Abstracts
Augustiniana 72(2022)
abstract
Édition critique d’une homélie, imputée à Augustin, d’après sept manuscrits des XIIe-XVe siècles. L’orateur, qui prêche peut-être en temps de disette, invite l’auditoire à ne pas se soucier du lendemain, d’après Matthieu 6, 25-33. Les hommes, assurés des promesses de Dieu s’ils obéissent à ses préceptes, n’ont pas à s’inquiéter pour leurs nourritures, leurs boissons ou leurs vêtements. Si Dieu procure chaque jour aux oiseaux ce dont ils ont besoin, à plus forte raison veillera-t-il sur des créatures rachetées par le sang de son fils.
Critical edition of a homily, attributed to Augustine, from seven manuscripts of the 12th-15th centuries. The speaker, perhaps preaching in times of famine, invites the audience not to worry about tomorrow, according to Matthew 6, 25-33. Men, assured of God’s promises if they obey his precepts, need not worry about their food, drink or clothing. If God provides the birds with what they need every day, how much more so will he look after creatures redeemed by the blood of his son.
keywords
Pseudo-Augustinian sermons - Mathew 6, 25-33 - Concern for tomorrow - Prayer of the birds - Bartholomew of Urbino - Pre-Hieronymian biblical version
abstract
Conformément à la théorie rhétorique classique de l’aptum, Augustin d’Hippone sait qu’un orateur doit adapter son discours à son audience (cat. rud. 23). Comment aborde-t-il la diversité interne de l’assemblée, spécialement lorsque les versets bibliques qu’il commente concernent un groupe d’auditeurs ou un autre? Cet article met en relief trois procédés exégétiques qu’Augustin utilise pour que chacun, quelle que soit la catégorie à laquelle il appartait (riches ou pauvres, hommes ou femmes, jeunes ou anciens…), puisse répondre personnellement à la Parole unique entendue par tous: premièrement, proposer à chaque groupe un modèle biblique spécifique; deuxièmement, commenter de plusieurs manières un même verset biblique; troisièmement, assumer les différences tout en les déplaçant vers une nouvelle identité, commune à tous. Des procédés herméneutiques habituels, notamment la tropologie et la typologie, se chargent alors d’une fonction pragmatique dont la situation de communication propre à l’homélie révèle la portée.
In accordance with the traditional rhetorical theory of aptum, Augustine of Hippo knows that a speaker must adapt his speech to his audience (cat. rud. 23). How does he deal with the internal diversity of the congregation, especially when the Bible verses he comments on concern one group of listeners or another? This article highlights three exegetical processes Augustine uses, so that everyone, regardless of the category he belongs to (rich and poor people, men and women, young and old people…), can respond personally to the one Word heard by all: first, offering each group a specific biblical model; second, commenting on the same biblical verse in different ways; third, assuming the differences while moving them towards a new identity, shared by all. The usual hermeneutical devices, notably tropology and typology, then take on a pragmatic function, the significance of which is highlighted by the communicative situation proper to the homily.
key words
Augustine of Hippo - Preaching - Exegesis - Identities - Pragmatics of language
abstract
In the present article, I investigate whether Augustine’s account of the books of the Platonists through the words of John’s prologue is linked to his grapple with Manichaean doctrine and worldview in Confessions 7. I explore particularly whether his choice to treat the libri Platonicorum by quoting from John 1:1-16, a passage that defines his intellectual breakthrough in the narrative of book 7, is used as a subtle opportunity to defend the Catholic interpretation of scripture against the Manichaean interpretation. This is especially in terms of certain doctrinal points of contention such as the nature of God and the soul (as spiritual rather than material realities), the triune God as Creator, and the role of Christ as the Word incarnate, where John becomes an important proof text. Moreover, I explore whether Augustine’s use of John forms part of an exercise to encourage readers of the Confessions, including the potential Manichaean reader, to adopt his way of thinking about God. I finally draw some preliminary conclusions on the way in which an awareness of the Manichaean reader may have shaped Augustine’s rendering of John and consequently his formulation of his search for God and the role of Christ in Confessions 7.
key words
Augustine - Manichaeism - Confessions - Gospel of John
abstract
This essay makes two closely related claims concerning Augustine’s Confessiones (conf.). These are, first, that conf.’s proximate cause is Confessor Augustine’s notion of confessio, i.e., of praising God for His infinite goodness manifest in Christ so that, by co-operating therewith, one’s union with Him can become immutable and second, in a related vein, that conf.’s exemplar cause is Augustine’s notion of divine Incarnation. This conclusion is arrived at in three complementary stages. To begin with, it is argued that conf.’s formal unity is grounded in Augustine’s doctrine of confessio. Next, it is claimed that Augustine’s teaching on confessio is reasonable. And finally, it is maintained that confessio, looked at doctrinally, notably embodies the Christian doctrine of Incarnation and, through that, the Christian doctrine of Trinity. On this score, moreover, Augustine emphasizes the significance of the order of discovery to the order of being. In any event, since conf.’s proximate cause is confessio, and the latter is guided by the doctrine of divine Incarnation, conf.’s exemplar cause is likewise.
key words
Confessio - exitus-reditus - Divine goodness - Spiritual union - Immutability - Mutability - Wisdom - Manicheans - Platonists - Divine Incarnation - Trinity
abstract
Although Augustine of Hippo had a keen interest in the creation narrative because of its high density of theological themes, he was also curious about the historical creation act itself. He contended that the creation act is hard to grasp in human terms and that Scripture therefore uses metaphors to make the abstract somewhat understandable. Metaphors lie at the heart of Augustine’s exegesis of Genesis, but he initially struggled to harmonize them with the historical narrative. This article deals with Augustine’s view on metaphors in two of his key commentaries on the creation narrative: De Genesi contra Manichaeos (DGCM) and De Genesi ad litteram (DGL), focusing on the light created and the speaking of God in Gen. 1:3. In DGCM Augustine uses a figurative interpretation in which he considers the creation as a foreshadowing of later events, but neglects the historical aspect of the creation narrative. In DGL Augustine develops a new approach, which is historical – addressing how the world was created – and at the same time considers the metaphysical character of the creation act.
key words
Creation narrative - Metaphors - De Genesi contra Manichaeos - De Genesi ad litteram
- François DOLBEAU, Ne pas se soucier du lendemain. Un sermon pseudo-augustinien sur Matthieu 6, 25-33 (Luc 12, 22-31). Augustiniana 72(2022)1 : 7-31
abstract
Édition critique d’une homélie, imputée à Augustin, d’après sept manuscrits des XIIe-XVe siècles. L’orateur, qui prêche peut-être en temps de disette, invite l’auditoire à ne pas se soucier du lendemain, d’après Matthieu 6, 25-33. Les hommes, assurés des promesses de Dieu s’ils obéissent à ses préceptes, n’ont pas à s’inquiéter pour leurs nourritures, leurs boissons ou leurs vêtements. Si Dieu procure chaque jour aux oiseaux ce dont ils ont besoin, à plus forte raison veillera-t-il sur des créatures rachetées par le sang de son fils.
Critical edition of a homily, attributed to Augustine, from seven manuscripts of the 12th-15th centuries. The speaker, perhaps preaching in times of famine, invites the audience not to worry about tomorrow, according to Matthew 6, 25-33. Men, assured of God’s promises if they obey his precepts, need not worry about their food, drink or clothing. If God provides the birds with what they need every day, how much more so will he look after creatures redeemed by the blood of his son.
keywords
Pseudo-Augustinian sermons - Mathew 6, 25-33 - Concern for tomorrow - Prayer of the birds - Bartholomew of Urbino - Pre-Hieronymian biblical version
- Marie PAULIAT, Commenter l'Écriture pour construire la communaté ecclésiale. L'exemple des Sermones ad populum d'Augustin d'Hippone. Augustiniana 72(2022)1 : 33-66
abstract
Conformément à la théorie rhétorique classique de l’aptum, Augustin d’Hippone sait qu’un orateur doit adapter son discours à son audience (cat. rud. 23). Comment aborde-t-il la diversité interne de l’assemblée, spécialement lorsque les versets bibliques qu’il commente concernent un groupe d’auditeurs ou un autre? Cet article met en relief trois procédés exégétiques qu’Augustin utilise pour que chacun, quelle que soit la catégorie à laquelle il appartait (riches ou pauvres, hommes ou femmes, jeunes ou anciens…), puisse répondre personnellement à la Parole unique entendue par tous: premièrement, proposer à chaque groupe un modèle biblique spécifique; deuxièmement, commenter de plusieurs manières un même verset biblique; troisièmement, assumer les différences tout en les déplaçant vers une nouvelle identité, commune à tous. Des procédés herméneutiques habituels, notamment la tropologie et la typologie, se chargent alors d’une fonction pragmatique dont la situation de communication propre à l’homélie révèle la portée.
In accordance with the traditional rhetorical theory of aptum, Augustine of Hippo knows that a speaker must adapt his speech to his audience (cat. rud. 23). How does he deal with the internal diversity of the congregation, especially when the Bible verses he comments on concern one group of listeners or another? This article highlights three exegetical processes Augustine uses, so that everyone, regardless of the category he belongs to (rich and poor people, men and women, young and old people…), can respond personally to the one Word heard by all: first, offering each group a specific biblical model; second, commenting on the same biblical verse in different ways; third, assuming the differences while moving them towards a new identity, shared by all. The usual hermeneutical devices, notably tropology and typology, then take on a pragmatic function, the significance of which is highlighted by the communicative situation proper to the homily.
key words
Augustine of Hippo - Preaching - Exegesis - Identities - Pragmatics of language
- Christina E. TURNER, The Gospel of John and the Manichaean Reader in Conf. 7. Augustiniana 72(2022)1 : 67-92
abstract
In the present article, I investigate whether Augustine’s account of the books of the Platonists through the words of John’s prologue is linked to his grapple with Manichaean doctrine and worldview in Confessions 7. I explore particularly whether his choice to treat the libri Platonicorum by quoting from John 1:1-16, a passage that defines his intellectual breakthrough in the narrative of book 7, is used as a subtle opportunity to defend the Catholic interpretation of scripture against the Manichaean interpretation. This is especially in terms of certain doctrinal points of contention such as the nature of God and the soul (as spiritual rather than material realities), the triune God as Creator, and the role of Christ as the Word incarnate, where John becomes an important proof text. Moreover, I explore whether Augustine’s use of John forms part of an exercise to encourage readers of the Confessions, including the potential Manichaean reader, to adopt his way of thinking about God. I finally draw some preliminary conclusions on the way in which an awareness of the Manichaean reader may have shaped Augustine’s rendering of John and consequently his formulation of his search for God and the role of Christ in Confessions 7.
key words
Augustine - Manichaeism - Confessions - Gospel of John
- David BARRY, Towards Articulating the Unity of Confessions-Confessio of Divine Incarnation. Augustiniana 72(2022)1 : 93-131
abstract
This essay makes two closely related claims concerning Augustine’s Confessiones (conf.). These are, first, that conf.’s proximate cause is Confessor Augustine’s notion of confessio, i.e., of praising God for His infinite goodness manifest in Christ so that, by co-operating therewith, one’s union with Him can become immutable and second, in a related vein, that conf.’s exemplar cause is Augustine’s notion of divine Incarnation. This conclusion is arrived at in three complementary stages. To begin with, it is argued that conf.’s formal unity is grounded in Augustine’s doctrine of confessio. Next, it is claimed that Augustine’s teaching on confessio is reasonable. And finally, it is maintained that confessio, looked at doctrinally, notably embodies the Christian doctrine of Incarnation and, through that, the Christian doctrine of Trinity. On this score, moreover, Augustine emphasizes the significance of the order of discovery to the order of being. In any event, since conf.’s proximate cause is confessio, and the latter is guided by the doctrine of divine Incarnation, conf.’s exemplar cause is likewise.
key words
Confessio - exitus-reditus - Divine goodness - Spiritual union - Immutability - Mutability - Wisdom - Manicheans - Platonists - Divine Incarnation - Trinity
- Guido JACOBS, Augustine of Hippo on God's Speaking and the Light in the Creation Narrative. Augustiniana 72(2022)1 : 133-151
abstract
Although Augustine of Hippo had a keen interest in the creation narrative because of its high density of theological themes, he was also curious about the historical creation act itself. He contended that the creation act is hard to grasp in human terms and that Scripture therefore uses metaphors to make the abstract somewhat understandable. Metaphors lie at the heart of Augustine’s exegesis of Genesis, but he initially struggled to harmonize them with the historical narrative. This article deals with Augustine’s view on metaphors in two of his key commentaries on the creation narrative: De Genesi contra Manichaeos (DGCM) and De Genesi ad litteram (DGL), focusing on the light created and the speaking of God in Gen. 1:3. In DGCM Augustine uses a figurative interpretation in which he considers the creation as a foreshadowing of later events, but neglects the historical aspect of the creation narrative. In DGL Augustine develops a new approach, which is historical – addressing how the world was created – and at the same time considers the metaphysical character of the creation act.
key words
Creation narrative - Metaphors - De Genesi contra Manichaeos - De Genesi ad litteram
