Introduction
Whose writing did Luther and some of the churches of the Reformation appeal to in the sixteenth century?
Augustine
How old was Augustine when he wrote The Confessions?
43 year old
What Neoplatonic teaching was Augustine fascinated by?
That evil was a privation of the good
What other two people were baptized with Augustine?
His son, Adeodatus, and his friend, Alypus
Why did Augustine compare the Donatists to "frogs in a pond"?
Because they thought they were unique
Where was the hotbed of martyrdom at the time of Christian persecution in the early church?
Communities in North Africa (or North African church)
In what town was Augustine born? What culture was this town part of?
Thagaste; Berber
What are the degrees of membership in the sect Augustine joined? What level did he attend before he left the sect?
Priest or elect was the highest and auditor was the lowest
Auditor
Augustine became the Bishop of what city? At what age? How long do the whole the position?
The Bishop of Hippo in 396 CE. He was 42 and held the position for 34 years
What does Augustine think the validity of the sacraments depended on?
They have their own validity (ex opere operato) on the correct celebration by the church
Who was the twenty-two-year-old woman from a noble family in Carthage who became a martyr alongside her slave girl? What was the name of her slave girl?
Perpetua; Felicitas
What are the names of Augustine's father and mother?
Patricius and Monica
What is Neo-Platonism? Through whose Latin translation did Augustine learn neo-Platonism?
Teaching that derived from Plotinus
From the translations of Victorinus
What tragedy hit Augustine on his way back to Africa?
His mother died on the way to Africa, in Ostia in 387 CE.
His son also died in 390 CE upon arrival.
What does Augustine teach about human nature?
That human nature is seriously flawed because it has been corrupted by original sin
Which three languages did the ancient Carthaginians speak?
Latin, Berber and Punic
What is the name of Augustine's son? Who is philosophy was Augustine drawn to?
Adeodatus; Plato
What Neoplatonic teaching would Augustine the Christian employ as harmonious with Christian teaching?
The theme of emanation (the doctrine that the mind or "Nous" and the soul or "Psyche" derive from the One) to explain the Christian teaching of exitus et reditus (that God is the beginning and final end of human life)
When did Augustine start writing The Confessions?
Into how many books is The Confessions divided?
Shortly after becoming a Christian (in 387 CE on Easter eve)
13
What does Augustine think we need because of our fallen human nature?
God's grace to attain salvation
What particular teachings of the sect that Augustine joined fascinated him?
The teaching of the problem of conflict between two forces, matters in spirit
What sect did Augustine join in North Africa? How long did he remain with the sect? What are some of the teachings of the sect?
Manicheanism. Nine years.
It taught that matter or flesh was bad and spirit was good; Condemned all sexual unions; considered a crime to birth children because matter was thought to be evil
What three factors, according to Augustine, led to his conversion? Where did Augustine spend eight months in solitude on his way to becoming a Christian?
1) the preaching of Ambrose,
2) his mother Monica who prayed for 30 years for his conversion
3) his reading of the life of Saint Anthony of Egypt by Saint Athanasius
What other two works is Saint Augustine known for?
The City of God and the Enchiridion (handbook on the grace of God)
What teaching of Augustine will be at the center of controversy in the 16th century?
Grace is irresistible for those who God has predestined, sometimes called predestination