as a would-be Christian to encapsulate that sense of ...
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The Cassiciacum dialogues present Augustine in a liminal state. He chose the genre of philosophical dialogue for his first public statements as a would-be Christian to encapsulate that sense of liminality. He uses the relative informality of the genre to open up questions about the relationship of language to reality, underplay his conclusions, and let his readers take the conversation further for themselves.Less
The Cassiciacum dialogues present Augustine in a liminal state. He chose the genre of philosophical dialogue for his first public statements as a would-be Christian to encapsulate that sense of liminality. He uses the relative informality of the genre to open up questions about the relationship of language to reality, underplay his conclusions, and let his readers take the conversation further for themselves.
George Lawless
- Published in print:
- 1990
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780198267416
- eISBN:
- 9780191683244
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198267416.003.0003
- Subject:
- Religion, Early Christian Studies
Several months in late 386 and early 387 were very likely the most tranquil in Augustine's life. Once again he was not alone. Monica managed the house; her other son Navigius was there. Also in ...
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Several months in late 386 and early 387 were very likely the most tranquil in Augustine's life. Once again he was not alone. Monica managed the house; her other son Navigius was there. Also in residence were teenage pupils, Licentius and Trygetius; Augustine spent considerable time tutoring both of them. The early writings, such as Answer to Sceptics, A Life of Happiness, On Order, and Soliloquies, remind one of Plato's and Cicero's successful achievements in the same literary genre. The discussions at Cassiciacum are described in this chapter. Pedagogically, the composition of both the dialogue On Order and Augustine's Rule are strikingly similar. A rich Graeco-Roman heritage is reflected in the group gathered at Cassiciacum during this idyllic interlude between Augustine's conversion in the garden at Milan and his baptism by Ambrose at the Easter Vigil in 387. Work (both physical and intellectual), contemplation (both philosophical and Christian), prayer and serious dialogue on a variety of themes—these were the happy notes which sounded in this lovely place of retreat.Less
Several months in late 386 and early 387 were very likely the most tranquil in Augustine's life. Once again he was not alone. Monica managed the house; her other son Navigius was there. Also in residence were teenage pupils, Licentius and Trygetius; Augustine spent considerable time tutoring both of them. The early writings, such as Answer to Sceptics, A Life of Happiness, On Order, and Soliloquies, remind one of Plato's and Cicero's successful achievements in the same literary genre. The discussions at Cassiciacum are described in this chapter. Pedagogically, the composition of both the dialogue On Order and Augustine's Rule are strikingly similar. A rich Graeco-Roman heritage is reflected in the group gathered at Cassiciacum during this idyllic interlude between Augustine's conversion in the garden at Milan and his baptism by Ambrose at the Easter Vigil in 387. Work (both physical and intellectual), contemplation (both philosophical and Christian), prayer and serious dialogue on a variety of themes—these were the happy notes which sounded in this lovely place of retreat.
Paige E. Hochschild
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- September 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780199643028
- eISBN:
- 9780191745416
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199643028.003.0006
- Subject:
- Religion, Early Christian Studies, Theology
This chapter looks at the ‘Cassiciacum Dialogues’, initiating the monograph’s textual study of Augustine’s own works with an eye to particular treatments of memory and sense perception. Augustine ...
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This chapter looks at the ‘Cassiciacum Dialogues’, initiating the monograph’s textual study of Augustine’s own works with an eye to particular treatments of memory and sense perception. Augustine explicitly notes that memory is a key epistemological issue, but he artfully defers a more detailed consideration of the topic. Much in the tradition of Plato, the question of memory first arises as an issue of dialectic, concerning the unity between soul and body in the process of knowledge, and in recognizing order in the cosmos.Less
This chapter looks at the ‘Cassiciacum Dialogues’, initiating the monograph’s textual study of Augustine’s own works with an eye to particular treatments of memory and sense perception. Augustine explicitly notes that memory is a key epistemological issue, but he artfully defers a more detailed consideration of the topic. Much in the tradition of Plato, the question of memory first arises as an issue of dialectic, concerning the unity between soul and body in the process of knowledge, and in recognizing order in the cosmos.
Bart van Egmond
- Published in print:
- 2018
- Published Online:
- December 2018
- ISBN:
- 9780198834922
- eISBN:
- 9780191872808
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oso/9780198834922.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Early Christian Studies
This work addresses the relationship between Augustine’s account of God’s judgement and his theology of grace in his early works. How does God, both personally and through his ‘agents’ on earth, use ...
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This work addresses the relationship between Augustine’s account of God’s judgement and his theology of grace in his early works. How does God, both personally and through his ‘agents’ on earth, use his law and the penal consequences of its trangression in the service of his grace? From different perspectives Augustine came to reflect upon this question. As a teacher and bishop he thought about the nature of discipline and punishment in the education of his pupils, fellow monks, and congregants. As a polemicist against the Manichaeans and as a biblical expositor, he had to grapple with issues regarding God’s relationship to evil in the world, the violence God displays in the Old Testament, and in the death of his own Son. Futhermore, Augustine meditated upon the way God’s judgement and grace related in his own life, both before and after his conversion. This study follows the development of Augustine’s early thought on judgement and grace from the Cassiacum writings to the Confessions. The argument is contextualized both against the background of the earlier Christian tradition of reflection on the providential function of divine chastisement, and the tradition of psychagogy that Augustine inherited from a variety of rhetorical and philosophical sources. Within the field of Augustine studies, this work intends to contribute to the ongoing scholarly discussion on the development of Augustine’s doctrine of grace, and to the conversation on the theological roots of his justification of coercion against the Donatists.Less
This work addresses the relationship between Augustine’s account of God’s judgement and his theology of grace in his early works. How does God, both personally and through his ‘agents’ on earth, use his law and the penal consequences of its trangression in the service of his grace? From different perspectives Augustine came to reflect upon this question. As a teacher and bishop he thought about the nature of discipline and punishment in the education of his pupils, fellow monks, and congregants. As a polemicist against the Manichaeans and as a biblical expositor, he had to grapple with issues regarding God’s relationship to evil in the world, the violence God displays in the Old Testament, and in the death of his own Son. Futhermore, Augustine meditated upon the way God’s judgement and grace related in his own life, both before and after his conversion. This study follows the development of Augustine’s early thought on judgement and grace from the Cassiacum writings to the Confessions. The argument is contextualized both against the background of the earlier Christian tradition of reflection on the providential function of divine chastisement, and the tradition of psychagogy that Augustine inherited from a variety of rhetorical and philosophical sources. Within the field of Augustine studies, this work intends to contribute to the ongoing scholarly discussion on the development of Augustine’s doctrine of grace, and to the conversation on the theological roots of his justification of coercion against the Donatists.
John Peter Kenney
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- January 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780199563708
- eISBN:
- 9780191747328
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199563708.003.0003
- Subject:
- Religion, Early Christian Studies
Despite his indebtedness to pagan Platonism, Augustine’s earliest works articulate the Christian theology that he had resolved to adopt. These pre-baptismal treatises are examined in Chapter Two, ...
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Despite his indebtedness to pagan Platonism, Augustine’s earliest works articulate the Christian theology that he had resolved to adopt. These pre-baptismal treatises are examined in Chapter Two, tracking Augustine’s fundamental break from pagan Platonism. Analysis centers on the logic of Christian theism as Augustine came to understand it. In particular the nature of God’s separation from the world is considered in reference to Plotinian Platonism. The importance of divine intentionality in Augustine’s thought is underscored, suggesting that an essential aspect of his new Christian theology is God’s attention to the creatures he freely decided to create.Less
Despite his indebtedness to pagan Platonism, Augustine’s earliest works articulate the Christian theology that he had resolved to adopt. These pre-baptismal treatises are examined in Chapter Two, tracking Augustine’s fundamental break from pagan Platonism. Analysis centers on the logic of Christian theism as Augustine came to understand it. In particular the nature of God’s separation from the world is considered in reference to Plotinian Platonism. The importance of divine intentionality in Augustine’s thought is underscored, suggesting that an essential aspect of his new Christian theology is God’s attention to the creatures he freely decided to create.
Bart van Egmond
- Published in print:
- 2018
- Published Online:
- December 2018
- ISBN:
- 9780198834922
- eISBN:
- 9780191872808
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oso/9780198834922.003.0002
- Subject:
- Religion, Early Christian Studies
The second chapter covers the period of Augustine’s stay on the estate Cassiciacum. It addresses three central themes. First, it describes how Augustine Christianizes the pagan idea of fortune, and ...
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The second chapter covers the period of Augustine’s stay on the estate Cassiciacum. It addresses three central themes. First, it describes how Augustine Christianizes the pagan idea of fortune, and its disciplinary function. A second theme covered in this chapter is the pedagogical meaning of the dialogues that Augustine organizes for his students at Cassiciacum. It describes how Augustine uses dialogue to confront them with the spiritual poverty of their own souls. The third central theme is Augustine’s view and experience of divine punishment on the road to the contemplation of God. He discovers that his experiences of being ‘pushed back’ on the road to contemplation should not just be seen as spiritual failures, but also as pedagogical means through which God makes Augustine aware of his dependence on God’s grace.Less
The second chapter covers the period of Augustine’s stay on the estate Cassiciacum. It addresses three central themes. First, it describes how Augustine Christianizes the pagan idea of fortune, and its disciplinary function. A second theme covered in this chapter is the pedagogical meaning of the dialogues that Augustine organizes for his students at Cassiciacum. It describes how Augustine uses dialogue to confront them with the spiritual poverty of their own souls. The third central theme is Augustine’s view and experience of divine punishment on the road to the contemplation of God. He discovers that his experiences of being ‘pushed back’ on the road to contemplation should not just be seen as spiritual failures, but also as pedagogical means through which God makes Augustine aware of his dependence on God’s grace.
Jonathan D. Teubner
- Published in print:
- 2018
- Published Online:
- December 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780198767176
- eISBN:
- 9780191821356
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oso/9780198767176.003.0003
- Subject:
- Religion, Theology, History of Christianity
This chapter opens by reflecting on the prayer with which Augustine opens his incomplete Soliloquia. In this work, Augustine introduces the reflexivity of prayer: prayer is a desire to know God and ...
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This chapter opens by reflecting on the prayer with which Augustine opens his incomplete Soliloquia. In this work, Augustine introduces the reflexivity of prayer: prayer is a desire to know God and himself, to know God through himself and to know himself through God. In De magistro this reflexivity is expanded to account for a spoken yet essentially silent form of prayer. In these two works that bookend his experiment with the genre of philosophical dialogue, prayer emerges as an activity that is bound up with Augustine’s lifelong pursuit of wisdom, which, in turn, is closely related to the practice of prayer in non-Christian schools of philosophy of this period (388–91 CE).Less
This chapter opens by reflecting on the prayer with which Augustine opens his incomplete Soliloquia. In this work, Augustine introduces the reflexivity of prayer: prayer is a desire to know God and himself, to know God through himself and to know himself through God. In De magistro this reflexivity is expanded to account for a spoken yet essentially silent form of prayer. In these two works that bookend his experiment with the genre of philosophical dialogue, prayer emerges as an activity that is bound up with Augustine’s lifelong pursuit of wisdom, which, in turn, is closely related to the practice of prayer in non-Christian schools of philosophy of this period (388–91 CE).
Gerald P. Boersma
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- January 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780190251369
- eISBN:
- 9780190251444
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780190251369.003.0006
- Subject:
- Religion, Early Christian Studies, History of Christianity
The Contra Academicos dialogue, set in the contemplative leisure of Cassiciacum, explores the question of whether eternal, immaterial truth can be known in the temporal, material order. The title ...
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The Contra Academicos dialogue, set in the contemplative leisure of Cassiciacum, explores the question of whether eternal, immaterial truth can be known in the temporal, material order. The title intimates that Augustine’s intention is to refute the philosophical skepticism of the New Academy. The dialogue introduces Proteus, “the reflected image of truth,” known to reveal truth to whomever captured him, but who was impossible to capture. Only if Proteus would be handed over by a god could access to the truth be had. The chapter argues that Proteus is an analogy of the incarnate Christ, affirming that truth, wisdom, and eternal philosophy can be known in the temporal state of flux if revealed by a god. Augustine overcomes the skepticism of the New Academy, confirming that the finite order can participate in and reveal infinite reality.Less
The Contra Academicos dialogue, set in the contemplative leisure of Cassiciacum, explores the question of whether eternal, immaterial truth can be known in the temporal, material order. The title intimates that Augustine’s intention is to refute the philosophical skepticism of the New Academy. The dialogue introduces Proteus, “the reflected image of truth,” known to reveal truth to whomever captured him, but who was impossible to capture. Only if Proteus would be handed over by a god could access to the truth be had. The chapter argues that Proteus is an analogy of the incarnate Christ, affirming that truth, wisdom, and eternal philosophy can be known in the temporal state of flux if revealed by a god. Augustine overcomes the skepticism of the New Academy, confirming that the finite order can participate in and reveal infinite reality.