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Intellectual Traditions As Predecessors To St. Augustine, Jennifer Lovell

Anthós Journal (1990-1996)

St. Augustine both explicitly and implicitly relied on existing intellectual traditions in the construction of his Confessions. He not only explicitly references Neoplatonic thought, he also implicitly constructs his argument around Neoplatonic ideals. He also used rhetorical and epic traditions to create his Christian Doctrine. By blending the teachings of the Bible with these traditions, this paper argues that St. Augustine effectively appealed to the intellectual elite.