Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons^™

Harmony Unveiled: Navigating The Trinity’S Practical Symphony With Lacugna And Augustine, Andrenique D. Rolle

Obsculta

This paper compares Catherine M. LaCugna's practical take on the Trinity with Augustine's theoretical insights. LaCugna highlights real-world implications, while Augustine delves into philosophical intricacies. Despite differences, both converge on perichoresis, emphasizing an inseparable communion within the Triune God. Together, they offer a holistic view—bridging theory and practice for spiritual fulfillment and communal harmony.

The Concept Of Suffering In Children Of Heaven: Analyzing The Differences And Similarities Between Augustine’S And Ibn Arabi’S Theodicy, Paulinus Daeli Osc

Obsculta

This article discusses the theodicy of Augustine and Ibn Arabi. Although these two theologians come from different traditions and backgrounds, they articulate that the realm of suffering in the human world can help us sharpen our faith in God. I use the movie Children of Heaven (by Majid Majidi) to parse the similarities and differences in their theologies. The symbols found in the movie show that the two theologies are related. This article explores the themes of human suffering in the movie and goes beyond a simple review.

Augustine's Analogy: How To Say God, Eric Kalimbiriro Osc

Obsculta

Augustine's analogy of the Trinity regards the question of how to speak about God. Augustine maintained that human language and material images are limited in their ability to wholly capture the essence of God, who is beyond human comprehension. He understood that the language we use to describe God is necessarily metaphorical and analogical, as we cannot fully grasp the transcendent nature of the divine. By using analogy, Augustine aimed to help his audiences come to some rudimentary understanding of the Trinity. This paper argues that Augustine's use of analogy provides a persuasive approach for understanding the Trinity. It focuses …

Platonism’S Influence On The Hermeneutic Of Augustine: Exploring The Philosophical Roots Of Augustine’S Interpretive Approach, Kent T. Maitland

Eleutheria: John W. Rawlings School of Divinity Academic Journal

This paper contends that Augustine was a significant contributor to the “Spiritual Vision Model” of the Christian conception of heaven described by Craig Blaising. This model is premised on the Platonic understanding of perfection in which the soul unites with the Good, and heaven is primarily a cognitive state in which the individual possesses perfect spiritual knowledge. This model also provides a rational basis for favoring a figurative or spiritualized interpretation of Scripture over its literal meaning. Augustine’s early life and conversion reflects a commitment to the SVM’s Platonic ideals, as demonstrated in his deference to Cicero, his journey into …

“Even The Dark Is Light To You”: Reconsidering The Doctrine Of Sin And The Problem Of Evil, Chris E. W. Green

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

How did evil come to be? Who is to blame for it? Why did God allow it to happen? Familiar answers, and the traditional doctrines that they represent, can and often have been understood—and perhaps more often misunderstood—to bad, even disastrous effects. So, after a brief sketch of the traditional Augustinian doctrine of evil as received through John Wesley’s teaching, which in one form or another shaped the deep structures of American Pentecostal theology and spirituality, I propose an alternative, one that holds that evil is truly nonsensical and so inexplicable; that no one is to blame for its advent, …

Augustine's Diverse Epistemology: Love, Reason, And Presupposition, Joseph Carson

Quaerens Deum: The Liberty Undergraduate Journal for Philosophy of Religion

In Saint Augustine’s works, especially in The City of God, The Confessions, and On Free Choice of the Will, he offers three features integral to his epistemology: love, reason, and presupposition. By love, Augustine argues that virtuous lovers of God will know the Truth more than those with disordered loves. By reason, Augustine held that reason must guide the journey to Truth. By presupposition, Augustine claimed that the search for Truth only starts from Christian doctrine. While modern philosophers might see a tension when simultaneously holding these three principles in his epistemology, Augustine claimed they were mutually …

De Libero Conscientia: Martin Luther’S Rediscovery Of Liberty Of Conscience And Its Synthesis Of The Ancients And The Influence Of The Moderns, Bessie S. Blackburn

Liberty University Journal of Statesmanship & Public Policy

One fateful day on March 26, 1521, a lowly Augustinian monk was cited to appear before the Diet of Worms.[1] His habit trailed behind him as he braced for the questioning. He was firm, yet troubled. He boldly proclaimed: “If I am not convinced by proofs from Scripture, or clear theological reasons, I remain convinced by the passages which I have quoted from Scripture, and my conscience is held captive by the Word of God. I cannot and will not retract, for it is neither prudent nor right to go against one’s conscience. So help me God, …

The Material Of The Servant: Theology And Hermeneutics In Handel’S Samson, Sara E. Eckerson

Yale Journal of Music & Religion

George Frideric Handel’s Samson oratorio (HWV 57, 1743) has posed critical difficulty for scholars because of its libretto. The librettist, Newburgh Hamilton, is often accused of making a poor adaption of John Milton’s Samson Agonistes (1671). One of the main points of criticism centers on how Hamilton removed much of Samson’s deliberation from the source text. In this article, however, it will be argued that the way ideas and commentary pass through different voices (namely, from Samson and Micah to the Chorus of Israelites) contributes to the unique interpretation the oratorio puts forward of the Samson narrative. The method to …

1993 Shrine Of Mary Revitalized

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A Review Of John Rists' "Augustine On Free Will And Predestination", Caleb H. A. Brown

Quaerens Deum: The Liberty Undergraduate Journal for Philosophy of Religion

In this paper I seek to summarize and critique John Rist’s article “Augustine on Free Will and Predestination.” Rist treats Augustine with honesty. When someone is as prominent, loved, and recognized as Augustine, when someone has as much authority as he does, the temptation to manipulate his writings into saying things which agree with one’s own position is strong. Rist resists this temptation, even concluding that Augustine holds a position on free will and predestination which Rist finds highly objectionable. But in his objections to Augustine’s position, Rist does not do justice to the whole system of Augustine’s thought. In …

Redeeming Rhetoric: Augustine's Use Of Rhetoric In His Preaching Ministry, John A. Sypert

Eleutheria: John W. Rawlings School of Divinity Academic Journal

The art and practice of rhetoric occupied a fundamental place in the ancient Roman world. It is thus not surprising that Augustine (354-430 AD) was deeply committed to the art of speaking well. He spent his youth mastering the theory of rhetoric, putting into practice what he had learned during a preaching career of almost forty years. This essay examines elements of rhetoric in Augustine’s preaching, arguing that he purposely appropriated common rhetorical elements in his preaching for the purpose of making Scripture both plain and compelling to his audience. Augustine’s training in rhetoric is summarized, followed by an overview …

Sing To The Lord A New Song: John Calvin And The Spiritual Discipline Of Metrical Psalmody, Brandon J. Bellanti

Musical Offerings

The purpose of this essay is to evaluate the way that psalmody - specifically metrical psalmody - serves as a sort of spiritual discipline. In other words, this essay seeks to demonstrate how the singing of psalms can be a tool to aid in spiritual growth. Much of the research for this essay focuses on the theological writings of the Protestant reformer John Calvin, as well as the way in which he incorporated metrical psalmody into his liturgical framework. The research also comprises primary writings from Aristotle, Plato, Saint John Chrysostom, Saint Basil, and Saint Augustine - all of whom …

Ever Learning, Ever Loving: Augustine On Teaching As Ministry, Ronnie P. Campbell Jr.

Eleutheria: John W. Rawlings School of Divinity Academic Journal

While most remember Augustine (354-430 AD) as theologian, exegete, and philosopher, the purpose of this essay is to consider Augustine’s legacy and ministry as teacher. After his conversion (386 AD), Augustine’s views on teaching took a turn. His theological convictions thus set the course for his views on teaching throughout the rest of his life. It is to such views on teaching that this essay seeks to examine. Therefore this essay will wrestle through Augustine’s views on the role of the teacher and the learner and the link between the two, his theological basis for teaching, and some of the …

Scholarship And Ministry In The Life And Thought Of Augustine, Anthony C. Thornhill

Eleutheria: John W. Rawlings School of Divinity Academic Journal

Augustine is frequently recognized as one of the greatest Christian theologians in all of church history. His influence extends to both Protestant and Catholic circles, and his numerous theological works are still referenced by today's students of theology. The context of his theological writings are often overlooked. While he did, on occasion, seek to write weighty and intricate theological works, his primary focus was upon better equipping himself to minister to the believers he served as the bishop of Hippo. This is clearly evidenced in his sermons and his letters, which provide an important window into his historical context.

Book Reviews

Eleutheria: John W. Rawlings School of Divinity Academic Journal

Review by Shane Kraeger of Exegetical Guide to the Greek New Testament: Colossians and Philemon. by Murray J. Harris. Nashville: B&H Academic, 2010. xxxii + 272 pp., $24.99.

Review by Joshua C. Stone of To Change the World: The Irony, Tragedy, and Possibility of Christianity in the Late Modern World by James Davison Hunter. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010, 358pp., $27.95.

Review by R. Lee Webb of Interpreting the Psalms for Teaching and Preaching. Eds. Herbert W. Bateman IV and D. Brent Sandy. St. Louis: Chalice Press, 2010, 292 pp., $34.99.

Review by Roberto Rodriguez-Nunez of Augustine as …

Augustine's Interpretation Of Romans 7-14-25, His Ordo Salutis And His Consistent Belief In A Christian's Victory Over Sin, Christopher T. Bounds

The Asbury Journal

No abstract provided.

L'Islam En Termes Chrétiens : Quand L’Aventure Ambiguë « Croise » Pascal Et Saint Augustin, Mbaye Diouf

Présence Francophone: Revue internationale de langue et de littérature

If it is recognized that The Ambiguous Adventure is one of Africa’s most studied texts, it should also be noted that most analyses of Cheikh Hamidou Kane’s novel are general sociological commentaries on a mythologized Africa or on a society that is caught in the snares of its own mythic “values.” These commentaries often forget that the text is also the passage through a history that was imposed on Africa, and one which the writer tries to interpret in his own way. If Kane’s text plunges into the Christian faith by invoking Pascal and Augustine, it is in order to …

Luther On Christ And The Old Testament, James S. Preus

Concordia Theological Monthly

Careful reading of this article will contribute to getting the hermeneutical debate in our Synod beyond the present impasse that has been created by a non-Lutheran posing of the alternatives by so many who are involved in the debate.

“The Weapons Of Their Warfare": A Study In Early Christian Polemic, Richard P. Jungkuntz

Concordia Theological Monthly

Illuminating for an understanding of the patristic mind in general is an examination of the techniques and forms of rebuttal that the fathers employed in opposing Epicureanism. Basically these methods fall into four categories: religious answers, debaters' tricks, stock arguments, and appeals to "science."

Tertulliani "Apologeticum", M. S. Sommer

Concordia Theological Monthly

Tertullian's Apologeticum is justly renowned. It is renowned because of its author, Tertullian, who because of the diction, style, extent, and time of his writings is recognized generally as the father of Church Latin. There is no doubt that later writers, among them men of such importance as St. Augustine, Ambrose, and Cyprian, were influenced by him. Of Cyprian it is said that be called Tertullian simply the teacher. And yet, important as all the writings of Tertullian are, many of them have now lost their claim to the attention of all except the specialist and the historian. But not …